Presidents and Influencing the FCC

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[Commentary] At no time did President Ronald Reagan or his representatives attempt to improperly influence me or the Federal Communications Commission’s financial interest/syndication proceeding.

His executive agencies properly did file comments in the proceeding, and I and Willard Nichols, my chief of staff, once briefed the president on the proceeding. At no time did the president lobby me on his position -- which he agreed not to do beforehand. He displayed the utmost of ethics and propriety, and expressed no opinion, either of his own or the FCC’s proposed action. He was polite and friendly throughout. By contrast, President Obama regrettably has bullied the FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in an improper manner to achieve a disastrous result. The best evidence of the Reagan administration FCC is that the commission, contrary to the administration’s position, subsequently liberalized the financial interest/syndication rules, permitting partial network ownership of programming shown on the networks. President Reagan was a man of principle, and this was another time when he comported himself accordingly.

[Fowler was chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from 1981 to 1987]


Presidents and Influencing the FCC