The Federal Communications Commission continued implementation of foreign sponsorship identification requirements affecting AM and FM broadcasters, with compliance deadlines approaching in June. The rules require broadcasters to take reasonable steps to determine whether programming time buyers represent foreign governmental entities and maintain documentation supporting compliance.
For small and local stations, this is not abstract policy. It affects brokered programming, public files, sales agreements, legal review, and documentation practices. Stations carrying ethnic, leased-time, issue-oriented, or sponsored programming face the highest operational burden.