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Possible FCC violations in Zanesville

B

Bummer

Guest
I was driving through Zanesville last Sunday morning and flipped the radio over to 92.7 Joy FM (WCVZ). First I hear their legal ID which touts them as "listener supported". Then I hear their DJ (a female) come on and talk about their upcoming Fall fund drive. Okay no big deal. But then the very next thing I hear is a promo spot from the station about advertising on their station. Follow that spot up with several commercials. I'm not up on all of the FCC rules and regulations but I'm pretty sure that this is definitely a blatant violation of the rules. I have monitored them ever since I heard this and I continue to hear the same things. How can this be allowed to go on? I think it's a real shame that a so called "Christian" station is deceiving it's listeners like this. If I were a business owner in Zanesville I wouldn't even think of putting my business on that station. I can't believe the other stations in and around Zanesville haven't done anything about this.
 
They're on the commercial band, so they can run commercials. There may be some issues with tax exemption if they're a nonprofit. WFCJ, Dayton, can run a limited amount of commercials per year. Not an FCC thing, apparently.<P ID="signature">______________
Greetings from Ohio-where the governor wants everyone to know he's sorry.</P>
 
WCVZ is a commercial license now

> They're on the commercial band, so they can run commercials.
> There may be some issues with tax exemption if they're a
> nonprofit. WFCJ, Dayton, can run a limited amount of
> commercials per year. Not an FCC thing, apparently.
>

WCVZ is a commercial station now.

According to file #BMLH 20040415AEI, they filed for and were granted permission to change the station from a non-commercial to a commercial license.

I believe their ownership did the same with WCVO in Columbus as well.
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

> They're a commercial station OWNED by a non-profit
> organization....


I'm confused.....even though they are now a commercial station, they can still have their fund drives and promote themselves as being "listener supported"? How is that possible? If this is allowed then I don't see why all other commercial stations don't do it. Sounds fishy to me...I still think it's illegal.
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

> I'm confused.....even though they are now a commercial
> station, they can still have their fund drives and promote
> themselves as being "listener supported"? How is that
> possible? If this is allowed then I don't see why all other
> commercial stations don't do it. Sounds fishy to me...I
> still think it's illegal.>


I hear you....but it's not illegal...it's a loop hole that needs to be closed. Since they're under a commercial license they sell commercials. They also have a non-profit arm which allows them to do on-air fundraising.
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

> I hear you....but it's not illegal...it's a loop hole that
> needs to be closed. Since they're under a commercial
> license they sell commercials. They also have a non-profit
> arm which allows them to do on-air fundraising.


Thanks for clearing that up. So it's basically an easy way to make an extra buck and probably take advantage of some little old lady who can't afford it (just like all the tv "evangelists"...."send your money now and I will personally pray for you"). Shame on WCVZ! I hope the listeners catch on to this, turn them off, and stop supporting them.
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

WFCJ has been doing this for years and it doesn't seem to be a problem. There are some limits, however.<P ID="signature">______________
Greetings from Ohio-where the governor wants everyone to know he's sorry.</P>
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

Well...I wouldn't go that far with the little old lady stuff. It's a fair loop hole that is somewhat controversial. You'd be surprised how many stations even in Ohio are set up like this...not to mention nationwide.

It's a very niche format that needs that "listener support" to keep functioning against the cluster companies...in my opinion.
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

> > I hear you....but it's not illegal...it's a loop hole that
>
> > needs to be closed. Since they're under a commercial
> > license they sell commercials. They also have a
> non-profit
> > arm which allows them to do on-air fundraising.
>
>
> Thanks for clearing that up. So it's basically an easy way
> to make an extra buck and probably take advantage of some
> little old lady who can't afford it (just like all the tv
> "evangelists"...."send your money now and I will personally
> pray for you"). Shame on WCVZ! I hope the listeners catch
> on to this, turn them off, and stop supporting them.
>

I used to work at WCVZ and left to persue a job in a larger market. During my time w/ WCVZ, one of our biggest accomplishments was getting a commcerial license from the FCC.

I can say that even though the situation does sound strange and "fishy".. it is legal. As stated below by someone else, many other (probably hundreds) non-profit stations across the country do the same thing.

Heres the breakdown.... WCVZ is owned by the Christian Voice of Central Ohio, Inc. (CVCO).. a non-profit orginization. WCVZ-FM is a commercial radio station.

The listener support is not done to make lots of money or to take money from old ladies who cant afford it.. it is done as a means to help CVCO, (the non-profit orginization/ministry) keep running... the commercials are a means of keeping WCVZ (The commercial radio station, both business and on-air product) alive. The money is split half and half... only 50% of the station's income is allowed be listener support and only 50% is allowed to be advertising support.

