Hi Everyone.
I run a small internet radio programming service which offers its programming for free to several small college and LPFM stations in the US. I am having a dispute with one of the program hosts on my station.
The host wants their program to have a lot of polished, professional aspects to it, such as jingles, sweepers, and other elements. I have no problem with this at all, even though it is a bit irregular for college and community radio. Anyway, as we all know, those elements cost money, and lots of it! The host has told me that she wants to sell "barter ads" on her show. In other words, she would charge businesses for an ad, but, the revenue generated by that ad would go back into her program, paying for the production elements she desires for the show. So, the host would not be making a profit, and, more importantly, none of the college or LPFM stations carrying the show with the barter ad inserted would be making a profit either.
Are "barter ads" okay on non-comm radio? Or does the FCC still consider them to be a form of commercial advertising, and therefore, we could not legally run them without risk of being fined?
My assumption is that the FCC does not allow barter ads to run on non-comm stations. The program host contends that there is nothing in the FCC rules that specifically forbids non-comms to run barter ads. So, if it is not allowed, could someone please point out where that is stated in the regs?
What this will come down to is, if the host cannot run ads to finance her show, she is either going to charge stations for the rights to carry the program, or, the show will likely cease production entirely. While I value the host and her program, I do not have the money to pay for programming on my service, and I refuse to charge the radio stations using the service. At the same time, I'll be damned if I'm going to knowingly and willfully violate FCC regs, or put my partner stations in a situation where they are committing such a violation.
Any input from those "in the know" would be greatly appreciated.
Jason Longwell
Station Manager
Global Community Radio
I run a small internet radio programming service which offers its programming for free to several small college and LPFM stations in the US. I am having a dispute with one of the program hosts on my station.
The host wants their program to have a lot of polished, professional aspects to it, such as jingles, sweepers, and other elements. I have no problem with this at all, even though it is a bit irregular for college and community radio. Anyway, as we all know, those elements cost money, and lots of it! The host has told me that she wants to sell "barter ads" on her show. In other words, she would charge businesses for an ad, but, the revenue generated by that ad would go back into her program, paying for the production elements she desires for the show. So, the host would not be making a profit, and, more importantly, none of the college or LPFM stations carrying the show with the barter ad inserted would be making a profit either.
Are "barter ads" okay on non-comm radio? Or does the FCC still consider them to be a form of commercial advertising, and therefore, we could not legally run them without risk of being fined?
My assumption is that the FCC does not allow barter ads to run on non-comm stations. The program host contends that there is nothing in the FCC rules that specifically forbids non-comms to run barter ads. So, if it is not allowed, could someone please point out where that is stated in the regs?
What this will come down to is, if the host cannot run ads to finance her show, she is either going to charge stations for the rights to carry the program, or, the show will likely cease production entirely. While I value the host and her program, I do not have the money to pay for programming on my service, and I refuse to charge the radio stations using the service. At the same time, I'll be damned if I'm going to knowingly and willfully violate FCC regs, or put my partner stations in a situation where they are committing such a violation.
Any input from those "in the know" would be greatly appreciated.
Jason Longwell
Station Manager
Global Community Radio