Asa Hutchinson: “in late-December 1999, the Federal Communications Commission took the unusual and aggressive step to restrict the…”

“in late-December 1999, the Federal Communications Commission took the unusual and aggressive step to restrict the programming of noncommercial television stations by not allowing certain types of religious programming. Within the context of a license transfer involving a noncommercial television station in Pittsburgh, PA, the FCC attempted to establish guidelines for what they felt were ``acceptable'' educational religious programming. The commission states in the Additional Guidance section of their decision document that, ``. . . programming primarily devoted to religious exhortation, proselytizing, or statements of personally-held religious views or beliefs generally would not qualify as `general educational' programming.'' As a former religious broadcaster, this type of misguided agenda coming from a nonelected agency of the federal government is very disturbing. My office was flooded with letters and phone calls from Arkansans who were worried that the Federal Government had finally made an overt attempt to restrict what religious programming we watch on television or listen to on the radio. Surprisingly, the national media remained strangely quiet despite the serious free speech implications and first amendment violation by the commission's ruling.”