The Federal Communications Commission is looking into a claim that several Entercom Communications radio stations here overcharged a congressional candidate for ads she purchased in 2018.
The complaint made to the FCC contends the stations charged the candidate a higher rate than that paid by commercial advertisers such as law firms and auto dealerships, in violation of federal law. However, the name included in the email, Jackie Drost, does not match that of any candidate for Congress here or elsewhere.
In letters of inquiry sent to Entercom, the agency has asked the company to provide documentation on paid advertising and unpaid issue ads aired on WBEN-AM, WGR-AM, WTSS-FM and four other local stations.
Entercom, in its response, acknowledged that it had not posted required information about last year's campaigns on its website until January but said this was an inadvertent error and denied any violation of federal law.
Grand Island Supervisor Nathan McMurray this week also received an anonymous note at Town Hall claiming he was charged too much for ads he ran on the stations during his unsuccessful campaign against Rep. Chris Collins last fall.
