Comparative study of letter writers and general popzrlation shows that station tnail represents views of the literate, white. older and active majority and is not a aalid sample of the entire community.Studies of letters to the media sporadically appear in the communication literature. A recent FCC ruling makes such studies of more than just academic interest for broadcasters are now required to solicit and maintain public files of correspondence from their audience about programming and related matters of community interest. The FCC reasons that the files would , . . permit a inemher of the public to better determine the nature of coninmnity feedback received by licensees and the extent to which his or her opinions regarding coniniuiiity problems and needs andlor the licensees' stutioii operation nzight be shared by others (29 Radio Regulation, second edition, p . 12).The assumptions made by the FCC are staggering. First, it appears questionable that the viewing public might visit a station to read its public files, much less know about the files' existence. Second, it seems problematic to assume that the people who write the letters to broadcast stations are actually valid reflectors of community needs and interests, especially since several studies ( 3 , 4 , 5 , 8) document that these letters tend to be critical in nature. The FCC provides no guidelines for interpreting the public file material and understandably the broadcaster must feel some hesitancy in making the information readily acwssible to potential challengers.Brrnadette McCuirc is a

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