WXLO - Zito & Jen "Prank"

[weee]

Wondered what others think of this. I heard the replay of this, it was a joke being played on a woman, not sure if the husband was involved though...A co-worker of the husband calls the wife at home pretending to be his boss telling the wife that the husband is being fired because he was caught "in fla grante" (sp?) with his secretary. The wife-initially lovingly concerned about her husband being fired-then screams out, complete with expletives, "That son of a ____ Now I don't feel so bad about _____-ing his brother!"

Should they have aired this? Should they have even taken part in such a prank in the first place?

 

[Lucylu]

Of course they should. Phone pranks go all the way to Steve Allen. In fact, when Alexander G. Bell called Watson the second time, he asked if Watson's refridgerator was running.

Who can forget the wake up calls on the Big Mattress? Obviously not Lander, since he ripped them off as soon as Chuck left the air. Lighen up, weee.

 

[and.u.r?]

Was it their prank or did they play someone else's.If it was theirs there could be a problem but it sounds like they just played someone else's.If that's the case I don't see the harm but if they aired expletives that's another matter but I'm assuming they had programming approval.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Should they have aired this? Should they have even taken part in such a prank in the first place?

They apparently didn't learn from the first time they were fined $8000 by the FCC for airing phone calls without the permission of the called party.

 

[Lucylu]

Should they have aired this? Should they have even taken part in such a prank in the first place?

They apparently didn't learn from the first time they were fined $8000 by the FCC for airing phone calls without the permission of the called party.

...and you know they didn't have permission this time why?

 

[Mickey37]

Sounds to me like it might have been staged. ;D

 

[Roach1978]

It a VERY old clip and it's been on the internet for years now, not sure who was the one that originally did it - but it definitly wasn't Zito and Jen. . .

Take a look for the clip on Break.com, ebaumsworld, or anouther site that posts "funny" clips and I'm sure you'll find it.

Roach

 

[manwhore]

I believe that's an old interactive bit from Premiere from the early 90's.

 

[Neggy]

It is illegal in Massachusetts to record someones telephone conversation WITHOUT THIER PRIOR CONSENT, the exception being the ancient, not known to anyone under 45 BEEP that happened every few seconds. It's been so long since this topic has crossed my mind I forget the legal requirement for the tones timing.

Also the FCC says...
The FCC requires (47 C.F.R. section 73.1206 (1999)) that before recording a telephone conversation for broadcast, or broadcasting such a conversation simultaneously with its occurrence, a licensee must inform any party to the call of the licensee's intention to broadcast the conversation, unless the party to the conversation is aware, or may be presumed to be aware, that it is being or will be broadcast. This standard applies whether the telephone call is interstate or intrastate.


note the BEFORE recording mention, so unless these clowns, including WBMX's Nutcrackers that Landers done are STAGED then they are all facing huge fines from the FCC and leaving themselves open to a bunch of other headaches.

 

[wkrpfm]

heheeeheee...you tell me one DJ that answers the studio line " Fun 107 (or insert your own call letters here), this line is being recorded"

If we said THAT, we wouldn't get half the bizarre phone calls that we did...we don't want to turn into the police station's recorded line, do we?

 

[NHRadio]

unless the party to the conversation is aware, or may be presumed to be aware, that it is being or will be broadcast.

The FCC has held in many decisions that people calling a request line falls under the above exception. On-air contest disclaimers run by most stations also state that when you call WXXX the call may be recorded and broadcast. Stations get into trouble when they air outgoing calls without permission-they can also get in hot water under the hoax rules
If listeners hear calls on the air it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out your calls to that station may also air.

 

[weee]

If listeners hear calls on the air it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out your calls to that station may also air.

You are right, it's easy enough to figure out, however it's also common sense that hot coffee is hot and it shouldn't be placed between your legs as you drive. But since Mickey D's didn't have "This hot beverage may be hot" on their cups....well, you know the rest.

And if it's not clearly stated somewhere about the calls, you know there is someone out there ready to sue saying "Well, it's not written anywhere"

Which is probably the reason-I KID YOU NOT-that on my back on my tv remote, it says "Not Dishwasher Safe" LOL

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

heheeeheee...you tell me one DJ that answers the studio line " Fun 107 (or insert your own call letters here), this line is being recorded"

Yes, at every place I've worked. It's the ONLY way to make sure you comply with the rule. When people call you, regardless of whether or not the station routinely airs calls, the callers have to be given a chance to object to being aired and/or recorded. That's what our Washington attorney told us at one place I worked.

It's a very simple rule and takes very little effort to comply with. The fact that so many station don't, and get fined for it, is amazing, especially given an FCC Enforcement Bureau which would like nothing better than to find every piddling excuse to balance the federal budget on the backs of broadcasters.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Should they have aired this? Should they have even taken part in such a prank in the first place?

They apparently didn't learn from the first time they were fined $8000 by the FCC for airing phone calls without the permission of the called party.

...and you know they didn't have permission this time why?

Not the point. The point is that you don't play with fire. You don't invite an FCC inspection and/or investigation by doing stuff like this. The FCC Enforcement Bureau vowed several years ago that they would become a source of income for the federal government, and they're doing their level best to make that happen. A smart broadcaster doesn't given them an opening like that. Besides, unlike some other rules the FCC insists on enforcing (like the obsolete and meaningless local public file requirement), this one has to do with fundamental fairness in the relationship between a station and its listeners. Some people don't like being recorded and/or put on the air, and this rule insures that they won't be if they don't want to be.

 

[Mickey37]

Some people don't like being recorded and/or put on the air, and this rule insures that they won't be if they don't want to be.
[/quote]

On a more serious note, this rule is important. We all have privacy rights. This possibility of punishment is what keeps most people playing fair. While it may be entertaining to put out over the air for everyone to hear just how mindless some people can be, they have rights too.