The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has posted every complaint received over the last decade. Matthew Petti analyzed the data for the Reason, and compared pearl clutchers in counties across the United States.
Montgomery County recorded 150 FCC complaints among its 827,180 residents, translating to approximately 18 complaints per 100,000 people.
Comparatively, Bucks County, with 627,668 residents, filed 111 complaints, also yielding around 18 complaints per 100,000 residents. Chester County, home to 521,980 people, reported 90 complaints, equating to about 17 per 100,000 residents. Delaware County’s 565,228 residents made 106 complaints, resulting in approximately 19 complaints per 100,000. Philadelphia, despite its significant population of 1,581,531, had 190 complaints, translating to roughly 12 per 100,000 residents, showcasing the lowest rate among these counties.
Hot Spring County, Arkansas, leads the country with 514 complaints per 100,000 residents. Other high-complaint areas include San Juan, Puerto Rico, with 252 complaints per 100,000, and Yankton County, South Dakota, with 211 per 100,000 residents.
This data reveals that Montgomery County and its neighboring counties rates are moderate, particularly when compared to the top-ranking areas in the U.S. The relative quiet in these counties suggests a more balanced approach to what is deemed objectionable content on public airwaves, contrasting with regions where complaint rates are exponentially higher.
Read more about the FCC’s complaint statistics across the country in Reason.
