The FCC has requested 13 public radio stations affiliated with NPR to submit records of their past sponsorships as part of Chair Brendan Carr’s broader probe into whether public radio stations are airing advertisements in violation of federal regulations.
As reported by Bloomberg News, Boston’s WBUR and Los Angeles’ KPCC are the only two outlets to have publicly confirmed receipt of the FCC’s letter, though they have issued no further comment or shared the text of the letter.
Carr’s inquiry, involving around 1,500 NPR and PBS member stations, will assess whether underwriting announcements on noncommercial educational stations have veered into prohibited commercial advertising. Public broadcasters, which receive partial taxpayer funding, must adhere to strict guidelines regarding sponsorship disclosures. They are prohibited from airing commercials, mentioning prices, or issuing calls to action.
Carr’s investigation could influence ongoing Congressional debates on taxpayer funding for public broadcasting, with the Chairman stating his belief that changes in the media marketplace may no longer justify continued federal support for public broadcasting. Tesla CEO and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk recently called to “Defund NPR” in an X post, backing a House Subcommittee on DOGE inquiry led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. NPR CEO Katherine Maher has been summoned to Capitol Hill over claims of biased coverage and favoring liberal narratives.
Maher addressed the FCC investigation into the network’s sponsorship practices during a recent conversation with Semaphore Media Editor Max Tani. “We feel really confident that we have worked throughout the years to comply with FCC guidelines. We have a robust process, and we’ll have to see what happens with the inquiry,” Maher said.
The stations must respond to the FCC letter by March 31.
