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I have a question

S

SteelersBRSeven

Guest
I aometimes listen to WECI in Richmond IN and they are Earlham College's radio station and they will sometimes play rap music that cusses. How can they do that and get away with it? Can't the FCC get involved?
 
There is a tension in the American system that sometimes pits decency on one side and freedom of expression on the other side. What harsh or vulgar expressions am I allowed to make before decency over powers my wish to be crude and plain spoken?

The FCC has defined certain words, certain body parts, and certain functions which they will come down on rather hard. What is commonly called "cussin" may not trigger the penalties at the FCC. ( I dang well hope that makes sense to you.) ;)

The FCC is not omnipotent. Until someone informs the FCC that something is happening, how would the FCC know that it is happening?
 
I assume we are meaning the F word that is all over rap today. Also, this stuff
frequently contains the N word which is also in very bad taste.

One phone call or email to the FCC is all it takes to bring the walls crashing down. The
fine for the F word is half a million dollars. FCC santions against a station also delay
license renewal and can result in hearings that cost another $200,000.

The problem with stations whicvh use a volunteer staff is that they seem to
have many program directors. No one is in charge. However, the FCC holds the
licensee, the university liable.

Some volunteer jock may think this is about his freedom of speech and artistic expression.
But, it is not his rear end on the line. He won't have to pay the fine and it's not his license
that is being risked.

Many great community stations are now NPR relays because universities no longer wanted to risk fines for some guys artistic freedom. It would be a real shame to see more than 40 years of great radio in Richmond
come to an end because of 1 idiot jock.

So now the manager must look at this before the college does, and the college needs to look at this before the FCC does.

Those who break the rules aren't risking their own butts. They are risking everybody elses!
 
It also depends on what time of day it is. To the best of my knowledge you are allowed to drop the occasional F-Bomb and such after 11 PM,,,, This may have recently changed, I dont know, but back in the 90s WRZX played alot of songs with the F-Bomb during the overnights, but it wouldnt be frequently repeated through the song, the songs with frequent F-Bombs still got edited, but some songs that may just drop the F-Bomb once in the song were played un edited. By the way, just so you know WRZX hasnt done this for about 8 to 10 years now, in fact they edit beyond what they even have to, especially during the day. Just so everybody knows, WRZX keeps its programs squeaky clean now days, im sure they have gone through a few PDs since I last heard this around 1999, so WRZX is not doing anything wrong at all, just so everyone knows.

Anyway, my belief is any station that is owned by a school has a certain standard to live up to, and the programing of any school station should be safe for young children to listen to. I think radio in the U.S usually way over censor's our music beyond what they need to, but at least keep the F-bombs and Sexually explicit graphic lyrics off the school stations. I know a guy on this board that runs a College station in Jersey with a Dance Format, and he is very strict on any bad language in the music and wont play anything that might be offensive.
 
What bothers me about this is Earlham College is a Quaker college, so it surprises me that any kind of music like that would be played on their station.
 
Mid West Clubber said:
It also depends on what time of day it is. To the best of my knowledge you are allowed to drop the occasional F-Bomb and such after 11 PM,,,, This may have recently changed, I dont know, but back in the 90s WRZX played alot of songs with the F-Bomb during the overnights, but it wouldnt be frequently repeated through the song, the songs with frequent F-Bombs still got edited, but some songs that may just drop the F-Bomb once in the song were played un edited. By the way, just so you know WRZX hasnt done this for about 8 to 10 years now, in fact they edit beyond what they even have to, especially during the day. Just so everybody knows, WRZX keeps its programs squeaky clean now days, im sure they have gone through a few PDs since I last heard this around 1999, so WRZX is not doing anything wrong at all, just so everyone knows.

Anyway, my belief is any station that is owned by a school has a certain standard to live up to, and the programing of any school station should be safe for young children to listen to. I think radio in the U.S usually way over censor's our music beyond what they need to, but at least keep the F-bombs and Sexually explicit graphic lyrics off the school stations. I know a guy on this board that runs a College station in Jersey with a Dance Format, and he is very strict on any bad language in the music and wont play anything that might be offensive.
Click to expand...

