| Abstract: | Between 1977 and 1981, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Charles Ferris directed the FCC as it made history by modifying U.S. radio and telecommunications law. It was a revolutionary time, but for the most part neither Ferris, nor the man who appointed him, President Jimmy Carter, has received much credit for their role in remaking regulatory policy. Perhaps even more importantly, Ferris changed the philosophy of how the FCC went about rulemaking, which continues to guide the Commission to this day. This study—utilizing, in part, Ferris' own words—seeks to correct the record regarding the impact he had. |
