The FCC is probing Chicago public radio station WBEZ over on-air sponsorships

Chicago’s WBEZ is among 13 NPR and PBS member radio stations being investigated by the Federal Communications Commission as the Trump administration looks to tighten its control over public news organizations.

The probes launched by FCC Chair Brendan Carr in January focus on whether on-air sponsorships aired by NPR and PBS-affiliated broadcasters comply with regulations around on-air sponsorships, known in media as “underwriting”. Public stations can broadcast nonpromotional announcements acknowledging financial support but are otherwise prohibited from running commercials.

The Chicago Sun Times reports that WBEZ received a request for information regarding its underwriting practices from the FCC on February 28th, with a deadline to provide the requested details by the end of March. 

“We can confirm that we received the letter from the FCC’s enforcement bureau requesting detailed information about underwriting announcements that air on WBEZ,” an unnamed WBEZ spokesperson told the publication. “We adhere to FCC underwriting guidelines and are confident that any review will demonstrate compliance with these guidelines.”

Carr said he’s concerned that underwriting announcements from NPR and PBS member stations may “cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements,” and that such occurrence would “undermine any case for continuing to fund NPR and PBS with taxpayer dollars.” FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez told The Verge in January that the investigation is “yet another Administration effort to weaponize the power of the FCC.”

About 4.6 percent of WBEZ’s total operating revenue last year came from the publicly funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting non-profit, totaling about $1.47 million. The investigation into WBEZ comes as its parent company Chicago Public Media deals with financial challenges. It recently announced that 35 staffers had accepted voluntary buyouts as part of the company’s cost-reduction efforts.