FCC's Adelstein urges...

Friday, Jan. 20, 2006
FCC Commissioner Urges Tougher Sponsorship Enforcement

Pointing to the illegal activities uncovered under New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's blockbuster payola investigation , FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein today urged his agency's Enforcement Bureau to keep a close eye on radio stations' compliance with the FCC's sponsorship rules.
"Eliot Spitzer uncovered a lot of potential examples where our sponsorship rules may have been violated," Adelstein told Enforcement Bureau Chief Kris Monteith, who reviewed her bureau's actions from last year and previewed its 2006 agenda during today's FCC meeting. "This could be a widespread phenomenon, and we have a responsibility to enforce our rules to the fullest extent possible."
He also thanked Monteith for the bureau's work with indecency enforcement and praised its efforts in tackling a full agenda that also includes pirate broadcasters and wireless and wireline violations. "I sometimes worry about your resources, especially with number of complaints we get, so I appreciate your efforts," Adelstein said.