FCC Defers Foreign Ownership ID Compliance to June 7, 2026

The FCC has announced a second six-month deferral of the deadline for broadcasters to come into compliance with the revised foreign sponsorship identification rules that took effect in June 2025. Broadcasters now have until June 7, 2026 to begin the process of verifying the required sponsorship information. New leases and renewals of existing leases entered into on or after that date must comply with the revised rules.

The revised rules require broadcast licensees to determine if a foreign sponsorship identification is needed, and to disclose the identity of any foreign governmental entity that leases time on a radio or television station. Broadcasters have two options for determining if a disclosure is needed: a certification option and a screenshot option. With either approach, broadcasters are required to retain certifications and/or screenshots for the longer of their license terms or one year.

For more information about the revised foreign sponsorship identification rules, see our June 21, 2024 client memo or contact an attorney in our Media Practice Group.