Lerman Senter Issues Updated Political Broadcasting Guide for 2024 Election Cycle

To help broadcasters prepare for upcoming elections, Lerman Senter has updated its guide to the FCC’s political broadcasting rules. Our comprehensive guide to political broadcasting is available here.

Political broadcasting – and particularly the extensive recordkeeping requirements for the sale of political ads – has been a hot button issue at the FCC for several years. Many broadcasters, including several large radio companies, have had to enter into consent decrees with the FCC because they failed to upload required documentation to the political file section of their online public inspection files. Federal law and the FCC’s rules require stations to upload information about each request for the purchase of broadcast time made by legally qualified candidates and issue advertisers. Typically, this information must be uploaded within one business day.

Sally Buckman, Lerman Senter’s Manager, was featured in a video podcast on compliance with the FCC’s political file rules. The podcast, called "Getting the FCC's Political Filing Rules Right, Before You Get in Trouble," can be viewed here.

Please contact Sally or an attorney in our Media practice group if you have questions about the FCC’s political broadcasting rules.