Full Ninth Circuit Court To Hear Feds' Appeal Of Ruling Striking Down Noncomm Political Ad Ban

To Hear Feds' Appeal

The full Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear in MARCH 2013 an appeal by the federal government of its 3-judge-panel APRIL ruling that the law banning noncommercial radio and TV stations from taking political ads or positions on issues is a First Amendment violation. 

The SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE reports that the rehearing of the ruling, which also upheld the ban on non-campaign commercial advertisements on public stations, will be considered before the full 11 judge panel after an appeal by the Justice Department with support from PBS and NPR, both of which voiced concern that the ruling puts commercial pressure on their programming.  

The initial case was brought by the MINORITY TELEVISION PROJECT, licensee of noncommercial KMTP-TV/SAN FRANCISCO.

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