The Endless Loop: Madlyn Murray O'hair & Religious Programming

From the FCC Consumer Fact Sheet
Feb. 2004

Background

A rumor has been circulating since 1975 that Madalyn Murray O’Hair, a widely known, self-proclaimed atheist, proposed that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) consider limiting or banning religious programming. Also circulating is a rumor that the FCC granted Ms. O’Hair an FCC hearing to discuss this proposal.

These rumors are untrue. In December 1974, Jeremy D. Lansman and Lorenzo W. Milam filed a petition (RM-2493) asking the FCC to inquire into the operating practices of stations licensed to religious organizations, and not to grant any new licenses for new noncommercial educational broadcast stations until the inquiry had been completed. The FCC denied this petition on August 1, 1975. Ms. O’Hair was not a sponsor of this petition.

Since that time, the FCC has received mail and telephone calls claiming that Ms. O’Hair started the petition and that the petition asked for an end to religious programs on radio and television. Such rumors are false. The FCC has responded to numerous inquiries about these rumors and advised the public of their falsehood. There is no federal law that gives the FCC the authority to prohibit radio and television stations from broadcasting religious programs.

For general information on other telecommunication-related issues, you may contact the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau via the Internet at www.fcc.gov/cgb, or at the address below. You may also call the FCC’s Consumer Center at 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TT