Panic at the Radio... tell me if I'm wrong

[J-Rod]

Ok, I don't know the site or I would link to it. So you will just have to bear with my second hand info.

I was told this morning, that the FCC has gotten approval to revert back to pre-87 standards and require stations to have 24-7 staff again.

Is this true?

If so, it dould be doom for all the small locals around. Maybe it would make things better, but I doubt it.

Of couse, at most "mom and pops" the owners are there almost 24-7 anyway...

I'm mostly worried because I'm trying to convince the local high school to start a Student run radio station. there is no way that could be 24-7.


Any info would be great.

 

[PedroOrange]

I haven't found anything official...just an editorial about the subject from a month ago.

Pedro

 

[J-Rod]

Thanks Pedro,

The guy that told me about it probably saw that editorial and paniced.

thanks for clearing up possible "dissinformation"

 

[scottwmro]

Thanks Pedro,

The guy that told me about it probably saw that editorial and paniced.

thanks for clearing up possible "dissinformation"

Don't worry J-Rod, I talked to Jill Green at the TAB office this week and they are so many lobbyist up there fighting against this that it's not funny. The WHOLE industry is against this turing back the hands of time. There is some nut in radio world that is pushing the whole thing, and he got his butt told off in the next issue of RW!

The five FCC Commissioners, including Mr. Kevin Martin, have NOT been to any small radio stations, according to Jill Green of the TAB. Their stuck in thier little world in D.C., thinking we make all money, and the broadcasters are NOT. In addition this "MusicFirst" bunch trying to tack on this big tax on broadcasters, (including internet only broadcasters) is the most ridiculous bunch of B.S. that I have ever seen in my life!

When a songwriter put his/hers thoughts on paper, it should become public domain! That goes for the rest of the world, including what I'm writing on this board right now.
I HATE SONGWRITERS! Some of them stomp into your station, want and PUSH you to play thier material that they recorded on a computer they purchased at Wal-Mart! They are so disgusting, they shove it right in your face!

During 911, I had a stack of CD in a box of all that S***!

Us small broadcasters need to stick together and FIGHT this CRAP!

 

[Kent]

Don't worry J-Rod, I talked to Jill Green at the TAB office this week and they are so many lobbyist up there fighting against this that it's not funny. The WHOLE industry is against this turing back the hands of time. There is some nut in radio world that is pushing the whole thing, and he got his butt told off in the next issue of RW!

I agree that most, if not all of these "localism" proposals aren't likely to happen.

In addition this "MusicFirst" bunch trying to tack on this big tax on broadcasters, (including internet only broadcasters) is the most ridiculous bunch of B.S. that I have ever seen in my life!

I can't believe they're pulling this either. The station where I work uses CD's, and we get many of them free from the record companies for promotion. Why would they just give us their product if the exposure wasn't beneficial? If radio airplay wasn't beneficial, why haven't they been selling us the music? That seems less complicated than pushing for royalties that would likely be less. I also find it funny that radio stations and record labels were getting questions from Congress regarding paying independent promoters for access to radio programmers. Why would they pay radio stations to play their product if the exposure wasn't beneficial? I also find their campaign implying a street musician gets more than established musicians because radio stations don't pay royalties to be just plain ludicrous. Find me a street musician who only does that job and makes more over a lifetime than an established artist on the radio, and I'll kiss your posterior. I guarantee I won't be puckering up anytime soon! I don't know about you, but I don't feel too sorry for performers who make more than I'll ever see only to end up complaining they have to tour in their later years. They wouldn't have had to do that if they'd spent responsibly, would they? Let's also don't forget that radio is technically already paying record labels for their product. Four years ago, I worked at a station that charged $220 for a one minute spot from 6 AM to 8 PM Assuming 15 minutes of commercials, three stopsets with one minute announcements before and after the stopset, that leaves 39 minutes of airtime for the record companies. Let's do the math: $220 X 39 minutes X 14 hours X 7 days a week X 52 weeks = $43,723,680 a year worth of airtime absolutely free, and that's just the peak hours of 6 AM to 8 PM!

