Top House Commerce Democrats Ask FCC to Probe Sputnik Radio Network on Election Influence

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and the two top House Commerce Committee Democrats urged FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Monday to investigate media reports that Russian government-owned radio network Sputnik has broadcast propaganda over U.S. airwaves in a bid to influence elections, including the 2016 presidential contest. House Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Michael Doyle, D-Pa., also signed. Doyle and Eshoo previously asked the FCC about concerns about Russian government-owned TV outlet Russia Today’s role in influencing the 2016 election (see 1703150066). Washington, D.C.-area residents “need only tune their radios to 105.5 FM [Sputnik’s only terrestrial U.S. transmitter] to hear the Russian government’s effort to influence U.S. policy,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote. “Disturbingly, this means the Kremlin’s propaganda messages are being broadcast over a license granted by the FCC.” If Sputnik “is in fact being used as a tool by the Russian government to undermine” the integrity of U.S. elections, the outlet “is directly violating the public interest standard of the Communications Act,” the lawmakers said. They asked whether the FCC is investigating any broadcast licensees for retransmitting Russian government propaganda aimed at influencing U.S. elections and if not, whether the agency will investigate now and “commit to enforcing the public interest standard on stations that broadcast Sputnik.” Reston Translator, which owns 105.5 FM, leased the frequency to Sputnik through the end of 2019, said Womble Carlyle radio attorney John Garziglia, who co-owns Reston. Sputnik began broadcasting on 105.5 FM this year. The decision to lease 105.5 FM to Sputnik was entirely a “business deal” for Reston and if the FCC decides Sputnik’s content isn’t suitable for broadcast, “I’m going to abide by that,” Garziglia told us: Such a government action would appear to “impact our First Amendment rights.” Sputnik represents one viewpoint and the airwaves have broadcasters that espouse views across the political spectrum, Garziglia said. The FCC and Sputnik didn’t comment.