It looks to a station's overall coverage on all programs, measured over weeks and even months. Under it, broadcasters pick the format and speakers, and decide the when and how long they speak. Not according to the unanimous, and repeatedly reconfirmed, Red Lion decision. The doctrine by its terms promotes the discussion of issues and ideas. Compliance is achieved by carrying more, not less, speech.
Broadcasters volunteer to be licensees.
In exchange for a monopoly right to use valuable publicly owned spectrum, they agree to provide a measure of public service. It would be strange if the First Amendment, aimed at protecting and furthering communications, prevented the Government from making radio communication possible by requiring licensees to broadcast. . . . . . . By the same token, as far as the First Amendment is concerned those who are licensed stand no better than those to whom licenses are refused. A license permits broadcasting, but the licensee has no constitutional right to be the one who holds the license . . . There is nothing in the First Amendment which prevents the Government from requiring a licensee to share his frequency with others and to conduct himself as a proxy or fiduciary with obligations to present those views and voices which are representative of his community and which would otherwise, by necessity, be barred from the airwaves.