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Background
Federal law, including Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) rules, requires that employees of broadcast
stations, program producers, program suppliers and others who have
accepted or agreed to receive payments, services, or other
valuable consideration for airing material must disclose this
fact. Disclosure provides broadcasters the information they need
to let their audiences know if material was paid for, and by whom.
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What the Rules Say
The Communications Act and the FCC’s rules
require that:
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When a broadcast licensee has received or
been promised payment for the airing of program material, then,
at the time of the airing, the station must disclose that fact
and identify who paid for or promised to pay for the material.
All sponsored material must be explicitly identified at the time
of broadcast as paid for and by whom, except when it is clear
that the mention of a product or service constitutes sponsorship
identification.
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Any broadcast station employee who has
accepted or agreed to accept payment for the airing of program
material, and the person making or promising to make the
payment, must disclose this information to the station prior to
the airing of the program.
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Any person involved in the supply,
production or preparation of a program who receives or agrees to
receive, or makes or promises to make payment for the airing of
program material, or knows of such arrangements, must disclose
this information prior to the airing of the program. Broadcast
licensees must make reasonable efforts to obtain from their
employees and others they deal with for program material the
information necessary to make the required sponsorship
identification announcements.
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The information must be provided up the
chain of production and distribution before the time of
broadcast, so the station can air the required disclosure.
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These rules apply to all kinds of program
material aired over broadcast radio and television stations.
Some of the rules also may apply to cablecasts.
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Filing a Complaint with the FCC
The FCC recognizes that broadcasters
play a critical role in providing information to the communities and
audiences they serve. If you suspect a broadcaster has violated the FCC’s
rules, you can file a complaint with the FCC. There is no charge for
filing a complaint. You can file your complaint using the on-line
complaint Form 2000E found on the FCC Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html. You
can also file your complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.
What to Include in Your Complaint
The best way to provide all the
information the FCC needs to process your complaint is to complete fully
the on-line complaint Form 2000E. If you do not use the on-line complaint
Form 2000E, your complaint, at a minimum, should indicate:
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your name, address, email address, and
phone number where you can be reached;
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name and phone number of the company
that you are complaining about and location (city and state) if the
company is a cable or satellite operator;
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station call sign (KDIU-FM or WZUE
TV), radio station frequency (1020 or 88.5) or TV channel (13), and
station location (city and state);
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network, program name, date, and time
of program if you are complaining about a particular program; and
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any additional details of your
complaint, including time, date, and nature of the conduct or activity
you are complaining about and identifying information for any companies,
organizations, or individuals involved.
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For More Information
For information about other
telecommunications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the FCC’s Consumer Center using
the information provided for filing a complaint.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
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1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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Federal Communications Commission