The S word is ok after certain hours if it is used not meaning defacation. The F word is always a violation.
Some big corporations violate FCC rules for higher ratings. To them paying the fine is just part of the
cost of doing business.

To a small operater or college a large fine is the end of the world.

Anyone who thinks they have this right to this kind of freedom of expression should start their own station and sink
on their own ship. I am no longer a 12 year old. The F word does not shock or entertain me anymore. It is just
stupid to use it.
 
I heard a bunch of songs on there with the "F" and "S" and "MF" word around 8pm one night 3 weeks ago. My son was laughing his butt off while I was standing there with my mouth hanging down to the floor. How do I contact the FCC?
 
SteelersBRSeven said:
I heard a bunch of songs on there with the "F" and "S" and "MF" word around 8pm one night 3 weeks ago. My son was laughing his butt off while I was standing there with my mouth hanging down to the floor. How do I contact the FCC?
Click to expand...

If you want the satisfaction of dropping the "Nuke" on them, go straight to the FCC. The fireworks might be entertaining.

If you are interested solving what looks like a "social issue" problem, have you considered contacting the University? I think I would start with the office of the president. I would not be bashful about including in my note that failure to respond could result in you feeling forced to go to the FCC.

I don't know the address for the FCC without looking it up, but I would start at www.fcc.gov
 
actually, the FCC rules about obscenity, profanity, and indecency are pretty difficult to decipher. Words like the f-word are allowed to be played in songs from 10pm-6am as long as the context is not obscene. djs are never allowed to say obscene, indecent, or profane words. WECIs obscenity, profanity, and indecency policy is actually more strict than the FCCs. here is a link to the rules:
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/oip/FAQ.html#TheLaw
 
WECI has ran rap shows containing uneditted music as far back as the early 1990's.

I remember WECI being the community bulletin board channel's background music on Richmond's cable system back then. One Saturday night, I remember walking in on my mom watching the channel with her jaw to the ground after hearing a portion of the rap show. She called the access channel and complained. For awhile they muted WECI during that period on Saturday nights, but eventually dropped the station in favor of WVXR and Miami University's WMUB (there were two access channels by then).

As far as complaining goes, I would maybe try to get a hold of someone in charge at Earlham, and by this I mean, a board member or the president of the college. You won't get far with someone in charge of WECI as they're students and volunteers. Chances are no one who actually operates the college probably even listens to WECI so the vulgarity of some of their programming might be news to them.

Just keep in mind that Earlham is a small college and a monster fine from the FCC would probably force Earlham to either sell the station or turn over its license, and unless Richmond Community Schools offers to buy and keep it a public radio station, the station will either go away forever or become a K-Love or something. If you enjoy other programming offered by WECI, going to someone at Earlham that will put an end to the objectionable content would be the route to go. If not, record the show in its entirety (evidence) and file a complaint to the FCC.
 
Actually, the max fine is $325,000.

(One phone call or email to the FCC is all it takes to bring the walls crashing down. The
fine for the F word is half a million dollars.)
 
What is so hilarious, especially in the realm of hip-hop and rap is most of that music these days contains so much profanity, when you heard the "edited" versions of these songs (with the obscene words played backwards in most cases), you can't even understand what the song is even about!

A good example would be "What It's Like" Everlast. The song is not really a "hip-hop" song per se, but it does have a lot of hip-hop influence to it. Follow the bouncing ball to the lyrics of the hilariously radio edited version:

I knew this kid named Max
He used to get fat stacks out on the corner with (FWIP!)
He liked to hang out late at night
Liked to get (BOINK!) faced
And keep pace with (HONK!)
Until late one night there was a big (BLEEP!) fight
Max lost his head
He pulled out his (HONK!)
Talked some (BOINK!)
And wound up dead.

Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of his pain....

