Opinion ID: 392799
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Public Interest Obligations

Text: 43 In denying appellants' claim that the FCC committed reversible error in failing to hold the seven commercial stations to specific obligations under Section 504, we are not unmindful that the FCC functions under a statutory obligation to make findings about the public interest, and that the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 may evidence a general national policy of considering the concerns of the deaf within the public interest rubric, 68 even where direct legal obligations are not imposed. Indeed, the FCC itself has sometimes suggested that it could not, consistent with its statutory mandate, ignore the wants and needs of minorities that national policies aim to protect. 69 44 Because of the national policy of extending increased opportunities to the hearing impaired, we believe that some accommodations for the hard of hearing are required of commercial stations, under the general obligation of licensees to serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity. But in the absence of specific statutory obligations directed at the commercial broadcasters, 70 we conclude that it would not be appropriate for us to delineate standards for the commercial stations or to require specific Commission procedures at this time. 45 In its brief in this court the Commission rehearses a series of efforts that it has encouraged and licensed from 1970 to the present. 71 It represents that it is moving forward in this area, and that it will continue to do so. 72 Recognizing that the Commission possesses special competence in weighing the factors of technological feasibility and economic viability that the concept of the public interest must embrace, 73 we defer today to its judgment. However, should the Commission fail to fulfill its obligations to the nation's hearing impaired minority, as we have indicated above, 74 judicial action might become appropriate at a later date. 46 In consideration of the Commission's representations of good faith and active concern, together with the record on which it based its decisions to renew the licenses of the seven commercial stations, we conclude that the action of the Commission with respect to the commercial broadcasters should be affirmed.