Sections 25.701, Other DBS Public Interest Obligations, and 25.702, Other SDARS Public Interest Obligations

On January 25, 2022, the Commission adopted Revisions to Political Programming and Record-Keeping Rules, MB Docket No. 21-293, Report and Order, FCC 22-5 (rel. Jan. 25, 2022). The Commission updated the political file rules for Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) providers and Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) licensees to bring them into conformity with the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. The revised rules extend the Commission’s political file requirements, which previously applied only to requests to purchase advertising time that “is made on behalf of a legally qualified candidate for public office,” (i.e., candidate ads), to any request for the purchase of advertising time that “communicates a message relating to any political matter of national importance” (i.e., issue ads) and specify the records that must be maintained in political files for both candidate and issue ads. This information collection also consolidated the information collections in OMB 3060-1065, OMB 3060-1212, and the portion of OMB 3060-0214 which related to SDARS licensees to eliminate duplication and inconsistencies between these information collections.

The latest form for Sections 25.701, Other DBS Public Interest Obligations, and 25.702, Other SDARS Public Interest Obligations expires 2028-02-29 and can be found here.