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HR 1140 100th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Administrative procedure Broadcasting Communications and Broadcasting Independent regulatory commissions Licenses Radio broadcasting Radio programs Television Television programs

Broadcast License Renewal Act of 1987

Introduced: February 19, 1987 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 100th Congress ended
It never became law before the 100th Congress (1987–1988) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 2, 1987
Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.
Feb 19, 1987
Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Feb 19, 1987
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Broadcast License Renewal Act of 1987 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to declare it to be the policy of the United States that, with respect to the grant or renewal of a broadcast license, the licensee has the responsibility to: (1) broadcast material responsive to matters of concern to residents of its service area; and (2) operate in compliance with provisions of such Act and Federal Communications Commission regulations. Directs the Commission to: (1) grant an application for license renewal if the applicant has met such responsibilities in the preceding license term; or (2) deny renewal or grant limited renewal if the applicant failed to meet such responsibilities.

Prohibits the Commission, in evaluating a licensee's performance in broadcasting material responsive to matters of public concern, from establishing or applying any requirement with respect to the broadcast of any specific subject or material. Directs the Commission to accept the licensee's judgment if found to be reasonable and made in good faith.

Prohibits the Commission, in determining whether to renew a license, from considering whether the public interest, convenience, and necessity might be served by granting a license to a competing applicant.

Directs the Commission to conduct an inquiry and prescribe any necessary regulations concerning any additional information that licensees should be required to maintain and make available to the public regarding the licensee's responsibility to broadcast material responsive to matters of public concern.

Makes it unlawful for a license applicant and any other person, while a license application is pending, to effectuate an agreement whereby the other person withdraws or withholds an informal objection or a petition to deny in exchange for the payment of any thing of value by, or on behalf of, the applicant.

What's happening now March 2, 1987

Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1140: Broadcast License Renewal Act of 1987. 100th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1140/
MLA
"H.R. 1140: Broadcast License Renewal Act of 1987." 100th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1140/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1140, 100th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1140/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1140: Broadcast License Renewal Act of 1987](https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-1140/)
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