# FCC Political File Ad Orders 2026: TV/Radio Ad Buys (`hamsmoothie/fcc-political-file-ad-orders`) Actor

Who is buying political TV and radio ads, station by station. Walks the FCC Public Inspection File (OPIF) political folders and returns one row per ad order, invoice or NAB form with advertiser, race, order number, flight dates and PDF link.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/hamsmoothie/fcc-political-file-ad-orders.md
- **Developed by:** [Maybe Quark](https://apify.com/hamsmoothie) (community)
- **Categories:** Other, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$20.00 / 1,000 political filing rows

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## FCC Political File Ad Orders: Who Is Buying Political TV and Radio Ads

**FCC Political File Ad Orders** walks the FCC Public Inspection File (OPIF) political folders of licensed full-service TV, FM and AM stations in a state and returns one clean row per filing: station, licensee, race level, candidate or issue-group folder, file name, filing type (order, invoice, contract, NAB form and more), order number, flight dates as typed in the file name, upload timestamp and a direct PDF link. It answers "who is buying political ads on local TV stations?" from the FCC's own public API, with no login, proxy or PDF download.

### Input

All fields are optional. This example scans Georgia TV stations for new federal-race filings since October 1:

```json
{
  "states": ["GA"],
  "service": "tv",
  "year": 2026,
  "race_level": "Federal",
  "uploaded_after": "2026-10-01",
  "max_stations": 15,
  "max_rows": 2000
}
```

- `states`: two-letter US state codes whose stations to scan (default `["CT"]`). Capped by `max_stations`.
- `call_signs`: scan only these stations, for example `["WFSB", "WTNH"]`. When set, `states` is ignored.
- `service`: `tv` (default), `fm` or `am`.
- `year`: which `Political Files/<year>` folder to walk (default 2026). Stations keep two years online.
- `race_level`: `ALL` (default), `Federal`, `State`, `Local` or `Issue` (non-candidate issue ads).
- `uploaded_after`: ISO date; only filings uploaded on or after it.
- `include_low_power`: also include LPTV, Class A, LPFM and translators (default false).
- `max_stations`: stop after this many stations (default 15, maximum 500). `max_rows`: stop after this many filing rows (default 2000). `concurrency`: parallel requests, 1 to 10 (default 5).

### Output

One row per filing, plus a free `SUMMARY` row at the end of every run (stations scanned, filings found, top 10 advertisers by filing count). Real example filing row:

```json
{
  "type": "filing",
  "call_sign": "WTIC-TV",
  "facility_id": 147,
  "service": "tv",
  "licensee": "TEGNA BROADCAST HOLDINGS, LLC",
  "community": "HARTFORD",
  "state": "CT",
  "race_level": "State",
  "race_folder": null,
  "advertiser_folder": null,
  "folder_path": "Political Files/2026/State",
  "file_name": "Erin for Connecticut (1)",
  "filing_type": "other",
  "order_number": null,
  "flight_dates_raw": null,
  "file_size_bytes": 1135092,
  "uploaded_at": "2026-02-19T14:10:31-05:00",
  "last_updated_at": "2026-02-19T14:10:33-05:00",
  "pdf_url": "https://files.fcc.gov/download/6373ca8b-53b6-40ca-9ddf-2828f59ef173.pdf",
  "url": "https://files.fcc.gov/download/6373ca8b-53b6-40ca-9ddf-2828f59ef173.pdf",
  "opif_download_url": "https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/manager/download/601a971e-a14b-93f5-7abe-18b10c61d36a/6373ca8b-53b6-40ca-9ddf-2828f59ef173.pdf",
  "source_url": "https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/manager/folder/id/601a971e-a14b-93f5-7abe-18b10c61d36a.json?entityId=147&sourceService=tv",
  "retrieved_at": "2026-10-14T12:11:52.189Z"
}
```

### Use cases

Search phrases this actor is built for:

- **"Political ads on local TV stations"**: scan a state and read `advertiser_folder`, `race_level` and `order_number`.
- **"FCC political file ad orders by race"**: set `race_level` to `Federal`, `State`, `Local` or `Issue` and read `race_folder`.
- **"FCC political file" daily monitoring**: run daily with `uploaded_after` set to yesterday and send new rows to a spreadsheet or alert.

Typical users are campaigns and media buyers, newsrooms and researchers, and political data and ad-tech teams. It also works as a tool for AI agents through the Apify MCP server.

### Pricing

Pay per result: $0.02 per filing row ($20 per 1,000). The `SUMMARY` row is free. A full state of TV stations for the 2026 cycle is typically a few hundred to a couple of thousand rows; use `max_rows`, `race_level` and `uploaded_after` to keep a refresh small.

### Limits

- Station list comes from the FCC station query for licensed stations; low-power, Class A and translator stations only with `include_low_power`.
- `order_number` and `flight_dates_raw` are parsed from the file name as the station typed it, so they are null when the name has no such token. Rates and spot counts live inside the PDF and are not extracted.
- Cable systems and satellite providers file in different OPIF branches and are not covered.
- A station is missing if it has no `Political Files/<year>` folder, is not full-service licensed, or was cut by `max_stations`.

### FAQ

**Can I get the ad rates?** Open `pdf_url`; the order confirmation lists spots, dayparts and rates. The actor does not parse PDFs.

**How fresh is it?** Stations must upload political orders promptly under 47 CFR 73.1943; most post within a business day. Run daily with `uploaded_after`.

**Do I need an FCC account?** No. It reads the public inspection file API.

# Actor input Schema

## `states` (type: `array`):

Two-letter US state codes whose stations to scan, e.g. CT, GA, PA. Each state is one FCC station list; stations are capped by Max stations.

## `call_signs` (type: `array`):

Scan only these stations, e.g. WFSB, WTNH. When set, States is ignored.

## `service` (type: `string`):

Station type: tv (full-power television), fm or am radio.

## `year` (type: `integer`):

Which Political Files/<year> folder to walk. Stations keep two years online; use 2026 for the midterms.

## `race_level` (type: `string`):

Keep only filings under one branch of the political folder: Federal (President, US Senate, US House), State (governor, legislature, statewide offices), Local, or Issue (non-candidate issue ads). ALL keeps everything.

## `uploaded_after` (type: `string`):

ISO date (e.g. 2026-10-01). Only filings the station uploaded on or after this date. Leave empty for the whole year.

## `include_low_power` (type: `boolean`):

By default only full-service licensed stations are scanned (DTV / FM / AM). Turn on to also include LPTV, Class A, LPFM and translators that keep a political file.

## `max_stations` (type: `integer`):

Stop enumerating after this many stations across all states.

## `max_rows` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many filing rows (the free SUMMARY row is extra).

## `concurrency` (type: `integer`):

Parallel requests to publicfiles.fcc.gov. 5 is polite and fast enough for one state in under two minutes.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "states": [
    "CT"
  ],
  "call_signs": [],
  "service": "tv",
  "year": 2026,
  "race_level": "ALL",
  "include_low_power": false,
  "max_stations": 15,
  "max_rows": 2000,
  "concurrency": 5
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

One row per political file document (ad order, invoice, NAB form) plus one SUMMARY row; download as JSON, CSV or Excel.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "uploaded_after": ""
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("hamsmoothie/fcc-political-file-ad-orders").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "uploaded_after": "" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("hamsmoothie/fcc-political-file-ad-orders").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "uploaded_after": ""
}' |
apify call hamsmoothie/fcc-political-file-ad-orders --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,hamsmoothie/fcc-political-file-ad-orders"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/g5i5QYl50Nv9wRcrk/builds/it6MO2QxSmSCqiTgd/openapi.json