PublicRadio.info strives to give users a 100% ad-free audio experience.
We specify1 that advertising includes: sponsored or branded content; host endorsements of a business; customer testimonials; messages containing specific product prices or descriptions; targeted, personalized, or "programmatic" marketing; paid feature spots about sponsors; and any calls to purchase, including coupon code offers.
Advertising is not allowed on our site. However, on our radio streams and podcasts you may hear: calls for donations, fundraising drives, announcements regarding public radio content or events, and underwriting spots. We tolerate underwriting spots, which–unlike ads—identify private sponsors of public radio content for an informational purpose only. Underwriting spots are short, neutral, non-promotional messages that may include basic information about a company (website, address, an identifying slogan), but cannot promote that company's goods or services.
If you hear audio on our site that is in breach of our policy, please notify us!
1 The FCC, which governs publicly owned airwaves in the U.S., provides that "no public broadcast station may make its facilities available to any person for the broadcasting of any advertisement." We think these guidelines should apply to creators of public or "noncommercial educational" media on the internet, too. "Advertising" is defined (in Section 399B of the Communications Act of 1934) as:
Any message or other programming material which is broadcast or otherwise transmitted in exchange for any remuneration, and which is intended — (1) to promote any service, facility, or product offered by any person who is engaged in such offering for profit; (2) to express the views of any person with respect to any matter of public importance or interest; or (3) to support or oppose any candidate for political office. ↩