Media Bureau Seeks Answers on Political Ad Sponsorship ID Complaints

The FCC Media Bureau is asking for a response from 18 TV stations accused by transparency groups of airing political advertisements with an incorrectly identified sponsor, said letters sent to each station by the bureau Thursday. The Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause and Sunlight Foundation claimed in a complaint to the bureau last week (see 1512100049) that the stations had evidence that Independence USA PAC, identified as the sponsor of the commercials, is almost wholly funded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The groups sent the stations the evidence of Bloomberg’s involvement, saying he should have been identified as the sponsor, the groups said. “Having reviewed the complaint, the Media Bureau has concluded that additional information is needed to resolve this matter,” said the letters. The stations have until Jan. 15 to respond to the complaint, and the complainants have until Jan. 29 to reply, the letters said.