STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER MICHAEL O’RIELLY Re: Amendment of Section 73.1216 of the Commission’s Rules Related to Broadcast Licensee- Conducted Contests, MB Docket No. 14-226 The item before us would modify an outdated Commission regulation to reflect and embrace the full capabilities of the Internet to disseminate the particular rules for a broadcast contest to American consumers. I am pleased to support it and thank the Chairman for bringing the matter forward at this time. Broadcast contests can be fun, entertaining, and sometimes lucrative for the audience. They can help keep listeners or viewers tuned to a particular program or specific station. It is important that these contests are run fairly and actually deliver what they promise. One way to do this is to ensure the information regarding a broadcast contest is widely available. And that’s why the Internet is a perfect tool for this purpose. The implementation of our current rule leaves a lot to be desired. I suspect that many radio listeners have experienced the auctioneer-style announcer rattle through the particulars of a contest at breathtaking speed during some rush hour commute. Many of us have also tried to glimpse at the microscopic fine print – which few can actually read – that appears on the television screen at the end of a contest promotion. These disclosures provide information about the terms and conditions of broadcast contests, but given the method by which they are delivered to comply with the Commission’s rules, they can be ignored or overlooked by viewers and listeners. Not to mention, some in the audience may even turn to another channel or station during these disclosures. These announcements also waste valuable airtime that can be better used by broadcasters to provide programming of interest to their communities. It is just plain common sense and a reflection of the current marketplace to allow broadcasters to announce a website where viewers and listeners can go, at any time, to review these rules, instead of doing so on air. It is also important that broadcasters have the option – as opposed to being required – to disclose the contest rules online. Today’s notice should ultimately result in greater flexibility, fewer burdens on stations, and greater availability of contest information for consumers. I thank the staff of the Media Bureau for preparing this notice. I look forward to completing this proceeding in the very near future. We shouldn’t allow this to languish in the NPRM stage for one more day than necessary.