FCC Proposes Fine Against WKNR For Contest Rule Disclosure Violation

Faces Fine

The FCC has proposed a $4,000 fine against GOOD KARMA BROADCASTING for contest rule disclosure violations at Sports WKNR-A (ESPN 850)/CLEVELAND.

The action comes as the result of a complaint over a contest, "Who Said That," on TONY RIZZO's midday show, which, the complainant said, "vprovided no clues, cut-off callers on-air, stopped discussing prizes, and provided 'no real payoff' for Contest winners."  The segmant, described by the station as a "bit," played clips of a sports figure being interviewed and asked listeners to call in to identify the speaker to win a prize.  The station conducted the contest with basic material terms disclosed on the air and with contest rules available on its website until the FALL of 2007 through SEPTEMBER 4, 2009, when nobody guessed the speaker.  In that period, the station aired the prize statement through the SUMMER of 2008, paring it down to identifying only the new prize, but then did so "sparingly" the rest of the way, when callers asked about it.  The prize list changed without being identified on the air.

The Commission rejected the characterization of the segment as a "bit" and saod that the station was obligated to broadcast the material terms of the contest over the air and had to disclose changes to the prizes.

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