FCC Seeks Input on Political Ad Disclosure Petition

The FCC's Media Bureau is seeking comment on a broadcaster petition to narrow the FCC's political ad disclosure requirements. It will give parties 45 days to file comments, replies and oppositions to the petition. The National Association of Broadcasters joined with Hearst Television, Graham Media Group, Nexstar, Fox, Tegna and Scripps, to ask the FCC to narrow its definition of non-candidate ads on “any political matter of national importance" (i.e. "issue" ads) and the disclosure obligations on broadcasters to identify the sponsors of those ads. The Campaign Legal Center, Sunlight Foundation, Common Cause and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society have signaled they would oppose the broadcaster petition. They were the groups that filed the disclosure complaints against the stations.

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