It seems so distant today. At the height of the 1970s oil crisis, the New York State Public Service Commission ordered power companies to cease their advertising in a bid to reduce demand for energy. But that ban led to a landmark Supreme Court decision. On June 20, 1980, 40 years ago this month, the Court issued its ruling in Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation v. Public Service Commission of New York and found in favor of the utility. The ruling for the first time made it clear that First Amendment protection extended to commercial advertising and laid out how it should be applied.
HISTORY's Moments in Media: Supreme Court Precedent on Commercial Free Speech: History that's Relevant Today
