The FCC in Brief June 1995 The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent United States government agency, directly responsible to Congress. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC's jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions. The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for 5-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairperson. Only three Commissioners may be members of the same political party. None of them can have a financial interest in any Commission-related business. FCC Staff As the chief executive officer of the Commission, the Chairman delegates management and administrative responsibility to the Managing Director. The Commissioners supervise all FCC activities, delegating responsibilities to staff units and Bureaus. The Commission staff is organized by function. There are six operating Bureaus. The Bureaus are: Mass Media, Cable Services, Common Carrier, Compliance and Information (formerly Field Operations), Wireless Telecommunications (formerly Private Radio) and International. These Bureaus are responsible for developing and implementing regulatory programs, processing applications for licenses or other filings, analyzing complaints, conducting investigations, and taking part in FCC hearings. The staff offices are: Public Affairs, Managing Director, General Counsel, Engineering and Technology, Workplace Diversity, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, Plans and Policy, Inspector General, Communications Business Opportunities, Administrative Law Judges and the Review Board. Cable Services The Cable Services Bureau was established in 1993 to administer the "Cable ____________________________________________________________________________ Office of Public Affairs, Public Service Division, 1919 M Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20554 202-418-0200/TT 202-418-2555 Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992." The Bureau enforces regulations designed to ensure that cable rates are reasonable under the law. It is also responsible for regulations concerning "must carry," retransmission consent, customer services, technical standards, home wiring, consumer electronics, equipment compatibility, indecency, leased access and program access provisions. The Bureau also analyzes trends and developments in the industry to assess the effectiveness of the cable regulations. Common Carrier The Common Carrier Bureau regulates wire and radio communications common carriers, such as telephone, and telegraph. In addition to licensing radiotelephone circuits and assigning frequencies for their operation, the Bureau supervises charges, practices, classifications and regulations in interstate and foreign communication by radio, wire and cable; considers applications for construction of new facilities and discontinuance or reduction of service; acts on applications for mergers, and prescribes the accounting practices of communication carriers. The Bureau also regulates rates, terms and conditions for cable television pole attachments, where such attachments are not regulated by a state and not provided by railroads or governmental or cooperatively-owned utilities. Compliance and Information The Compliance and Information Bureau assures compliance with communications law, supports safety applications of radio spectrum and provides information to the Commission for affecting telecommunications policies. The Bureau operates strategically placed regional offices and field offices located across the nation, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. It interacts daily with military, state and local authorities in policing the airwaves to ensure free and open access by industry and the public. The Bureau is the Commission's central source for resolving communication interference problems. It enforces rules through radio signal analysis, inspections and investigations; it supplies information to the public and provides a direct contact for both technical and non-technical inquiries. These field offices monitor the radio spectrum to see that stations meet technical requirements, inspect stations, locate and close unauthorized transmitters, furnish direction-finding aid for aircraft or ships in distress, locate sources of interference and suggest remedial measures, do special engineering work for other government agencies, and obtain and analyze technical data for Commission use. They also perform public service activities such as participating in nationwide educational campaigns and handle general inquiries from the public. International The International Bureau was established in October 1994 to handle all FCC international telecommunications and satellite programs and policies. The Bureau represents the Commission in international conferences involving telecommunications matters such as rates, standards and development issues. Its other primary functions include international safety and distress, space and earth stations, cable landing licenses, bilateral discussions and interaction with other international organizations. It assumes the principal representational role for Commission activities in international affairs, serves as the focal point for international activities, and advises the Commission on international matters. The Bureau is charged with domestic administration of telecommunication provisions of treaties and international agreements to which the United States is a party. Under the Department of State auspices, it participates in related international conferences. Mass Media The Mass Media Bureau regulates AM, FM and television broadcast stations and related facilities. It assigns frequencies and call letters to stations, and designates operating power and sign-on and sign-off times. It also assigns stations in each service within the allocated frequency bands, with specific locations, frequencies, and powers. It regulates existing stations, inspecting to see that stations are operating in accordance with rules and technical provisions of their authorizations. At renewal time, the station's records are reviewed. Television stations are licensed for five years and radio stations for seven years. Licensees are obligated to comply with statutes, rules and policies relating to program content such as identifying sponsors and broadcasting information only on state-operated lotteries in their own or adjacent states. The Bureau assures that licensees make available equal opportunities for use of broadcast facilities by political candidates or opposing political candidates, station identification, and identification of recorded programs or program segments. Licensees who have violated FCC statutes, rules or policies are subject to sanctions, including loss of license and fines. Wireless Telecommunications (formerly Private Radio Services) The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau regulates stations serving the communications needs of businesses, individuals, nonprofit organizations, and state and local governments, including the following uses: private land mobile, private operational fixed microwave, aviation, marine, personal, amateur, and disaster. This Bureau is responsible for all domestic wireless telecommunications programs, except those involving satellite communications. These include Cellular Services, Personal Communications Services (PCS), Paging, and Specialized Mobile Radio, Air-to-Ground and Basic Exchange Telecommunications Radio Services. Its Enforcement Division ensures that wireless telecommunications service providers comply with the Communications Act, statutes and Commission rules, orders and policies. Its Auction Division is responsible for conducting PCS auctions. The Bureau also is responsible for rule making and regulatory matters concerning Public Safety, Industrial, Land Transportation and other private mobile services, Aviation, Marine, Amateur, Interactive Video Data Service (IVDS), Broadcast Auxiliary Service, Personal Radio Services, point-to-point microwave, antenna tower clearance, and the radio operator examination program. Office of Public Affairs The Office of Public Affairs (OPA), is responsible for informing the press of the FCC's regulatory requirements, facilitating public participation in the FCC's decision-making processes, and apprising the public of FCC policies in telecommunications. OPA issues daily news releases, public notices and other informational materials, and prepares the Annual Report. OPA provides customer assistance by responding to consumer calls and mail for information, provides outreach programs, including special informational meetings for diverse audiences, and prepares informational products such as Fact Sheets, Consumer Alerts and Information Bulletins. It also provides information about docketed proceedings, AM, FM and Television files, Low Power Television files, Instructional Fixed Television Service files, Broadcast Ownership Reports, Cable Television files, Call Signs and Tariff Filings. Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs The Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs (OLIA), implements the agency's legislative programs in the telecommunications industry. OLIA is responsible for informing the Congress of the FCC's regulatory decisions, responding to congressional inquiries, and providing or responding to proposed changes in existing law, which affect the Commission or its processes. OLIA also is the chief staff liaison to other agencies of the federal government that are involved in telecommunications policy and also coordinates the Commission's relations with state and local government telecommunications authorities. Office of Plans and Policy The Office of Plans and Policy (OPP), is the major economic/technical policy adviser to the Commission, analyzing issues and developing long-term policy planning. OPP's Chief coordinates all policy research and development activities, both within the FCC and with other agencies; recommends budget levels and priorities for policy research programs; serves as account manager for all contract research studies funded by the Commission. Office of the General Counsel The General Counsel advises the Commission on legal issues involved in establishing and implementing policy, handles legal questions affecting the agency's internal operations, coordinates the preparation of its legislative program and represents it in court. The OGC also assists the Commission in reviewing Review Board Decisions and, in specific cases, Initial Decisions of the Administrative Law Judges, as well as in drafting FCC decisions in adjudicatory cases. Office of Engineering and Technology The Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) is responsible for managing the non-Government use of the spectrum. It is the FCC's technical adviser on engineering and scientific matters. OET makes recommendations on how the radio spectrum should be allocated and establishes the technical standards to be followed by users. OET provides technical leadership to create new opportunities for competitive technologies and services for the American public. Office of Inspector General The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) was created by the Inspector General Amendments Act of 1988. The Inspector General conducts and supervises audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the agency. The OIG recommends policies for activities designed to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness, as well as to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in agency programs. The OIG also provides a means for keeping the Chairman, Commissioners and the Congress fully informed about problems and deficiencies at the agency. Office of The Managing Director Under the supervision and direction of the Chairman, the Managing Director serves as the FCC's chief operating official. The Managing Director provides managerial direction to the FCC's Bureaus and staff offices in management and administrative matters; formulates and administers management and administrative policy programs and directives for the Commission; assists in carrying out administrative responsibilities; advises management on administrative and related matters; and administers the FCC's managements systems. Hearings and Review Administrative Law Judges preside over hearings and issue Initial Decisions. Generally, review of initial decisions is done by the FCC's Review Board. Its Decisions may be reviewed by the full Commission. Safety of Life and Property The Communications Act of 1934 stipulates: "For the purpose of obtaining maximum effectiveness from the use of radio and wire communications in connection with safety of life and property, the Commission shall investigate and study all phases of the problem and the best methods of obtaining the cooperation and coordination of these systems." Radio installations on vessels and aircraft; also police, fire, and forestry, fall into this category. Emergency Alert/National Defense Wire and radio communication facilities that aid the national defense form one of the basic requirements of the Communications Act. The President has delegated certain of these functions to the FCC. Among other things, the Commission supervises the Emergency Alert System to notify and instruct the public in the event of local or national emergencies. The FCC cooperates with federal, state and local authorities in the preparation of emergency plans and, in turn, has the cooperation of the public and industry. Call Signs International agreement provides for national identification of a station by the first letter or first two letters of its call sign, and for this purpose apportions the alphabet among the nations. The United States uses the initial letters K, N and W exclusively and part of the A series. Call signs are assigned by the Commission. The initial letter N is reserved for the Navy and Coast Guard, while A, K and W are shared by other government and nongovernment stations. Commercial broadcast station call signs begin with the letters K and W. Calls prefixed by K identify stations located west of the Mississippi River, while W is used east of the river, except for some long-established stations whose call letters were allocated before the assignment rule was adopted. Publications & Information Those interested in more details about the Commission may purchase FCC rules or the Communications Act from the Government Printing Office or may obtain free, single copies, of information produced for the public by the FCC, by writing to: The Public Service Division, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W., Room 254, Washington, D.C. 20554, or by calling 202-418-0200/TT 202-418-2555. ---FCC---