§ 509. — Prohibited practices in contests of knowledge, skill, or chance.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 47USC509]
TITLE 47--TELEGRAPHS, TELEPHONES, AND RADIOTELEGRAPHS
CHAPTER 5--WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION
SUBCHAPTER V--PENAL PROVISIONS; FORFEITURES
Sec. 509. Prohibited practices in contests of knowledge, skill,
or chance
(a) Influencing, prearranging, or predetermining outcome
It shall be unlawful for any person, with intent to deceive the
listening or viewing public--
(1) To supply to any contestant in a purportedly bona fide
contest of intellectual knowledge or intellectual skill any special
and secret assistance whereby the outcome of such contest will be in
whole or in part prearranged or predetermined.
(2) By means of persuasion, bribery, intimidation, or otherwise,
to induce or cause any contestant in a purportedly bona fide contest
of intellectual knowledge or intellectual skill to refrain in any
manner from using or displaying his knowledge or skill in such
contest, whereby the outcome thereof will be in whole or in part
prearranged or predetermined.
(3) To engage in any artifice or scheme for the purpose of
prearranging or predetermining in whole or in part the outcome of a
purportedly bona fide contest of intellectual knowledge,
intellectual skill, or chance.
(4) To produce or participate in the production for broadcasting
of, to broadcast or participate in the broadcasting of, to offer to
a licensee for broadcasting, or to sponsor, any radio program,
knowing or having reasonable ground for believing that, in
connection with a purportedly bona fide contest of intellectual
knowledge, intellectual skill, or chance constituting any part of
such program, any person has done or is going to do any act or thing
referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection.
(5) To conspire with any other person or persons to do any act
or thing prohibited by paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) of this
subsection, if one or more of such persons do any act to effect the
object of such conspiracy.
(b) ``Contest'' and ``the listening or viewing public'' defined
For the purposes of this section--
(1) The term ``contest'' means any contest broadcast by a radio
station in connection with which any money or any other thing of
value is offered as a prize or prizes to be paid or presented by the
program sponsor or by any other person or persons, as announced in
the course of the broadcast.
(2) The term ``the listening or viewing public'' means those
members of the public who, with the aid of radio receiving sets,
listen to or view programs broadcast by radio stations.
(c) Penalties
Whoever violates subsection (a) of this section shall be fined not
more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title V, Sec. 508, formerly Sec. 509, as added
Pub. L. 96-752, Sec. 9, Sept. 13, 1960, 74 Stat. 897; renumbered
Sec. 508, Pub. L. 96-507, Sec. 1, Dec. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 2747.)
Prior Provisions
A prior section 508 of act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, was renumbered
section 507 by section 1 of Pub. L. 96-507, and is classified to section
508 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 503 of this title.
