Supreme Court upholds FCC indecency power in FCC v. Pacifica Foundation

The Supreme Court rules 5-4 in FCC v. Pacifica Foundation that the FCC can regulate broadcast indecency under its licensing authority. The case involves a New York public radio station that aired George Carlin's "Filthy Words" monologue during afternoon hours. Justice John Paul Stevens writes that broadcast media is uniquely pervasive and accessible to children, justifying content restrictions unavailable in other media. The ruling expands FCC content jurisdiction beyond balance requirements to include decency standards, adding another dimension to the government's leverage over broadcasters. Any broadcaster whose content the FCC deems objectionable faces regulatory consequences under this framework.