FCC FCC Media Ownership and Indecency Rules 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the FCC's 'Children's Television Act' compliance requirement for broadcast stations?
- Broadcasters must air at least 3 hours per week of 'core' educational and informational programming for children (Correct answer)
- Broadcasters must air at least 1 hour per day of children's programming
- Broadcasters must dedicate 25% of all programming to children's content
- Broadcasters need only label adult content that may be harmful to children
Correct answer: Broadcasters must air at least 3 hours per week of 'core' educational and informational programming for children
Under the Children's Television Act, the FCC requires broadcast stations to air a minimum of 3 hours per week of 'core' educational and informational programming designed for children aged 16 and under.
Question 2: What does the FCC's 'political file' requirement mandate for broadcast stations?
- Stations must maintain a publicly available file of all political advertising requests and purchases (Correct answer)
- Stations must file all political advertising scripts with the FCC before airing
- Stations must submit all political advertising contracts to the FCC for approval
- Only TV stations in top-50 markets must maintain political advertising records
Correct answer: Stations must maintain a publicly available file of all political advertising requests and purchases
FCC rules require all broadcast stations to maintain a public political file disclosing requests for political advertising time, the rates charged, and the schedules of political ads that ran.
Question 3: What is the FCC's 'sponsorship identification' rule?
- Broadcast stations must disclose on-air when content has been paid for or sponsored by a third party ('payola' prevention) (Correct answer)
- Sponsors must register with the FCC before advertising on broadcast stations
- All broadcast advertising must include the sponsor's physical address
- Broadcast stations must air sponsor information before and after every commercial break
Correct answer: Broadcast stations must disclose on-air when content has been paid for or sponsored by a third party ('payola' prevention)
The FCC's sponsorship identification rules require broadcast stations to disclose when content has been paid for by a sponsor, ensuring viewers and listeners know when they are seeing or hearing paid content.
Question 4: What is 'payola' in the broadcast industry and how does the FCC regulate it?
- Undisclosed payment for airplay of recordings; the FCC requires disclosure of such payments to prevent deception (Correct answer)
- The practice of paying radio stations to operate at higher power levels
- A fee paid to the FCC for commercial broadcast licenses
- Undisclosed payments to FCC employees — a form of corruption the FCC monitors
Correct answer: Undisclosed payment for airplay of recordings; the FCC requires disclosure of such payments to prevent deception
Payola refers to undisclosed payments made to radio stations or DJs to play specific songs; the FCC's sponsorship identification rules require that any such payments be disclosed on-air.
Question 5: What is the FCC's 'main studio' rule for local programming and public file?
- The FCC eliminated the main studio rule in 2017, removing the requirement that stations maintain a local studio (Correct answer)
- All broadcast stations must maintain a studio within the city limits of their license community
- The main studio must be staffed 24 hours a day and must house the public inspection file
- Main studios are required only for television stations, not radio stations
Correct answer: The FCC eliminated the main studio rule in 2017, removing the requirement that stations maintain a local studio
The FCC eliminated the main studio rule in 2017, which had previously required broadcast stations to maintain a studio in or near their community of license.
Question 6: What does the FCC's 'newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership' rule restrict?
- Common ownership of a daily newspaper and a broadcast station in the same market (Correct answer)
- A single owner from operating more than one newspaper and one broadcast station nationwide
- Newspaper companies from providing internet service in markets where they own a broadcast station
- Foreign ownership of newspaper and broadcast station combinations
Correct answer: Common ownership of a daily newspaper and a broadcast station in the same market
The FCC's newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule traditionally prohibited common ownership of a daily newspaper and broadcast station serving the same local market, though the rule has been subject to ongoing review.
FCC FCC Media Ownership and Indecency Rules 2
What is the FCC's 'Children's Television Act' compliance requirement for broadcast stations?