Zarkin, Kimberly

About the author: Kimberly Zarkin began working in broadcasting at age 11, at a community station in her home town in Massachusetts. She went on to receive a BA in Mass Communications from James Madison University, an MA in Mass Communications/Radio from Emerson College, and a PhD from the University of Florida. Dr. Zarkin is an assistant professor in the Mass Communications Program at Texas Woman’s University.

Anti-Indecency Groups and the Federal Communications Commission

2003 0-7734-6761-0
By examining the activities of Morality in Media and the American Family Association as related to the FCC, this research provides a clear picture of whether these groups have had any impact on the policy-making process. It fills an important gap in the understanding of how the FCC has regulated indecent speech on the broadcast spectrum as well as how it has responded to the pressure of interest groups. Despite the popular notion of the dominance of the religious right, this research demonstrates that the groups have not been as successful in pushing their agenda as some think. In addition, this research also gives scholars further insight on how the FCC makes policy in general.