NAB and MPA Want Comment Extension on AI Political Ads NPRM

NAB and the Motion Picture Association want the FCC to allow more time for comments in the AI political ad disclosure proceeding (see 2407250046), according to a motion posted Friday in docket 24-211. Comments are currently due Sept. 4, replies Sept. 19. NAB and MPA want a 30-day extension for comments, to Oct. 4, and 14 more days for replies, which would then be due Nov. 4. The presidential election is Nov. 5. The trade groups want more time “to provide meaningful comment on the Notice because it raises significant, novel factual and legal issues that will entail extensive factfinding and research,” the motion said. Moreover, other FCC processes on AI haven’t been as rushed, the motion said. The time crunch has been exacerbated because the FCC “pushed the Notice through the Federal Register process in near-record time,” didn’t release a public draft version, and delayed the final version’s release for two weeks after it was voted, NAB and MPA said. “There is simply no need to rush through the process under a notion that a decision could somehow be relevant for the 2024 election,” the motion said. “The 2024 election cycle is in fact already well underway. There is no chance an adopted item could have any impact.” Without an extension, the current timeline gives groups fewer than six weeks from the release of the NPRM to the deadline for initial comments. “This is an extremely short turnaround for a proceeding of this significance and complexity,” NAB and MPA said.