(a) Political broadcasting requirements. The following political broadcasting rules shall apply to all SDARS licensees: 47 CFR 73.1940 (Legally qualified candidates for public office), 73.1941 (Equal opportunities), 73.1942 (Candidate rates), and 73.1944 (Reasonable access).

(b) Political file. (1) Each SDARS licensee engaged in origination programming shall maintain, and make available for public inspection, a complete record of a request to purchase broadcast time that:

(i) Is made by or on behalf of a legally qualified candidate for public office; or

(ii) Communicates a message relating to any political matter of national importance, including:

(A) A legally qualified candidate;

(B) Any election to Federal office; or

(C) A national legislative issue of public importance.

(2) A record maintained under this paragraph shall contain information regarding:

(i) Whether the request to purchase broadcast time is accepted or rejected by the licensee;

(ii) The rate charged for the broadcast time;

(iii) The date and time on which the communication is aired;

(iv) The class of time that is purchased;

(v) The name of the candidate to which the communication refers and the office to which the candidate is seeking election, the election to which the communication refers, or the issue to which the communication refers (as applicable);

(vi) In the case of a request made by, or on behalf of, a candidate, the name of the candidate, the authorized committee of the candidate, and the treasurer of such committee; and

(vii) n the case of any other request, the name of the person purchasing the time, the name, address, and phone number of a contact person for such person, and a list of the chief executive officers or members of the executive committee or of the board of directors of such person.

(3) When free time is provided for use by or on behalf of candidates, a record of the free time provided shall be placed in the political file.

(4) All records required by this paragraph shall be placed in the online public file hosted by the Commission as soon as possible and shall be retained for a period of two years. As soon as possible means immediately absent unusual circumstances.

(c) Public inspection file. (1) Each SDARS applicant or licensee must also place in the online public file hosted by the Commission the records required to be placed in the public inspection file by 47 CFR 25.601 and 73.2080 (equal employment opportunities (EEO)) and retain those records for the period required by those rules.

(2) Each SDARS licensee must provide a link to the public inspection file hosted on the Commission's Web site from the home page of its own Web site, if the licensee has a Web site, and provide on its Web site contact information for a representative who can assist any person with disabilities with issues related to the content of the public files. Each SDARS licensee also must include in the online public file the address of the licensee's local public file, if the licensee retains documents in the local public file that are not available in the Commission's online file, and the name, phone number, and email address of the licensee's designated contact for questions about the public file.

[81 FR 10122, Feb. 29, 2016, as amended at 87 FR 7754, Feb. 10, 2022]