the legality of one of KNHC's shows

[halloaaryn]

I was wondering something...

KNHC c89.5 is owned by the Seattle Public Schools.

With that being true, How do they get away with a 6 hour gospel show on Sundays? I know that most of their funding comes from the pledge drives so thats not actual tax dollars, but the station is still owned by a public school. Shouldnt seperation of church and state apply?

Is there some loophole im missing here? I wrote the GM and never got a response, so im throwing it out to you guys!

 

[rickharrison]

I personally do not see how this is illegal. They are not "respecting an establishment of religion". Gospel Music is a form of Music like Hip Hop and Country. By playing Hip Hop music, is KNHC "respecting an establishment of gangster hoodlumism".

And I frankly think the entire "Separation of Church and State" argument is overblown .... just like the Right to Bear Arms.

The first amendment to the US Constitution reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. "

Christianity is the major belief in this country. But playing Gospel music is not infringing on anyone's rights, is it?

Now if we really want to start a verbal battle, explain this: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. "

How did that come to mean that the brain dead redneck down the street should be able to own as many guns, of whatever type, they want to own? That sure don't sound like "A well regulated militia". The US has by far more gun deaths per capita than any other developed nation. When pre teens can commit murder with guns, is it not time to come up with a reasonable gun control policy?

 

[Bongwater]

I was wondering something...

KNHC c89.5 is owned by the Seattle Public Schools.

With that being true, How do they get away with a 6 hour gospel show on Sundays? I know that most of their funding comes from the pledge drives so thats not actual tax dollars, but the station is still owned by a public school. Shouldnt seperation of church and state apply?

Is there some loophole im missing here? I wrote the GM and never got a response, so im throwing it out to you guys!

It's perfectly legal. KNHC has been running Gospel on Sunday mornings for as long as I can remember.

 

[halloaaryn]

Now if we really want to start a verbal battle, explain this: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. "

Calm down! I was just asking what I think is a relevant question.... Not trying to start a battle.

Thanks for sharing though... LoL

 

[Bongwater]

Now if we really want to start a verbal battle, explain this: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. "

Calm down! I was just asking what I think is a relevant question.... Not trying to start a battle.

Thanks for sharing though... LoL

No battles here. Just kick-ass Gospel on Sunday morning.

Cheers!

 

[jdweaver]

Regardless of ownership the FCC is strictly 'hands-off' on content. Separation of church and state doesn't apply to radio or we wouldn't have all the religious stations (church) licensed by the FCC (state). Say HALLELUYA!

 

[SeattleObserver]

Honestly, I think "C89.5" does gospel for two reasons:
1. It seems to bring in contributions. For example, one of the few Yelp.com reviews for the station mentions how happy the reviewer was to find a gospel station.

2. I think it fulfills this portion of their FCC license, per "The Public and Broadcasting."

As discussed in this Manual, every station has an obligation to provide news, public affairs, and other programming that specifically treats the important issues facing its community, and to comply with the Communications Act, the Commission’s rules, and the terms of its station license. We encourage a continuing dialogue between broadcasters and members of the public to ensure that stations meet their obligations and remain responsive to the needs of the local community. Because you watch and listen to the stations that we license, you can be a valuable and effective advocate to ensure that your area’s stations comply with their localism obligation and other FCC requirements.

I would personally rather have a Sunday (8 am to 2 pm) gospel music show than constant Ad Council PSAs, such as Bellevue Public Schools' station (89.9) runs. Thankfully, "Hot Jamz" 89.1/94.5 has also cut back on theirs.

Where I grew up this seemed to be how our local station fulfilled public service - programs like "Sounds of the Sabbath" and "Sonrise," which are religious in nature. One of the FCC's areas for meeting community service specifically mentions religion.

 

[halloaaryn]

Honestly, I think "C89.5" does gospel for two reasons:
1. It seems to bring in contributions. For example, one of the few Yelp.com reviews for the station mentions how happy the reviewer was to find a gospel station.

2. I think it fulfills this portion of their FCC license, per "The Public and Broadcasting."

As discussed in this Manual, every station has an obligation to provide news, public affairs, and other programming that specifically treats the important issues facing its community, and to comply with the Communications Act, the Commission’s rules, and the terms of its station license. We encourage a continuing dialogue between broadcasters and members of the public to ensure that stations meet their obligations and remain responsive to the needs of the local community. Because you watch and listen to the stations that we license, you can be a valuable and effective advocate to ensure that your area’s stations comply with their localism obligation and other FCC requirements.

I would personally rather have a Sunday (8 am to 2 pm) gospel music show than constant Ad Council PSAs, such as Bellevue Public Schools' station (89.9) runs. Thankfully, "Hot Jamz" 89.1/94.5 has also cut back on theirs.

Where I grew up this seemed to be how our local station fulfilled public service - programs like "Sounds of the Sabbath" and "Sonrise," which are religious in nature. One of the FCC's areas for meeting community service specifically mentions religion.

OK, that makes sense. Thanks for helping shed some light on this for me : )>

 

[Goldilocks94941]

Despite "legality" in the name of free speech, it does seem to this listener to be very ill-advised for a public schools station to be airing sectarian preachers on its high-powered station. It actually sounds like time-brokered programming, which is also not allowed on non-comm radio, despite what some religious stations get away with in the non-commercial part of the dial around the country.

I say this not to be antagonistic toward religious faiths or African-Americans, but to point out that the programming is sectarian preaching and church services, not a cultural presentation, and therefore is inappropriate for a non-commercial public school licensee.

Maybe it's like schools "renting out" their facilities for storefront churches on Sundays, like Ken Hutcherson does in Kirkland. Raises the same ethical issues of using public facilities for sectarian, and often divisive, purposes for people who are in the business of running their own churches.