When a songwriter put his/hers thoughts on paper, it should become public domain! That goes for the rest of the world, including what I'm writing on this board right now.
I HATE SONGWRITERS! Some of them stomp into your station, want and PUSH you to play thier material that they recorded on a computer they purchased at Wal-Mart! They are so disgusting, they shove it right in your face!

Actually, the law says the opposite here. As soon as you put anything on paper, it's automatically copyrighted. I've been told all you have to do to officially copyright a song is write it and mail a copy to yourself via certified mail.

 

[bub]

Actually, the law says the opposite here. As soon as you put anything on paper, it's automatically copyrighted. I've been told all you have to do to officially copyright a song is write it and mail a copy to yourself via certified mail.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that's called the "Common Law Copyright."

 

[longleggs]

I know it would be hard to do economically but personally I wish radio would indeed go back to having local staff 24-7, today's radio is virtually unlistenable.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

J-Rod: What the FCC has done is to publish "proposed" new rules. They have to sit out there and smoulder for x number of days so that intested parties can send them comments. The WILL get comments. From broadcasters. From musicians. From the recording industry. From the broadcasters various trade associations. From Joe and Molly Sixpack who are still unhappy their local station changed hands 10 years ago and they want ther favorite announcer back. YOU can comment, too.

Sometimes the FCC already knows what it wants to do, will ignore comments and do what they intended. Sometimes to get someone off their back, a congressman, a big political contributor, they will propose rules, let the fur fly, and then deliver copies of the comments to whoever was trying to force the FCC to do something they DIDN'T WANT TO DO. In Washington, it is called: C.Y.A.

Part of what has people in this discussion space foaming at the mouth, some with each other, some with the FCC, some with big broadcast companies is this issue of "Live and Local". What does that really mean? Which part of it is good and which part of it is sham. I have heard some really LOUSY "talent" (?) on local stations back in the day. They had no significant audience, but a small group of "groupies" who constantly called on the phone which really stroked their ego, and a small group that knew where the radio guy went to drink after work and went their to be in his presence for the celebrity effect. One good automation machine can fix a lot of badly implemented "live" radio. GOOD 'live and local' is indeed good. Not many broadcasters have proven they are capable and competent to create and operate good live and local.

 

[PedroOrange]

Not many broadcasters have proven they are capable and competent to create and operate good live and local.

For smaller operations, I believe this is especially true. They can't afford to keep quality jocks around for long periods of time, staff members are often juggling 3 or 4 different jobs at once and the sales staff aren't experience enough to help increase revenue.

I can have 3 pages of great ideas on how to make a station live and local, but if I have a 4 person staff and I'm only live from 9am-7pm...well, that can make it hard.

Honestly, where does the problem lie? Twenty years ago was this a problem? Is it the automation? It may make the station sound tighter and more efficient, but is the station budget dwindling because maintenance to high-tech computer systems?

What's the solution?

Pedro

 

[in3media_be1]

Some of the posts from this thread have been moved to Take It Outside


http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,94695.msg728671.html#msg728671

 

[DeadElvis]

> As soon as you put anything on paper, it's automatically copyrighted.

Yeah, as soon as the "work" is reduced to a "fixed" medium, Copyright attaches. Those who send it to themselves are merely doing so to prove the date at which the work was generated. I could go into a deep discussion of why that matters, but that would be beyond the scope of this Board.

Now, if someone infringes, you may have to register in order to avail yourself of certain remedies, but that's another issue.

Of course, all this assumes the "work" involved is actually within the subject matter of Copyright. But, again, that's something to discuss on another day.

DE

 

[w9wi]

Sometimes to get someone off their back, a congressman, a big political contributor, they will propose rules, let the fur fly, and then deliver copies of the comments to whoever was trying to force the FCC to do something they DIDN'T WANT TO DO. In Washington, it is called: C.Y.A.

I would STRONGLY suggest this is what's going on here.

Note especially the timing - concurrent with the proposal to relax multiple-ownership regulations. Offer both sets of lobbyists something to show the FCC is listening, and then show the thousands of complaints from constituents as a reason why nothing will actually be done.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see some small bit of action here. Maybe require stations to post their public files on a website, something small like that.