Does the federal public interest standard still remain – i.e. are all TV stations required to air PSAs?
The short answer is no, and they never were, but this question deserves a more detailed explanation. In spite of a very widespread misperception, stations were never mandated to use a prescribed level of PSAs. What they are required to do is to broadcast in the ‘public interest.’Along with airing PSAs, stations can use a variety of programming to meet FCC requirements, including community calendars, editorials, longer specials on a community issue, and participating in community events. There is also one issue where the FCC does mandate a prescribed level of public interest programming called the Children’s Television Act, but again, PSAs are not the only way for broadcasters to meet this requirement. The Act calls for every full-service TV station to air at least three hours per week of “core educational programming,” which is defined as “serving the educational and informational needs of children as a significant purpose;” they must be aired between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.; b
