ESPN Is Facing A Massive Fine From The Federal Communications Commission

10/17/2024 04:09 PM

ESPN apparently did a big no-no last year while doing some NBA promotions and now they're facing a major fine from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

According to Awful Announcing, the FCC has ruled that ESPN should be fined over $145,000 for multiple violations of a law prohibiting non-emergency entities from playing the emergency alert system (EAS) during various NBA promotional spots between October 20-24 of last year. 

The violation occurred in six confirmed spots, per the ruling. It is a violation of federal law for the EAS to be played on television other than in the case of an actual emergency, an authorized test, or as a "qualified public service announcement. 

Via Awful Announcing:

We propose a penalty of $146,976, the statutory maximum for six apparent violations by a Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) regulatee, against ESPN, Inc. (ESPN) for apparently willfully and repeatedly violating the FCC's rules that prohibit the transmission of, or causing the transmission of, false or deceptive emergency alert system (EAS) codes or the EAS Attention Signal, or simulations thereof (together, EAS Tones). On October 20, 2023, October 23, 2023, and October 24, 2023, ESPN apparently transmitted, or caused the transmission of, EAS codes during a promotional segment (Promo Spot) concerning the start of the 2023-2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) season in the absence of any actual emergency, authorized test of the EAS, or qualified public service announcement (PSA)

ESPN faces hefty fine from FCC over emergency tones in NBA promo https://t.co/qosXMHQrtmpic.twitter.com/wIE6jN9qAP

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 17, 2024

This isn't even the first time that ESPN has been fined for this exact thing. Awful Announcing noted that ESPN has previously been fined between $20,000 and $280,000 for playing the EAS in promotions of other shows.

There's a good chance that these violations have all been committed by people who did not know the law - or its punishments. But it stands to reason that a government emergency alert should be reserved for actual emergencies, and not just used as fodder to hype up the next big college football game.

Related: Report: One Super Bowl 58 Commercial Drew Most FCC Complaints