An independent U.S. government regulatory agency responsible for overseeing all interstate and international communications. The FCC acts to maintain standards and consistency among the ever-growing types of media and methods of distribution, while protecting the interests of both consumers and businesses. The agency is accountable to Congress.

|||The FCC's actions are watched closely by stock market followers because they affect companies along many different business lines. The FCC allocates cellular and wireless accesss, regulates media company mergers and acquisitions, protects intellectual property rights and regulates standards of content and distribution for all media companies operating in the United States.