Are non-comms allowed to carry syndicated pgms with ads?

[NE Miss Radio]

I know they could only have "sponsorships" in the locals.

 

[Al Johnson]

If the ads do not include "calls to action" (Buy one today!) or specific product comparisons, then they are enhanced corporate underwriting. It's a fine line and some "spots" on public radio stations come pretty close to crossing it.

Since you said "non-comms" instead of "public," maybe you are thinking of community or school stations. I would not be surprised if some of these, and some smaller public stations, have not crossed the line at some point. Most likely, if that happens, nobody notices and nobody complains.

 

[Robert Bass]

We have dropped a few syndicated shows for this very reason. The last one I remember being dropped, was a program regarding how to write music (and I hated that program!). Before that, we dropped a satellite fed high school sports wrap up show, because they obtained a sponsor.

R

 

[William_Yeager]

I actually noticed a non-com that crossed the line a couple of times. Both times, they were waiting on a local TV station to begin broadcasting a church service; if the service was late starting, the TV station would run ads, even though the non-com radio station had automatically picked up the TV feed at the scheduled time.

 

[cadillacjack]

Of course, in this case, it was a matter of rebroadcasting audio from another service. Since the station would not receive compensation for those commercials, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[ASO]

Is there a site/page that spells out details regarding non-com, and the differences between the non-com and commercial?

 

[jp1520]

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/nature.html

 

[ChiefEngineer]

If the ads do not include "calls to action" (Buy one today!) or specific product comparisons, then they are enhanced corporate underwriting. It's a fine line and some "spots" on public radio stations come pretty close to crossing it.

Since you said "non-comms" instead of "public," maybe you are thinking of community or school stations. I would not be surprised if some of these, and some smaller public stations, have not crossed the line at some point. Most likely, if that happens, nobody notices and nobody complains.

Many of the high school stations here run McDonalds ads and a great thing for McDonald's, employment ads. WPSR in Evansville has run ads (or enhanced underwriting that someone felt crossed the line) before and got a letter but no fine as I recall. There was a complaint from a commercial interest unhappy the school was running high school sports with sponsors.

The FCC doesn't want to review every piece of copy so they are admittedly open to lettig the licensee to decide. Normally this is op-en until a complaint is filed then expect a letter but not always a fine unless it is blatant and repeated and common practice.

The ad before the church service? Religious education is educational programming. Watch out if the fairness doctrine is doctored to include church programs as hate speech.

 

[Nate Wesley]

The ad before the church service? Religious education is educational programming. Watch out if the fairness doctrine is doctored to include church programs as hate speech.

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