In an effort to promote more transparency in political advertising, last year, the FCC proposed regulation that would require TV stations to disclose the names, costs, and running dates of every political ad aired in recent years. Although this political ad data is available to anyone that visits a TV station, the Commission wants to make this information more accessible on a website that it would govern.
WebProNews spoke with Mark Fratrik, the Vice President and Chief Economist at BIA/Kelsey, who told us that, at a time when political contributions have become increasingly controversial, the FCC is trying to alleviate some of the rising concerns.
TV stations, however, are against the proposed mandate since they feel it would impose additional costs while also reducing competition in the pricing of ad spots. According to Fratrik, TV stations aren't too concerned about the online database the mandate would require, but instead are worried about the logistics involved, such as the extra man-hours.
Since the issue is still being debated, Fratrik told us that it was doubtful anything would come of the proposal this year.
