Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-110

§399a Use of Business or Institutional Logograms

Title 47 › CHAPTER 5 — WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › SUBCHAPTER III — SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO RADIO › Part IV — Assistance for Planning and Construction of Public Telecommunications Facilities; Telecommunications Demonstrations; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; General Provisions › subpart e — general provisions › § 399a

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Public TV and radio stations can run announcements that use a business or institutional logogram and that give the organization’s location, but they may not interrupt regular programs to do this. A business or institutional logogram is any sound or visual letters, words, symbol, or sign used only to identify a corporation, company, or other organization and not to promote its products or services. The Commission can still make rules about how these identification marks may be used.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §399a

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)“Business or institutional logogram” defined

For purposes of this section, the term “business or institutional logogram” means any aural or visual letters or words, or any symbol or sign, which is used for the exclusive purpose of identifying any corporation, company, or other organization, and which is not used for the purpose of promoting the products, services, or facilities of such corporation, company, or other organization.

(b)Permitted uses

Each public television station and each public radio station shall be authorized to broadcast announcements which include the use of any business or institutional logogram and which include a reference to the location of the corporation, company, or other organization involved, except that such announcements may not interrupt regular programming.

(c)Authority of Commission not limited

The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit the authority of the Commission to prescribe regulations relating to the manner in which logograms may be used to identify corporations, companies, or other organizations.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 399a

Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110