The Evolution of the Intermediate Scrutiny Standard and the Rise of the Bottleneck "Rule" in the Turner Decisions
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
June 2010
Publication Title
Communication Law and Policy
Abstract
The so-called "bottleneck" standard or monopoly rule was developed by the Supreme Court of the United States in Turner Broadcasting v. FCC (1997) and allowed the Court to uphold legislation that favored the economic and speech interests of the broadcast industry over those of the cable industry. The Court's formation of the bottleneck standard is supported by a set of judicial opinions, including plurality decisions, that have adopted a revisionist reading of the intermediate scrutiny standard enunciated in United States v. O'Brien. This reading has resulted in a splintering of established precedent defining the O'Brien standard and supports the contention that law is a function of the analogies used, definitions applied and assumptions employed by those who have participated and prevailed in the adjudication process.
Recommended Citation
Whitmore, Nancy, "The Evolution of the Intermediate Scrutiny Standard and the Rise of the Bottleneck "Rule" in the Turner Decisions" (2010). Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication. 257.
https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/ccom_papers/257
