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TV Station Broadcast Logs

P

Pistol Pete

Does anyone know if TV stations keep to-the-minute logs of their broadcasts – i.e., detailed accountings of all network, syndicated, and locally produced programs, as well as commercials, interruptions for news bulletins, etc.? I would think that the FCC would require something along these lines in case there are complaints.

If so, what is the industry term for these broadcast logs? And, how long do stations typically hold onto them? Do they have to file copies with the FCC? Can a member of the public examine these records?
 
They certainly do for Educational/Informational shows. And yes, they are available for public viewing. Often stations will "Advertise" this -- probably when you, I, and most others aren't watching; also, check stations websites. Some will have the information online.
 
Wright County Guy said:
They certainly do for Educational/Informational shows. And yes, they are available for public viewing. Often stations will "Advertise" this -- probably when you, I, and most others aren't watching; also, check stations websites. Some will have the information online.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I seem to remember (vaguely) announcements about a station's "books" being open to the public - probably in regard to the amount of hours it has to devote to educational programming as you suggest. (Must confess I don't have cable anymore and have not watched TV regularly in some years.)

Hopefully, TV stations have to hold onto these broadcast logs (or whatever they are called) indefinitely. I am researching a 20-30-year-old locally produced public-affairs show. The station's public affairs director thinks that all records from the show itself were pulped some years ago. I have used TV Guide and newspaper listings from the era with some success, but there are gaps, inconsistencies, and no doubt last-minute schedule changes not reflected in the listings.
 
Pistol Pete said:
Wright County Guy said:
They certainly do for Educational/Informational shows. And yes, they are available for public viewing. Often stations will "Advertise" this -- probably when you, I, and most others aren't watching; also, check stations websites. Some will have the information online.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I seem to remember (vaguely) announcements about a station's "books" being open to the public - probably in regard to the amount of hours it has to devote to educational programming as you suggest. (Must confess I don't have cable anymore and have not watched TV regularly in some years.)

Hopefully, TV stations have to hold onto these broadcast logs (or whatever they are called) indefinitely. I am researching a 20-30-year-old locally produced public-affairs show. The station's public affairs director thinks that all records from the show itself were pulped some years ago. I have used TV Guide and newspaper listings from the era with some success, but there are gaps, inconsistencies, and no doubt last-minute schedule changes not reflected in the listings.
Click to expand...

There is no requirement for the records you're looking for. The program logs would show that "Spectrum" (or whatever the name of this public affairs show was) aired at a given time & date, but it wouldn't show what the topic of any given episode was. The station may have kept such records, but since the FCC didn't require such records, the station would be free to destroy them at any time.
 
You better believe all broadcast stations (radio or TV) do. They may not have to keep detailed lists of program casts or guests, or the content of individual shows, but a log must be kept including program title, general catergory of content (whether entertainment, sports, news, educational, public affairs, religion, or other) and whatever commercial announcements were run
within the program and the time during the show when they were run.

It's the FCC's mandate.

What's more, advertisers demand verifiable records that the spots they paid for actually ran at (or close to) the time they contracted for.

The clients, and the Feds, usually only spot-check every once in a while unless a discrepancy comes to their attention. But those records have to be kept. If they aren't, or if they're incomplete or a mess, a station gets the dreaded Notice of Apparent Liability along with a bill for a four or five figure fine payable to the U.S. Treasury.
 
Most stations now retain records for five years flat if no inquiries, and five years from the date of any inquiry about a particular program.

This time can be indefinite in the case of any inquiry about airtime billing, political advertising, E/I content, or other action that has (or may) resulted in the broadcast records being subpoenaed for evidence in any legal action by a court or the FCC. After settlement or disposition of such issues, contested logs are usually retained for at least 5 years after absolute disposition (end of non-compete agreements or other associated terms of any legal settlement).

(Historical logs, e.g. first day/week of operation of a station or significant milestones such as new facilities, ownership changes and the like are often kept permanently.)
 
So, on Christmas Morning when a local station would run the Yule Log,
somebody would have to log the log in the log? ???
 
The King Bee said:
Most stations now retain records for five years flat if no inquiries, and five years from the date of any inquiry about a particular program.

This time can be indefinite in the case of any inquiry about airtime billing, political advertising, E/I content, or other action that has (or may) resulted in the broadcast records being subpoenaed for evidence in any legal action by a court or the FCC. After settlement or disposition of such issues, contested logs are usually retained for at least 5 years after absolute disposition (end of non-compete agreements or other associated terms of any legal settlement).

(Historical logs, e.g. first day/week of operation of a station or significant milestones such as new facilities, ownership changes and the like are often kept permanently.)
Click to expand...

Most helpful, if sobering so far as my dream of finding older (20 yr.+) program logs and other records goes. I may check with the local university. It has a TV broadcasting major; many of the station's current and former personnel work there as adjuncts. If any records survive, they may have been donated to the university library's special collections or to a research center at the school of communications.
 
Somewhat related, when I was a young buck part-timer at then top40 KING-AM in 1980, we had access to the TV "comment logs" from the #1 tv KING-TV, the NBC affiliate. Yes, every comment was recorded. I found these most interesting, many comments about one of the primary anchors hairstyle. (OK, some of you will figure out this was about longterm anchor Jean Enerson...still anchoring btw, and one of the longest local female anchors in the U.S., but I digress). Funny what is important to viewers. A great lesson learned early in my career. Substance is less important than appearences when it comes to tv news. And this was 1980!
 
searadiofreak said:
Funny what is important to viewers. A great lesson learned early in my career. Substance is less important than appearences when it comes to tv news.
Click to expand...

At least to the vocal minority. The rest of the people find us ridiculous because of the things we do that cater to the vocal minority.
 
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