The Commission is Serious About Not Deceiving Listeners

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Magic Broadcasting’s WILN-FM in Panama City will have to pay a fine of $125,000 for allegedly recording fake telephone calls for a contest and improper tower lighting.

The Commission received a complaint that the station recorded fake telephone calls with individuals posing as contest participants and aired the previously recorded programming during a voice-tracked afternoon show in 2019.

The Commission says Magic Broadcasting would neither confirm nor deny the allegations and maintains that it has no information indicating the station broadcast the pre-recorded programming identified in the complaint. “Magic Broadcasting has not provided any evidence to rebut the accounts given by the complainant, whose credibility the Bureau has no independent reason to doubt or question.”

The Commission has long enforced the contest laws to prohibit stations from deceiving audiences by failing to fully describe the material terms of contests, or by not conducting contests in accordance with the announced contest rules. With respect to contests of intellectual knowledge, intellectual skill, or chance, section 508 of the Act prohibits a licensee from knowingly deceiving the public by engaging “in any artifice or scheme for the purpose of prearranging or predetermining in whole or in part the outcome of a purportedly bona fide contest . . . of chance.” Concerning contests, section 73.1216 of the Rules requires a licensee to “fully and accurately disclose the material terms” of a contest it broadcasts or advertises, and to conduct the contest “substantially as announced and advertised.” Moreover, no contest description may be false, misleading, or deceptive with respect to any material term.

To resolve the matter, the Bureau and Magic Broadcasting have entered into a Consent Decree and Magic must pay the $125,000 for both the contest matter and the tower lighting matter.

 

 

4 COMMENTS

  1. Everyone is responsible for their own opinions and “news accuracy.” If you’re not satisfied with the news reporting or bias they support it’s not their job to cater to your beliefs. This applies to all news coverage, not just political topics. Be grateful to live in a country that gives you the freedom of fact-checking, questioning our leadership, and challenging what you’re told.

  2. So FCC, while we are on the subject of deception, I’d like to know when you will begin issuing fines to all the left wing TV media outlets for the false biased coverage, and the huge huge lackof coverage of the presidential election fraud news? Surly you are familiar with all these networks failing the general public with the lack and refusal of coverage, and bashing on air of President Trump. Last I knew if over the air TV and radio stations fail to serve or bias news and information there could be fines and or loss of licenses to these broadcasting companies. Regardless what political side anyone is on, your licensed networks and stations have been FAILING in doing their jobs and intentionally leaving the public clueless and having to do deep research searching online “off the grid” news to watch the court hearings and learn what is going on! The public deserves to know and be able to follow this news! Shame on you for NOT taking legal actions against these big networks! NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN are all good places to begin taking action!

    • “huge huge lack of coverage of the presidential election fraud”

      Until someone in authority, such as the AG or the head of the FBI, confirms it’s true, it’s just someone’s opinion. So far, even Trump appointees and supporters say there’s no fraud. All we have is the loser who claims he didn’t lose.

      The FCC doesn’t get involved in content at radio or TV.

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