Radio Act of 1927 United States [1927] Written by Miles Romney Contributor to SAGE Publications's The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society (2020) whose work appears in Britannica as part of a joint publishing agreement with SAGE. Miles Romney Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 22, 2026 •History The Radio Act of 1927 was signed into law by U.S. President Calvin Coolidge on February 23, 1927, and is considered to be the foundation of broadcast regulation in the United States. The impetus for the legislation was to provide greater control and oversight of the fast-growing wireless communications industry. In the 1920s, the growth of commercial radio stations in the United States was dramatic. Yet little direction existed for how frequencies were assigned and...

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