FCC Seeks More Transparency in Broadcast Political Ads

Image via WikipediaAdvertising Age reports that FCC commissioners last week stopped thinking about Janet Jackson's bare breast long enough to approve a measure that would require broadcasters of political ads to post online data including the names of the candidates supported in the ads, the cost, time and placement of the commericals and the name of the party requesting the ads and their reason for airing the ads.

The FCC proposal, aimed at increasing transparency regarding independent groups behind many political ads, will appear in the Federal Register in the coming weeks, where public comments will be solicited for 30 days, leading to the final version of the regulations. The National Association of Broadcasters has voiced concern about the proposed FCC rule and state broadcasters have gone further, urging the federal government to shoulder the compliance costs that they estimate would be $14 million annually after an initial $24 million outlay.

Television stations presently maintain the information in paper files that the FCC wants posted on the Internet.