Taking the FCC to Church: The United Church of Christ’s Activism in Broadcast Regulation

Abstract

In the history of media reform, various citizens’ groups have affected change in communication policy and regulation. Beginning with WLBT-TV, the United Church of Christ (UCC) has engaged in more than 50 years of activism, for the public’s interest. Applying theories of media activism and advocacy, this research examines UCC’s legal involvement from 1966 to 2003, concluding that strategies utilized by UCC may be essential for citizen’s groups to have a “voice” in future policy-making processes.