Broadcast reform revisited: Reverend Everett C. Parker and the “standing” case (office of communication of the United church of Christ v. Federal Communications Commission)

Abstract

Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ v. Federal Communications Commission (1966), sometimes known as the “WLBT” case, was an instance where local citizens successfully challenged the broadcast license of a racist Mississippi broadcaster. The challenge worked in large part because it was tied to a larger social movement, that of Civil Rights. The effort resulted in the expansion of the legal doctrine of standing (that is, who could bring an action before regulatory agencies and courts) to normal citizens, and thus sparked the growth of citizen activism and participatory politics in various spheres, including consumer rights, environmental protection, and, of course, broadcast reform. The article tells the story of the case and its chief protagonist, Reverend Everett C. Parker.