Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission

395 U.S. 367 · Decided June 9, 1969 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission was decided on June 9, 1969 unanimously (7–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment 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 O. Douglas.

Full case caption

Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc., et al. v. Federal Communications Commission et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1968-121, docket 1968-121-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”

• Brandenburg v. OhioAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  395 U.S. 444Decided June 9, 19698–0Per curiam
• Watts v. United States
  394 U.S. 705Decided April 21, 19695–4Per curiam
• Carroll v. President and Commissioners of Princess Anne
  393 U.S. 175Decided November 19, 19689–0Abe Fortas
• Amalgamated Food Employees Union Local 590 v. Logan Valley Plaza, Inc.
  391 U.S. 308Decided May 20, 19686–3Thurgood Marshall
• Teitel Film Corp. v. CusackLaw held unconstitutional
  390 U.S. 139Decided January 29, 19689–0Per curiam
• United Mine Workers of America v. Illinois State Bar Association
  389 U.S. 217Decided December 5, 19678–1Hugo L. Black

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Street v. New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  394 U.S. 576Decided April 21, 19695–4John M. Harlan II
• Stanley v. GeorgiaLaw held unconstitutional
  394 U.S. 557Decided April 7, 19699–0Thurgood Marshall
• Shuttlesworth v. City of Birmingham
  394 U.S. 147Decided March 10, 19698–0Potter Stewart
• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
  393 U.S. 503Decided February 24, 19697–2Abe Fortas
• Carlos v. New York
  396 U.S. 119Decided December 8, 19696–2Per curiam
• Cain v. Kentucky
  397 U.S. 319Decided March 23, 19706–2Per curiam

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Epperson v. ArkansasLaw held unconstitutional
  393 U.S. 97Decided November 17, 19689–0Abe Fortas
• Carroll v. President and Commissioners of Princess Anne
  393 U.S. 175Decided November 19, 19689–0Abe Fortas
• Clark v. Gabriel
  393 U.S. 256Decided December 16, 19688–1Per curiam
• Presbyterian Church in the United States v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Memorial Presbyterian Church
  393 U.S. 440Decided January 27, 19699–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
  393 U.S. 503Decided February 24, 19697–2Abe Fortas
• Gregory v. City of Chicago
  394 U.S. 111Decided March 10, 19699–0Earl Warren

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