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Sign on/sign off question

R

radioboy

A colleague of mine asked me this question and I wasn't sure what the rules are now.

His station is leased out..the folks programming under the lease simply sign on and off (it is an AM daytimer)by turning the transmitter on and off..no ID at either time..no sign on or off at any time.

My friend represents the licensee of the station, who does not live in the same location as the station.

His question: Can the station be fined or get into other trouble for this?

I told him when I was ops manager for AMs with sign on and sign off, that
they were required to be broadcast..just to be safe.

Thanks for your help. <P ID="signature">______________
Proudly remembering the days of the hometown "country giant" radio stations now at
http://www.live365.com/stations/alanmccall</P>
 
I think they just need to do an ID when they sign on and agailn when the they sign off (not to mention every hour in between).

But it is Friday, & I am too lazy to look it up....
 
> I think they just need to do an ID when they sign on and
> agailn when the they sign off (not to mention every hour in
> between).
>
> But it is Friday, & I am too lazy to look it up....
>
I'm pretty sure they aren't required to do an ID after sign off...

You could always check FCC.gov.
 
FCC on Station Identification

According to the FCC regulations, you must run a station ID at the beginning and end of operations, and hourly as close as programming will allow to the top of the hour.
 
Re: Thanks guys!

> According to the FCC regulations, you must run a station ID
> at the beginning and end of operations, and hourly as close
> as programming will allow to the top of the hour.
>


That's what I thought in the first place..LOL.

I've passed this on to the gentleman who asked me in the first place.

Thanks again everyone!<P ID="signature">______________
Proudly remembering the days of the hometown "country giant" radio stations now at
http://www.live365.com/stations/alanmccall</P>
 
> ID at sign on and sign off is all thats required.
>


There is a station that I know of now that the last time I heard it just pops on in the middle of the satellite feed and drops out in the middle of a song without a Sign on ID or Sign off ID. (when they where local they did used to do a sign on and sign off id)


<P ID="signature">______________
Lenks
Program Director/Music Director
X Music Online
The X
Today's Best Music
http://www.xmusiconline.com/</P>
 
> > ID at sign on and sign off is all thats required.
> >
>
>
> There is a station that I know of now that the last time I
> heard it just pops on in the middle of the satellite feed
> and drops out in the middle of a song without a Sign on ID
> or Sign off ID. (when they where local they did used to do
> a sign on and sign off id)
>
Similar situation here. The station is leased, and the leasee has
been told to ID at sign on and sign off. They're still doing the pop-
on/pop off deal. Luckily, it's not my station to deal with.
However, I got a call from the local manager asking about this, which is why I
asked here on the forum.

Wherever I worked, I ran real sign on and sign offs, both for legality and
because I think it sounds more professional.

I told the manager if it was my leasee doing this, they could
a.) Follow the rules or b.) Get outta Dodge! And I'm a real laid-back
kind of guy, even in stressful radio jobs. How hard is it to ID!!?? LOL!<P ID="signature">______________
Proudly remembering the days of the hometown "country giant" radio stations now at
http://www.live365.com/stations/alanmccall</P>
 
Simply...YES!
The licensee is responsible for all rules and regs regardless of who is actually programming.
The FCC Law is quoted below.

Sec. 73.1201 Station identification.

(a) When regularly required. Broadcast station identification announcements
shall be made:

(1) At the beginning and ending of each time of operation, and

(2) Hourly, as close to the hour as feasible, at a natural break in program
offerings. Television and Class A television broadcast stations may make
these announcements visually or aurally.

(b) Content. (1) Official station identification shall consist of the
station's call letters immediately followed by the community or communities
specified in its license as the station's location; Provided, That the name
of the licensee, the station's frequency, the station's channel number, as
stated on the station's license, and/or the station's network affiliation
may be inserted between the call letters and station location. DTV stations
choosing to include the station's channel number in the station
identification must use the station's major channel number and may
distinguish multicast program streams. For example, a station with major
channel number 26 may use 26.1 to identify an HDTV program service and 26.2
to identify an SDTV program service. No other insertion between the
station's call letters and the community or communities specified in its
license is permissible.

(2) A station may include in its official station identification the name of
any additional community or communities, but the community to which the
station is licensed must be named first.



> A colleague of mine asked me this question and I wasn't sure
> what the rules are now.
>
> His station is leased out..the folks programming under the
> lease simply sign on and off (it is an AM daytimer)by
> turning the transmitter on and off..no ID at either time..no
> sign on or off at any time.
>
> My friend represents the licensee of the station, who does
> not live in the same location as the station.
>
> His question: Can the station be fined or get into other
> trouble for this?
>
> I told him when I was ops manager for AMs with sign on and
> sign off, that
> they were required to be broadcast..just to be safe.
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
 
When I was at WQMA, we used to do a full sign-off message that included our call letters, frequnecym power output, hours of operations, licensee contact information, station information and then the national anthem.. every night..
 
Yes a full LEGAL ID used to be required @ sign on and sign off.....

But seeing as the way radio has gone,i think a simple ID would do...
 
Don't forget the National Anthem. When I started we played it at sign-on and sign-off. One station I worked for also played it in mid-days.
 
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