Broadcast Law In his 10+ years as a broadcaster, Joe Irby identified a number of issues that came up repeatedly at the various radio stations where he worked. Sometimes, these issues have baffled station owners and managers. Joe Irby prepared this guide to help station owners and managers understand how to best address these legal [...]
I want to add a booster, or a translator to my broadcast station or I’d like to apply for an LPFM. FM Translators and Low Power Frequency Modulation Stations (LPFM) These two types of broadcast signals are rapidly catching on in popularity. Full-power radio stations are quickly buying up FM translators and moving them around [...]
How many hours must I operate my broadcast station? Hours of Operation In many areas and in many circumstances, running a broadcast station 24 hours a day, seven days a week just doesn’t make sense. For example, a broadcast station might be located in a sparsely populated area and statistically, the audience drops off substantially [...]
What does the “Chief Operator” do, and why do I need one? Chief Operator A Chief Operator is a very important position. He acts as your station’s “go to guy” for many of the technical issues that arise on a seemingly daily basis. This is no job to be taken lightly. The FCC requires several [...]
What is a legal ID and when must I run one? Are the requirements the same for radio and television? How do I run a legal ID on my booster/translator? Broadcast THIS by aperture_lag Legal ID The Legal ID lets the audience know which broadcast station they’re tuned into. Although your station’s jingles play into [...]
How long does my license last? Once a broadcast station goes through the arduous process of obtaining a license, it is allowed to broadcast in accordance with the FCC’s regulations. Although the process is cumbersome, it is something that must be done and repeated. Remember, the FCC’s underlying goal is to “serve the public.” If [...]
What are the requirements for running a PSA? At one point in time, broadcast stations were “…required by the Federal Communications Commission to allocate a certain amount of time to public service.” This meant that they had to “give away” a certain amount of air time to non-profit groups or make other announcements that are [...]
What needs to be in my public file? How do I maintain it? The public file is arguably one of the most regulated aspects of a broadcast station. Many times, a station may be in full compliance regarding everything they do except for one, small thing – they haven’t put the right (or enough) information [...]
Unlicensed Broadcasting – Do I need a license to broadcast? An engineer once said “The FCC spends too much time going after pirates. As long as the station doesn’t interfere with anything, [the pirate] isn’t hurting anyone.” Wise words, however, the FCC will still shut down (and even prosecute) unlicensed broadcasters or manufacturers of devices [...]
How do I borrow/leverage money against my radio station and license? Broadcast stations are a business. Plain and simple. Whether the broadcast signal is the primary revenue stream of a business or it is just used to supplement another aspect of the business or entity, broadcasting is still a business and there is no getting [...]
