• Broadcasting & Cable, Tuesday, May 1, 2007 11 AM

The Federal Communications Commission wants to fine five TV stations a total of $41,000 for violating ad restrictions in kids TV shows and omitting information from their public filings. The quintet are just the latest to get nailed by fines and warnings from the Feds.

The biggest single proposed fine is the $15,000 levied on Acme Television's WBUI in Decatur, Ill., for "willful and repeated" violations on the number of commercial minutes in kids shows, currently 10.5 minutes per hour on the weekends, 12 minutes on weekdays.

The station was cited for four overages of 90 seconds, one of two minutes and four for airing program-length commercials. Acme attributed most of the overages to human error and mechanical error, but it also aired a Gameboy E-Reader ad during the WB Network's Pokemon. That spot features a glimpse of the Pokemon character, which means the show gets treated as a program-length commercial.

Read the whole story at Broadcasting & Cable »