What Does This Button Do?
Eventually, there will be some reminders on how to work stuff in the station here. Narrated by the lovely, soon to be immortalized voice of our very own Jack Tipper.
Ten Show Commandments
Kind of like the Notorious B.I.G.’s 10 Crack Commandments, but less illicit. Biggy’s Ten are about how to be a good crack dealer. He says “follow these rules you’ll have mad bread to break up, if not, twenty-four years, on the wake up”. These Ten are about how to have a good radio show, and we’re saying something along the same lines as Big.
1. THIS IS THE FIRST ITEM ON THE LIST
This stream is always running and is exactly what we are broadcasting over 2900 watts here in Middlebury. This stream, therefore, will include major sports broadcasts in addition to our regular music lineup—whatever’s on the air is on this stream. If you have any problems or questions, please email webadmin@wrmc.middlebury.edu
The Legal Hoo-Ha (You Gotta Gotta Know It)
RELEVANT F.C.C. RULES FOR DJs
(Adapted from the Public Radio Legal Handbook)
It is the responsibility of each DJ to know and abide by FCC rules and regulations while he/she is in control of the transmitter. Here is a quick reminder of the most important rules. This is not a complete list of the rules and regulations that you need to know. If you have any questions please direct them to the General Manager. You are also encouraged to peruse the Public Radio Legal Handbook, which is located in the WRMC business office.
Paperwork and Logs
The “Operator-on-Duty” (that’s the DJ) must keep a written log of what goes on the air every hour. This means: log the sons you play.
Control Operator
There must be at least one DJ in the studio if the radio station is broadcasting. If no one is broadcasting, automation must be turned on. There is to be NO DEAD AIR; in no one is in the studio, automation must be playing.
Legal Station Identification
A station ID must be given hourly, as close to the “top of the hour” as feasible, at a natural break in program offerings. A legal ID must also be made at the beginning and end of each period of operation (i.e. when the transmitter is turned on or off). WRMC’s most common legal ID is “WRMC 91.1 FM, Middlebury.” This phrase must be broadcast in its entirety with nothing inserted in between.
Other acceptable legal ID’s include:
“WRMC, Middlebury College Radio”
“WRMC, Middlebury”
“WRMC, Middlebury College, Middlebury”
Unacceptable ID’s:
“In Middlebury, this is WRMC”
“FM 91, Middlebury”
“WRMC, the broadcast service of Middlebury College”
“WRMC, public radio for Middlebury
Note: The examples of unacceptable ID’s pertain only to the station identification announcements required by the FCC. They would be fine for other announcements.
Obscenity, Profanity, and Indecency
The two most important phrases in the FCC rules pertaining to obscene, indecent, or profane language are as follows:
“Whoever utters any obscene, indecent, or profane language by means of radio communications shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.” (18 U.S.C. Section 1464)
“Nothing in this [Communications] Act shall be understood or construed to give the Commission the power of censorship over the radio communications or signals transmitted by any radio station, and no regulation or condition shall be promulgated or fixed by the Commission which shall interfere with the right of free speech by means of radio communication.” (Section 326 of the Communications Act)
A program is considered obscene if it meets all three of the following elements: (1) the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, take as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest, (2) the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law, (3) the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
If the speaker’s language was meant as “an imprecation of divine vengeance or implying divine condemnation, so used as to constitute a public nuisance,” the language is considered profane. In other words, profane language occurs when someone who says “God damn” really means “God damn.”
Indecency is defined by the FCC as the broadcast of language that “describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium, sexual or excretory activities and organs” [Pacifica Foundation, 56 FCC 2d 94 (1975)]. Indecent language “cannot be redeemed by a claim that it has literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.” The “Seven Dirty Words” fall under the category of indecency.
After 10pm and before 6am the rules for language are relaxed somewhat (i.e. “safe harbor”), but be cautioned that the rules outlined above still apply. You must play the “after 10pm” warning cart if your programs will contain questionable material.
The Public File
The DJ should know how and when a listener may access our public file, which includes licenses, F.C.C. correspondence, letters from the community, and all other paper work on the station that is relevant to the public. The WRMC public file may be accessed during normal business hours on any weekday by contacting the General Manager. If you have someone asking you to see the public file it is most important to be courteous and accommodating while doing what you can to locate the General Manger.
***The scheduled DJ (so even if you are not there) is responsible for observing all rules and regulations while in operation of the transmitter. Because you are responsible, you may be fined for any and all infractions that occur during, your scheduled time. Blatant disregard for these rules is grounds for dismissal from the WRMC staff.***