Communication Act Amendments of 1982

Communications Act Amendments of 1982 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to state that participation by one or more Commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in any international conference shall not be considered an FCC meeting or a panel of Commissioners for any purpose.

Deletes the provision relating to the allocation of broadcasting facilities by the FCC.

Authorizes the FCC to choose to require a full hearing on license applications or to require evidence in any other form that will give all interested parties a chance to be heard.

Requires the FCC to grant renewal of a radio or television broadcaster's license unless the licensee acted in such serious disregard for the Communications Act and the FCC's policies that denial of the license is justified.

Denies the FCC the authority to consider the application of any person other than the licensee for the television or radio broadcast facilities for which license renewal is sought. Makes such denial inapplicable for any renewal application filed before January 26, 1982.

Repeals the antitrust provisions of the Communications Act.

Prohibits the FCC from requiring radio or television broadcast station licensees to: (1) provide certain programs; (2) adhere to a particular programming format; (3) ascertain the interests of their service areas; (4) restrict their commercials; and (5) maintain or make publicly available program logs of the station.

Requires an efficiently operating radio on U.S. passenger and cargo ships above a certain size and on all U.S. and foreign ships leaving for a sea voyage. Requires such radio to meet either treaty requirements or FCC regulations. Repeals specified provisions dealing with ship radios and radio operators.

Prohibits all U.S. ships carrying more than six passengers for hire from being navigated in the open sea or any U.S. tidewater unless equipped with efficient radio equipment. (Current law exempts certain ships.)

Increases from $2,000 to $100,000 the limit on the amount of forfeiture penalty applicable to specified violations of the Communications Act or of the criminal code.