PSA or paid ad?

[GeorgeKramer]

With the increased scrutiny of what Brad Riter and friends are doing on WECK/WLVL, I bring up a legit question after hearing the same PSA today AT LEAST a half-dozen times and just raised a red flag for me when Nick Mendola added his personal commentary.

The PSA involves a Saint Joseph's Day Dinner event at Bing's Restaurant in Amherst (great steak by the way and very friendly waitresses!) which most of us know is owned by the Schratz Family.

The thing is the name of the restaurant and the phone number are mentioned twice each time the PSA runs. How is that NOT free advertising for the place? As much as I like eating there, if I'm selling for WECK/WLVL, how do I ask ANOTHER restaurant to pay for ads when that PSA is running SEVERAL times a day?

I understand it is a special event and I'm sure the proceeds (or a portion of the proceeds) are going to go towards a charitable cause here in WNY, but does anyone else see what I'm saying.

In addition, Mendola said tonight that Shelly Schratz is the mother of one of the WECK employees. Conflict of interest?

Just asking out loud..............

 

[intheeno]

How do you know its a PSA? Ever hear of clients buying ad for special causes? Or maybe its a bonus schedule for a paid schedule that Bing's purchased. Why are you playing detective? Send them your resume and be done with it dude.

 

[GeorgeKramer]

Just heard the PSA again. It is indeed being run as a PSA under the moniker of a WECK "Hometown Happening."

So I assume it's a non-paid PSA used to fill time, not a paid ad.

Just wanted to clarify.

Perhaps Brad or Dave P. can clarify for us.

 

[Paul_Warren]

I'm not within listening range, but if it's called a "WECK Hometown Happening," sounds to me like it's either a station promotion, or an outright spot package that happens to only have one taker so far.

 

[caveman-97]

I'd say that if a typical listener can't tell if the ad is a PSA or a commercial there's a likely violation of the FCC's sponsorship identification rule. Although a good rule, it is rarely enforced.

Radio stations everywhere are bombarded with businesses trying to get free advertising by piggybacking their ads on non-profit organizations. A well run station won't allow for-profit businesses to get their advertising or public relations gratis. I get around the problem by giving out the information minus the name of the business. I then give out a phone number for more information. Sometimes that makes the wouldbe freeloader angry but so be it.

 

[Savage]

I disagree. The sponsor ID rule merely states that any commercial must identify the name of the person "providing or paying for" the announcement. If it's not a paid announcement, the rule doesn't apply. I'm not quite sure what your point is here...particularly your suggestion that because a relative of a WECK employee is connected to the advertiser there's a "conflict of interest." Huh?? ???

Many PSAs contain the names of for-profit establishments or businesses. That doesn't automatically make the announcement a "commercial."

In any event: even in the highly unlikely event this isolated circumstance does represent a violation of the sponsor ID rule, rotsa ruck getting enforcement action out of the FCC. Over here in the eastern reaches of this board, there are a couple of AMs which have been violating the main-studio rule, have no tower fences and which haven't changed pattern in YEARS. The FCC just ignores them.