But back to KNHC -- There are so many other programming options that the school district could offer on the station, even if only on Sunday mornings, that it's a shame that no one in the public or local papers bothers to make an issue of it. In fact, the other lower-powered high school and college stations in this area also seem to only air hip-hop, rap and top-40 music. Mind if I suggest that they are keeping genuinely educational and cultural programming off the airwaves in favor of what is esssentially commercial radio programming, and with no real creativity or depth in its presentation or content -?

Sorry, guys, but I think halloaaryn raises a legitimate issue here.

Goldilocks

 

[Bongwater]

I think further questions might be better directed to the show itself:

http://www.thegospelshow.com/

I don't see anything particularly wrong with this show. It's not preaching "convert or burn in hell" dogma, it's not brokered dogma/political stuff like Focus On The Family, Jay Sekulow or Bob Larson. It's mostly soulful choir music and local community issues talk (and not just exclusively for the African-American or strictly religious communities either.) Really. If it were anything else, I'd have a problem with it too. But it's not. And finally, that show has been on the KNHC airwaves for DECADES with no complaints thus far. So I have a hard time seeing what the fuss is about.

Tell y'all what: Let's all just tune in Sunday and listen for ourselves and see what you hear more of: religious preaching or community service. The last time I listened to it several years ago, they were talking about a free for everybody dinner at one church, a clothes giveaway at another, a talk about AIDS (with no preaching or condescension.), the music seemed to be the only thing resembling religion. And it's not the down-your-throat kind.

So even on a public high school station, I give the show a pass because it goes beyond just religious aspects and is more of a purely community/networking service thing.

 

[jwvo]

The below comment prompted me to respond (keep in mind I am a long-standing volunteer at KMIH 88.9/94.5).


I think you are miss understanding the role of at least KNHC and ourselves, neither are geared towards broadcasting educational content but both are training grounds for students of broadcasting. It hard or impossible to provide a realistic, commercial-like environment to teach students without running a commercial-like format. This of course leaves out the fact that producing unique programing is quite expensive (look at the budgets required to make NPR work) and generally is hard to do without hiring actual professional broadcasters which naturally defeats the point of having a radio training ground. At least as I see it, there are really two types of "educational" broadcasters, ones who run "educational" programing and stations who use their stations to educate. The second type of educational broadcaster is a more accurate description of KNHC and KMIH as others have noticed.

Today the reality is that since most of these stations (KMIH and KNHC included) must generate some or all of their budget through underwriting, there is a virtual requirement to do a format that attracts reasonably large numbers of listeners. I know we strive to provide a demanding format that both forces our students to do the best work they can and makes enough money to keep the station running, neither of which would not be possible if it were an eclectic (and fully subsidized) station like is often found at some colleges.

But back to KNHC -- There are so many other programming options that the school district could offer on the station, even if only on Sunday mornings, that it's a shame that no one in the public or local papers bothers to make an issue of it. In fact, the other lower-powered high school and college stations in this area also seem to only air hip-hop, rap and top-40 music. Mind if I suggest that they are keeping genuinely educational and cultural programming off the airwaves in favor of what is esssentially commercial radio programming, and with no real creativity or depth in its presentation or content -?

Sorry, guys, but I think halloaaryn raises a legitimate issue here.

Goldilocks

 

[Goldilocks94941]

JWVo and all -

As much as I love good dance music and soul gospel too (I come from Detroit and the south side of Chicago, after all), I'm suggesting that it probably is NOT really much of a public service to train high school students to aspire to become minimum-wage board ops in commercial radio. I think those days are mostly over, anyway, and from my own experience at college and a school-owned stations elsewhere, there aren't many students much interested in getting into radio any more anyway.

But there really is a need for nurturing some young talent to use the medium and who have a love for being communicators. I think since there's so little creativity on the radio anymore, a lot of younger people don't even bother to have a radio anymore. But if you could sort thru their podcasts and shared I-Pod playlists, you might find an occasional gem who ought to be on the air.

I don't think letting community volunteers get on the air and say whatever they want without even being airchecked twice a month does much for anybody. I'm suggesting most of the local stations can try a little harder, and do a little better, and that the area's school and college licensees might try to use their imaginations to run a station that serves as more than a hobby for the members of the radio club.

Now maybe if they're nurturing some young talents to try their hand at groovy DJ mixing, and learning how not to sound like a rank amateur on the air -- now that would be cool, and those kids might actually have a financial future creating remixes and playing whatever in clubs and on the internet -- and maybe on the odd major market independent station, if any are left in a few years. Instead, when I've listened to KNHC and WMIH, I've usually just heard really bad announcers, so-so music, and silly liners and slogans voiced by someone who sounds like they'd rather make a living announcing at wrestling matches or the circus.

Really, I'm not trying to be a smart ass here - I just want to encourage these stations (and you folks on this board who are associated with them) to do something besides the same old same old same old year after year and be more than just a background jukebox. Coach the air talent so they don't proselytize or promote conflicts of interest or drive away listeners, and show up on time, and endfourage them to take some mics outside and pull together some compelling sound and produce something worth repeating a time or two and do something new with the medium.

And if the students still aren't showing an interest in being a radio producer, then program the station for someone else like senior citizens, Native Americans, Microsoft programmers from India, old time radio buffs, children younger than 12, gays and lesbians, Buddhists and their fans, or any of the dozens of other interests and communities ignored by the local media magnates. But, for heaven's sake, don't try to imitate the commercial stations! The last thing we all need is yet another bad teriyaki or greasy hamburger joint serving up the same five items when there are so many other possibilites and appetites to serve.

God bless,

Goldilocks