Federal Radio Commission

United States government agency

Also known as: FRC

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

The Federal Radio Commission (FRC) was a United States government agency established by the Radio Act of 1927. This act was created to address the chaotic and unregulated nature of the burgeoning radio industry in the 1920s. The FRC was empowered to grant broadcast licenses, assign frequencies, and regulate broadcasting hours, treating the airwaves as a public resource. The commission's mandate was to ensure that radio served the "public interest, convenience, and necessity." In 1934, the FRC was succeeded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which expanded regulatory authority to include television, wire, and other telecommunications.1234

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Communications Act of 1934
Radio Act of 1927
…1927 act created a five-member Federal Radio Commission (FRC) with discretionary authority, which the secretary of commerce had lacked under the 1912 act. Commissioners were nominated by the president of the United States and were confirmed by Congress; they served overlapping terms to maintain operational continuity. No more than three…
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…1927 act created a five-member Federal Radio Commission (FRC) with discretionary authority, which the secretary of commerce had lacked under the 1912 act. Commissioners were nominated by the president of the United States and were confirmed by Congress; they served overlapping terms to maintain operational continuity. No more than three…
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Radio Act of 1927
The bill created the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) and empowered it to oversee federal control of the airwaves. The new commission required broadcasters to apply for broadcast licenses, assigned frequencies, ensured the equal distribution of radio signals, and regulated the hours stations could broadcast. This law was the first…
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The bill created the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) and empowered it to oversee federal control of the airwaves. The new commission required broadcasters to apply for broadcast licenses, assigned frequencies, ensured the equal distribution of radio signals, and regulated the hours stations could broadcast. This law was the first…
Read More