So from this, I'm safely reassured that my 5 year old child hearing this in the car will probably presume Max was killed in a clown competition...

But seriously on the other hand, what's even the advantage in all this excessive cussing anyway? Usually, by the time you're 18, even the most delinquent of us get bored with it...especially if the subject of the song seems to stall and it's just a verbal onslaught, as in most rap music these days.

I don't advocate censorship and I'm all for freedom of expression, but there are better ways (or at least clearer, even more imaginative ones) of expressing the point. It's funny when you're 14. After that, with maturity and education, it gets tedious to listen to all the time. I just don't know how some younger people can just sit there in their booming cars at the intersection and put up with it.

Hmmm....maybe that cop that just turned his flashing lights on behind them would know ::)...
 
Thank you afor your replies. I will go see if I can talk to someone at that station first and if I get nowhere I'll go complain to the FCC My son was just flipping channels. We never lsiten to that station.
 
As far as the FCC is concerned, it's the names on a station's ownership report who should pay the fine.
The guy who did the FCC violation gets off scot free. Glad I'm not on that board!

Volunteer radio or community radio is an idea that goes back to the 1970s. It has brought some
really unique radio to cities accross America.

Here's what other community stations are now doing. 1. Background checks. 2. Make the
volunteer DJ sign a statement that he or she is liable for any FCC violations or other damages
from his or her radio program.

In closing, WECI provides a very important service to the people of Richmond.
 
My son was just flipping channels. We never lsiten to that station.

You never listen to the station? So let me ask a question, and I'm not trying to be a smart ass here; if you never listen to the station, then why do you care what they play? Do you just want to police the airwaves for everyone else?
 
voicetrack said:
My son was just flipping channels. We never lsiten to that station.

You never listen to the station? So let me ask a question, and I'm not trying to be a smart ass here; if you never listen to the station, then why do you care what they play? Do you just want to police the airwaves for everyone else?
Click to expand...

Also, not to be a smart ass voicetrak, but the point is that this listener doesn't want to "accidentally" hear such garbage either.

There was a coffee shop owner that I know, that would kick the kids out if he heard them swearing. He didn't want his other paying customers to be offended by their language. It is a stand that few owners take anymore. It is private property and and such he had that right.

The airwaves are "owned" by the public. We have rights as a community to restrict what is played, even if one doesn't listen to it because if the community as a whole agrees it is inappropriate then it shouldn't be aired. We want our children to be safe from such content anywhere they go, and as a parent we have that right.

I don't think the FCC should be the "content police" though. I think every community should set it's own standards and live by them. If you don't like the standards, either get them changed or move somewhere where you fit in better.
 
voicetrack said:
My son was just flipping channels. We never lsiten to that station.

You never listen to the station? So let me ask a question, and I'm not trying to be a smart ass here; if you never listen to the station, then why do you care what they play? Do you just want to police the airwaves for everyone else?
Click to expand...

Whether the license was awarded for educational value, or for profit, there are DECENCY laws in place. It violates the LAW!

If you saw someone breaking into your neighbor's home, you wouldn't call the cops because it's not YOUR home?

If the practice of vulgar language is allowed by the individual/corp that owns the station, the license should be taken away and given to a RESPONSIBLE entity that can follow community decency standards - especially if it's a college/education station.

If you want to be vulgar, the internet is FULL of these types of stations.
 
grilledcheesedelicious said:
actually, the FCC rules about obscenity, profanity, and indecency are pretty difficult to decipher. Words like the f-word are allowed to be played in songs from 10pm-6am as long as the context is not obscene. djs are never allowed to say obscene, indecent, or profane words. WECIs obscenity, profanity, and indecency policy is actually more strict than the FCCs. here is a link to the rules:
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/oip/FAQ.html#TheLaw
Click to expand...

Wow! I didn't have to go to an expensive college to learn that the F word is a bad word. My mom taught
me this years before that. It's not my job to argue with you and try to teach you what mom should have.
 
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