4th August, 1987
The US Federal Communications Commission rescinds the Fairness Doctrine

The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the United States's Federal Communications Commission, requiring broadcast licensees to present controversial issues of public importance, and to present such issues in an honest, equal and balanced manner.

Although it had previously been challenged on the grounds of violating the first amendment and principle of free speech, it had been ruled that radio stations could be regulated in this way because of the restricted number of radio stations which could transmit over the limited available frequencies.

The two corollary rules, the personal attack rule and the political editorial rule, remained in practice until 2000. The personal attack rule was pertinent whenever a person or small group was subject to a character attack during a broadcast. Stations had to notify such persons or groups within a week of the attack, send them transcripts of what was said, and offer the opportunity to respond on the air. The political editorial rule applied when a station broadcasted editorials endorsing or opposing candidates for public office, and stipulated that the candidates not endorsed be notified and allowed a reasonable opportunity to respond.