Home > Great American Court Cases > Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. Federal Communications Commission

Legal Citation: 395 U.S. 367 (1969)

Petitioner
Red Lion Broadcasting Company, et al.

Respondent
Federal Communications Commission, et al.

Petitioner's Claim
That the Federal Communications Commission's Fairness Doctrine, which requires broadcasters to allow the subjects of personal attacks or political analyses equal time for rebuttal, violated their First Amendment right to freely determine the content of their programming.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
Roger Robb

Chief Lawyer for Respondent
Archibald Cox

Justices for the Court
Hugo Lafayette Black, William J. Brennan, Jr., John Marshall Harlan II, Thurgood Marshall, Potter Stewart, Earl Warren, Byron R. White (writing for the Court)

Justices Dissenting
None (William O. Douglas did not participate)

Place
Washington, D.C.

Date of...