§ 232.304 - Graphic, image, audio and video material.

§ 232.304 Graphic, image, audio and video material.

(a) If a filer includes graphic, image, audio or video material in a document delivered to investors and others that is not reproduced in an electronic filing, the electronically filed version of that document must include a fair and accurate narrative description, tabular representation or transcript of the omitted material. Such descriptions, representations or transcripts may be included in the text of the electronic filing at the point where the graphic, image, audio or video material is presented in the delivered version, or they may be listed in an appendix to the electronic filing. Immaterial differences between the delivered and electronically filed versions, such as pagination, color, type size or style, or corporate logo need not be described.

Note to paragraph (a):

If the omitted graphic, image, audio or video material includes data, filers must include a tabular representation or other appropriate representation of that data in the electronically filed version of the document.

(b)

(1) The graphic, image, audio and video material in the version of a document delivered to investors and others is deemed part of the electronic filing and subject to the civil liability and anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws.

(2) Narrative descriptions, tabular representations or transcripts of graphic, image, audio and video material included in an electronic filing or appendix thereto also are deemed part of the filing. However, to the extent such descriptions, representations or transcripts represent a good faith effort to fairly and accurately describe omitted graphic, image, audio or video material, they are not subject to the civil liability and anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws.

(c) An electronic filer must retain for a period of five years a copy of each publicly distributed document, in the format used, that contains graphic, image, audio or video material where such material is not included in the version filed with the Commission. The five-year period shall commence as of the filing date, or the date that appears on the document, whichever is later. Upon request, an electronic filer shall furnish to the Commission or its staff a copy of any or all of the documents contained in the file.

(d) For electronically filed ASCII documents, the performance graph that is to appear in registrant annual reports to security holders required by Exchange Act Rule 14a-3 (§ 240.14a-3 of this chapter) or Exchange Act Rule 14c-3 (§ 240.14c-3 of this chapter) to precede or accompany proxy statements or information statements relating to annual meetings of security holders at which directors are to be elected (or special meetings or written consents in lieu of such meetings), as required by Item 201(e) of Regulation S-K (§ 229.201(e) of this chapter), and the line graph that is to appear in registrant annual reports to security holders, as required by paragraph (b)(7)(ii) of Item 27 of Form N-1A (§ 274.11A of this chapter), must be furnished to the Commission by presenting the data in tabular or chart form within the electronic ASCII document, in compliance with paragraph (a) of this section and the formatting requirements of the EDGAR Filer Manual.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, electronically filed HTML documents must present the following information in an HTML graphic or image file within the electronic submission in compliance with the formatting requirements of the EDGAR Filer Manual: The performance graph that is to appear in registrant annual reports to security holders required by Exchange Act Rule 14a-3 (§ 240.14a-3 of this chapter) or Exchange Act Rule 14c-3 (§ 240.14c-3 of this chapter) to precede or accompany registrant proxy statements or information statements relating to annual meetings of security holders at which directors are to be elected (or special meetings or written consents in lieu of such meetings), as required by Item 201(e) of Regulation S-K (§ 229.201(e) of this chapter); the line graph that is to appear in registrant annual reports to security holders, as required by paragraph (b)(7)(ii) of Item 27 of Form N-1A (§ 274.11A of this chapter); and any other graphic material required by rule or form to be filed with the Commission. Filers may, but are not required to, submit any other graphic material in a HTML document by presenting the data in an HTML graphic or image file within the electronic filing, in compliance with the formatting requirements of the EDGAR Filer Manual. However, filers may not present in a graphic or image file information such as text or tables that users must be able to search and/or download into spreadsheet form (e.g., financial statements); filers must present such material as text in an ASCII document or as text or an HTML table in an HTML document.

(f) Electronic filers may not include animated graphics in any EDGAR document.

[58 FR 14670, Mar. 18, 1993, as amended at 59 FR 67762, Dec. 30, 1994; 61 FR 24655, May 15, 1996; 62 FR 36458, July 8, 1997; 64 FR 27895, May 21, 1999; 65 FR 24800, Apr. 27, 2000; 71 FR 53259, Sept. 8, 2006; 74 FR 4587, Jan. 26, 2009]