The election is over, but some TV & radio campaign ads could continue. Here’s why
For months, political ads have taken over streaming services and cable networks ahead of Election Day.
But now that campaign season is over and races have been called, is it time for the political commercials to come to an end?
Maybe, maybe not.
The Federal Communications Commission oversees rules and regulations related to radio and television political programming and campaign advertising. But among the policies in places for political ads, there are none about when political ads have to stop airing.
“The FCC has no rules regarding dates when political ads may be broadcast,” Katie Gorscak, a spokesperson for the FCC, told The Charlotte Observer.
“There are two types of political ads — ads by or on behalf of candidates who are running for public office and ads by or on behalf of issue advertisers. The volume of candidate ads drops off after an election. However, issue ads (which may advocate for or against anything or anyone in an attempt to influence public opinion) generally continue throughout the year.”
In other words, we could continue to see or hear “issue ads” for awhile.
FCC rules for political programming and robotexts
According to the agency’s website, the FCC’s Political Programming staff governs the following rules and issues related to radio and TV campaign ads:
“Reasonable access” by legally qualified candidates running for federal office
“Equal opportunities” and “equal time” for federal, state and local candidates
Prohibiting censorship of candidate-sponsored ads
“Lowest Unit Charges” and “Comparable Rates” that broadcast stations and cable systems may charge for advertisements
On-air sponsorship identification for political advertisements
Online political files that broadcast stations and other regulatees must maintain for public inspection
However, the agency is not responsible for:
Reviewing or pre-approving political ads before they are broadcast
Ensuring that statements made by candidates and issue advertisers are accurate
Requiring broadcast stations and other regulatees to provide all sides of controversial issues
Overseeing coverage for individual candidates in news programs.
You can find more information about the FCC’s political programming rules and regulations online at fcc.gov/media/policy/political-programming.
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 11:17 AM with the headline "The election is over, but some TV & radio campaign ads could continue. Here’s why."
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