Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
August 16, 2000
Put the O'Hair FCC rumor to rest
The phone calls and e-mails keep coming to the office from parishioners, religious, even a pastor.
"It is true?" they ask.
"Should we start a petition drive in our parish?" they inquire.
What has gotten all of them so charged up?
It's that old rumor that won't die.
It goes like this: Madalyn Murray O'Hair, a self-proclaimed atheist, has filed a petition (petition no. 2493) with the Federal Communications Commission to ban all religious programming from radio and television. The latest twist in the rumor mentions specifically the popular TV show "Touched by an Angel." The rumor then requests that petitions be drafted with as many signatures as possible protesting O'Hair's request and that they be mailed to the FCC. If not, O'Hair will have her way and "Touched by an Angel" will go off the air.
Please know that this rumor is totally, unequivocally false.
In some way, shape or form, this rumor has been circulating since 1975. It has gained a life of its own, in part because another rumor stating that O'Hair was granted an FCC hearing to discuss the proposal has also surfaced from time to time. This rumor is also untrue.
Here's the FCC's official statement: "There is no federal law or regulation that gives the FCC the authority to prohibit radio and television stations from presenting religious programs. Actually, the Communications Act of 1934 (that law that established the FCC and defines its authority) prohibits the FCC from censoring broadcast material and interfering with freedom of speech in broadcasting.
"The FCC cannot direct any broadcaster to present, or refrain from, presenting announcements or programs on religion, and the FCC cannot act as arbiter on the insights or accuracy of such material. Broadcasters, not the FCC, nor any other governmental agency, have the responsibility for selecting the programming that is aired by their station."
The FCC has stated numerous times that it is required by the First Amendment "to observe a stance of neutrality toward religion, acting neither to prohibit it nor to inhibit religion." It has also explained that it must treat religious and secular organizations alike in determining their eligibility for broadcasting channels.
Please also know that not a word has been heard from O'Hair since 1995. That's the year when she and two members of her family were reported missing in Texas - the victims, authorities believe, of foul play.
Since 1975, the FCC has received or responded to more than 25 million inquiries about this rumor. Every effort has been made by the FCC (including posting it on its Web site) to advise the public of the falsehood of this rumor.
Especially this Jubilee Year, we are called as followers of Christ to use our energies for the greater good, such as debt forgiveness, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, promoting the sanctity of life from the moment of conception and ending the death penalty. These are just a few areas where pro-active Catholics are making a difference.
Please let O'Hair FCC petition die in 2000. It never was and never will be. Then put that time to work for the greater good.
Reprinted with permission from the Beacon, newspaper of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J.
