Communications Law Commons^™

The Public Interest Standard: Is It Too Indeterminate To Be Constitutional?, Randolph J. May

Federal Communications Law Journal

This Article argues that the congressional delegation of public interest authority to the FCC likely violates the nondelegation doctrine that inheres in the constitutional separation of powers scheme and that, even if the courts do not hold the public interest delegation unconstitutional, Congress should revise the Communications Act to set forth more specific guidance for the FCC. In today’s environment of “convergence,” in which competition is flourishing across communications sectors, Congress should not shirk its responsibility to establish fundamental policy for an industry that contributes so much to the overall health of our economy. This Article argues that Congress should …

In Search Of Congressional Intent, William Malone

Federal Communications Law Journal

Book Review: The Communications Act: A Legislative History of the Major Amendments, 1934-1996, Max D. Paglin ed., Pike & Fischer, Inc., 1999, 438 pages.

The Communications Act: A Legislative History of the Major Amendments 1934-1996, a second volume of the important literary legacy of the Golden Jubilee Commission on Telecommunications, has recently appeared beside the well-thumbed copy of its sister volume, A Legislative History of the Communications Act of 1934, in the library of every diligent communications lawyer. In this Review, William Malone discusses both the content and the format of this legislative history, as well as the continuing relevance …