Radio stations will not broadcast certain types of advertisements.
In spite of the rise of digital media, radio continues to be a popular broadcast medium. Radio is one of the oldest forms of broadcast media, predating television. Like other forms of media, radio stations in the U.S. have standards dictating what advertisements they will accept and reject.
History
Shortly after radio broadcasting developed, armed forces realized it had an important application. The earliest regulations dealing with radio affected militaries. Civilian use of radio equipment for broadcasts did not begin until after World War I. Companies quickly realized that they could reach out to customers through the radio, and broadcasters discovered they could make money off of advertising.
National Association of Broadcasters Advertising Code
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) was founded in 1922, and its original purpose was to protect radio broadcasters from too much government regulation. Radio broadcasters quickly concluded that if they did not want to be controlled by the government, they would have to adopt industry-wide standards of decency in advertising and broadcasting. In 1935, the NAB adopted a standards code which outlined what content broadcasters were permitted to air. These standards were in place until 1982, when a federal judge ruled that some parts of this code violated anti-trust laws.
Cigarettes
At the advent of radio, cigarette companies could advertise freely on the airwaves. In the early 1930s, cigarettes were not considered unhealthy. However, as years passed, medical evidence mounted that cigarettes caused cancer. Doctors began to reverse their opinion that cigarette smoking was healthy, but cigarette companies continued to advertise publicly. In 1964, the surgeon general put limits on the types of advertising cigarette companies were allowed to do. Radio advertising for cigarettes was banned.
Alcohol
No official guidelines are in place to prevent alcoholic beverage makers from advertising on the radio. However, the industry's three sectors (beer, wine and distilled spirits) have each formulated their own advertising codes. Each sector adheres to its own code voluntarily. Individual companies may have even stricter codes. Alcoholic beverage companies have forbidden themselves from advertising during certain hours of the day, when children are more likely to listen to the radio.
Fraud
Radio stations are responsible for all of the content which they broadcast. This includes advertisements. If a radio station airs a misleading or false advertisement, the radio station will suffer the consequences. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigates complaints of untruthful advertising, and it is not afraid to take action against those who sponsor such ads.
Listener Complaints
Radio stations rely on listeners for their revenue. If a radio station airs an advertisement which offends its listeners, the advertisement will not run again. Radio stations can not afford to drive away their audiences by running ads which lead to complaints. Therefore, advertisements are occasionally rejected if there is a concern that listeners will be alienated.
