Sponsorship Identification
MAP has long sought to improve enforcement of legal requirements for specific identification of those who seek to influence public opinion through advertising. Its most recent victory in this area, in late 1996, involved representation of the Committee to Support the Oregon Health Plan. The Committee obtained an FCC ruling that directed that radio and television advertisements opposing Oregon’s tobacco tax initiative, Measure 44, be identified as “Paid For by the Tobacco Institute.”
These commercials had originally been labelled as paid for by “Fairness Matters to Oregonians Committee.” Campaign finance documents, however, revealed that the Tobacco Institute, the lobbying arm for many of the largest tobacco companies, had contributed all but $20 of the Committee’s multimillion dollar budget. The resulting publicity from this decision, and the disclosure to the public of the Tobacco Institute’s involvement, were important factors in the eventual passage of the ballot initiative.
Additional resources on Sponsorship ID
- Full text of FCC letter ruling.