I can assure.. The money books are watched very close and checked reguarly.. CVCO and/or WCVZ is not getting tons of money off of the commercials or listener support.. basicaly, just enough to stay alive and do what they are called to do.
 
WCVZ fined 20 grand last year

I just talked to someone today who told me that WCVZ was fined $20,000 by the FCC just last year for this same thing we're discussing. If I can find the FCC documentation somewhere I'll post it.

Whether it's legal or illegal, it's very deceiving to the listeners. They think their money is what is keeping this station on the air when it really isn't. Listeners should be made aware exactly what is being done with their money and where it is going when they donate.
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

> So it's basically an easy way
> to make an extra buck and probably take advantage of some
> little old lady who can't afford it...


No, it's just another of the several perfectly legal revenue models that are available. You're accustomed to seeing either all-donation or all-commercial; a hybrid is also very much a possibility for non-profit organizations operating in the commercial spectrum.

Think of all the revenue streams that universities have...or churches or charities or any of the non-profits, for that matter. WCVZ is not doing anything unusual...it's just that you haven't been aware of this option until now.
 
Re: WCVZ fined 20 grand last year

> Whether it's legal or illegal, it's very deceiving to the
> listeners. They think their money is what is keeping this
> station on the air when it really isn't. Listeners should
> be made aware exactly what is being done with their money
> and where it is going when they donate.

It very much is. It's called 'public record.' Again, another aspect of this industry that is NOT new.
 
Re: FCC site link - ie. fine

> Here is the link where you can read about them being fined
> $20,000 in 2004.
>
> http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2004/DA-04-3838A1.html
>


The fine happened PRIOR to the radio station being granted the ability to operate as a non-profit in a commercial frequency.

The $20,000 fine had nothing to do with listener-support vs. advertising and were those dollars wrongfully collected.

The fine was about a non-profit licensed organization running advertisements and NOT underwriting announcements. The language in the spots had blatent call to actions - which is not allowed in the non-comm world (eg. PBS, NPR).<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by toddohio on 09/14/05 02:28 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

> > I hear you....but it's not illegal...it's a loop hole that
>
> > needs to be closed. Since they're under a commercial
> > license they sell commercials. They also have a
> non-profit
> > arm which allows them to do on-air fundraising.
>
>
> Thanks for clearing that up. So it's basically an easy way
> to make an extra buck and probably take advantage of some
> little old lady who can't afford it (just like all the tv
> "evangelists"...."send your money now and I will personally
> pray for you"). Shame on WCVZ! I hope the listeners catch
> on to this, turn them off, and stop supporting them.
>
Wait a minute. Hold on. There are two issues here.

1. Any commerical station could conceivably ask their listeners to donate money. If people are dumb enough to do it is it the stations fault? Maybe a little ethically shady, but what the hell.

2. What is the difference between a commerical station asking listeners for money then the thousands of stations (mostly talk) that play the snake-oil brokered shows conning idiots into buying their garbage? I would that is just as shady.

Even more, how much did "Body Solutions" pay (or in many cases didn't pay) radio to broadcast their crap? Shady, yes! Legal, yes.
 
Re: WCVZ is a commercial license now

> 1. Any commerical station could conceivably ask their
> listeners to donate money. If people are dumb enough to do
> it is it the stations fault? Maybe a little ethically shady,
> but what the hell.

That's the point. A "Christian" station shouldn't be ethically shady. For all the flack we give brokered operations here, I give them a pass because at least they're honest. So-called religious stations, including those owned by Salem, are dubious operations essentially lying to people. Of course they're just as profit-driven as every other station, but a little truth in lending might be nice.

> 2. What is the difference between a commerical station
> asking listeners for money then the thousands of stations
> (mostly talk) that play the snake-oil brokered shows conning
> idiots into buying their garbage? I would that is just as
> shady.

People expect WTVN, WBNS, etc. to be commercial. It's not hard to figure out. They don't expect the pay-for-pray operations to be so. You'd never believe how many mortgage brokers think they should get a free show on Saturday afternoon. People don't know how the business works in this aspect.
 
Clarification

> > Whether it's legal or illegal, it's very deceiving to the
> > listeners. They think their money is what is keeping this
>
> > station on the air when it really isn't. Listeners should
>
> > be made aware exactly what is being done with their money
> > and where it is going when they donate.
>
> It very much is. It's called 'public record.' Again,
> another aspect of this industry that is NOT new.

Clarification: My response was meant to address the fact that the information you find misleading and what's being done with the money IS available, via 'public file.' I didn't mean to imply what they were doing was illegal and my answer "It very much is" implied that.
 
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