The FCC’s enforcement bureau says it has reached a $540,000 settlement with Cumulus over a sponsorship identification issue at WOKQ (97.5 FM) in Dover, New Hampshire. The station broadcast 178 announcements in support of the Northern Pass hydro-electric energy project without identifying the sponsor of those announcements, in this case a company with a financial interest in the project. This is the largest payment in FCC history for a single-station violation of the Commission’s sponsorship identification laws.
Under the terms of the settlement, Cumulus will pay a penalty of $540,000 and enter into a compliance plan governing 195 stations. The plan includes appointing a Compliance Officer, enhanced operating procedures, employee training on sponsorship identification laws, and a hotline for reporting violations of the compliance plan. “Radio and television stations that are paid to air any announcements or other content are required to clearly disclose the payer’s identity,” said Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc. “While failure to disclose these identities generally misleads the public, it is particularly concerning when consumers are duped into supporting controversial environmental projects.”
The Northern Pass energy project is a $1 billion proposal to run 180 miles of new power lines from Canada through New Hampshire. The Enforcement Bureau says it began its investigation after receiving a consumer complaint alleging that WOKQ had broadcast an announcement for the Northern Pass project in September 2011 without identifying who sponsored the announcement. The investigation revealed that the station had broadcast multiple versions of the announcements from May through October 2011 that referenced the Northern Pass project, but none of them expressly identify Northern Pass Transmission LLC, a company with a financial interest in the project, as the sponsor.
Cumulus had no comment.
Read more about the FCC rule HERE and HERE
Idiots. This is Radio 101. Who was running this operation? Whever the GM was should, along with the entire continuity and production department be on the street looking for new employment. No excuses, because there isn’t one.
Shocking! Cumulus? Really?
Why is it a station is fined one-half million dollars for a sales violation – particularly where the sponsorship is reasonably obvious – when in the same area there a numerous pirate station operations which operate with impunity? Make NO sense at all.
You sound like a radio guy form the 1980’s… “This is a sales issue” “Talk to promotions i’m in the programming department”… the reality is (in 2016) everything on the air is PROGRAMMING! Stop compartmentalizing the business… oh, and Cumulus does absolutely suck… ask… Anyone?!
Ummmmm … Sponsorship identification within commercials is a SALES issue. Which explains why you have issues with Programming … (not).
Mike McVay will just blame John Dickey (same guy he used to tell everyone to worship). This isn’t even peeling off the first layer… Cumulus has soooo many skeletons in the closet.. the best is yet to come. Wait until all the conflict of interest crap comes out from the McVay regime. 540k will look like a cup of coffee and a cracker.
Dude – These were Citadel stations in 2011, purchased by Cumulus AFTER these violations. This is a good business woman getting an annoyance off her ass that keeps everyone’s eyes off the ball. And has NOTHING to do with programming… Go back under your rock.