Communications Act of 1934 creates Federal Communications Commission

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Communications Act of 1934, abolishing the Federal Radio Commission and creating the seven-member Federal Communications Commission with broad authority over interstate and foreign communications by wire and radio. The law codifies the "public interest, convenience, and necessity" standard and grants the FCC power to regulate broadcasting, telephone, and telegraph services. This becomes the foundational legal framework for U.S. communications regulation for the next 62 years.