Federal Communications Commission v. National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting

436 U.S. 775 · Decided June 12, 1978 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Federal Communications Commission v. National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting was decided on June 12, 1978 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Radio and television regulation” in the Economic Activity area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: William J. Brennan Jr..

Full case caption

Federal Communications Commission v. National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1977-106, docket 1977-106-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Radio and television regulation”

• Federal Communications Commission v. WNCN Listeners Guild
  450 U.S. 582Decided March 24, 19817–2Byron R. White
• CBS, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission
  453 U.S. 367Decided July 1, 19816–3Warren E. Burger
• Community Television of Southern California v. Gottfried
  459 U.S. 498Decided February 22, 19837–2John Paul Stevens
• United States v. Storer Broadcasting Co.
  351 U.S. 192Decided May 21, 19567–2Stanley F. Reed
• Federal Communications Commission v. Allentown Broadcasting Corp.
  349 U.S. 358Decided June 6, 19557–1Stanley F. Reed
• Federal Communications Commission v. American Broadcasting Co., Inc.
  347 U.S. 284Decided April 5, 19548–0Earl Warren

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: Communications Act of 1934

• Federal Communications Commission v. Midwest Video Corporation
  440 U.S. 689Decided April 2, 19796–3Byron R. White
• Capital Cities Cable, Inc. v. Crisp
  467 U.S. 691Decided June 18, 19849–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Louisiana Public Service Commission v. Federal Communications Commission
  476 U.S. 355Decided May 27, 19865–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Fuller v. Alaska
  393 U.S. 80Decided October 28, 19687–2Per curiam
• Lee v. FloridaAltered precedent
  392 U.S. 378Decided June 17, 19686–3Potter Stewart
• United States v. Southwestern Cable Co.
  392 U.S. 157Decided June 10, 19687–0John M. Harlan II

Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)

• County Board of Arlington County v. Richards
  434 U.S. 5Decided October 11, 19778–1Per curiam
• Southern Overlying Carrier Chapter of the California Dump Truck Owners Association v. Public Utilities Commission of California
  434 U.S. 9Decided October 11, 19778–1Per curiam
• Adamo Wrecking Co. v. United States
  434 U.S. 275Decided January 10, 19785–4William H. Rehnquist
• Pfizer Inc. v. Government of India
  434 U.S. 308Decided January 11, 19785–3Potter Stewart
• Carter v. MillerLaw held unconstitutional
  434 U.S. 356Decided January 17, 19784–4
• Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. RiceLaw held unconstitutional
  434 U.S. 429Decided February 21, 19788–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.

See all

Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error