Public affairs programming on HD2

[nd2023]

I recently heard a station air their weekly public affairs program on their HD2, while their HD1 was playing automated music. So much for serving the community. As if burying the public service obligation at 5 am on Sunday morning isn't bad enough, burying it on an HD2 station is even worse.

 

[TheBigA]

There really are no formal public service obligations. I don't know of anyone who was ever fined for not running some kind of Sunday morning talk show. This idea of "serving the public" by running some talk show that no one listens to is antiquated and obsolete. That's not how you serve your community.

 

[nd2023]

As if running it on Sunday morning at 5 is bad enough, putting it on HD2 will ensure zero listeners. No one listens to HD2s that are well programmed and fill a format hole (besides a few web streams scattered around the country). No one, not even the talk show guests, will listen.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

There really are no formal public service obligations. I don't know of anyone who was ever fined for not running some kind of Sunday morning talk show. This idea of "serving the public" by running some talk show that no one listens to is antiquated and obsolete. That's not how you serve your community.

Try that tactic with an FCC inspector and let us know how that works out for you. Having a blank or non-existent issues-and-programs list in your public file gets you a HEFTY fine, and the public file is checked by every inspector in every inspection. Public files net the FCC's Enforcement Bureau a great deal of money.

You may not be fined for not running some specific show, but if you don't air anything that serves your community of license (irrespective of whether or not people listen to it) you're begging for a fine.

 

[TheBigA]

You may not be fined for not running some specific show, but if you don't air anything that serves your community of license (irrespective of whether or not people listen to it) you're begging for a fine.

Has anyone ever been fined? Anyone?

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

You may not be fined for not running some specific show, but if you don't air anything that serves your community of license (irrespective of whether or not people listen to it) you're begging for a fine.

Has anyone ever been fined? Anyone?

LOTS of stations have been fined for no issues-and-programs lists. Happens all the time. The Broadcast Law Blog and other sites regularly document fines for incomplete or missing issues-and-programs lists.

And here is a listing of FCC notices that cite the local public file rule: http://www.hallikainen.org/FCC/FccRules/CiteFind/0733526.htm Note the fines, regularly in the thousands of dollars, for public file violations.

 

[nd2023]

But the fact that they air on HD2s at weird times ensures zero listeners. What's the point of that requirement if stations can dodge it by putting it on an HD2 at 5 am on Sunday.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

But the fact that they air on HD2s at weird times ensures zero listeners. What's the point of that requirement if stations can dodge it by putting it on an HD2 at 5 am on Sunday.

If your first sentence said "HD1s" instead of "HD2s" it would still be irrelevant that no one was listening. The FCC does not mandate any particular date or time of broadcast, only that the programs be aired and documented in the public file. Those are the rules at present, and since the FCC makes a ton of money from fining stations for violating those rules as they now stand, they won't be changing anytime soon.

The rules on airing PS programming on HD secondary channels are murky enough that a station might actually get away with not airing them on the analog and HD1 channels. IANAL, so I couldn't say for sure.

 

[TheBigA]

LOTS of stations have been fined for no issues-and-programs lists. Happens all the time.

We're not talking about lists or public files. We're talking about actual on air programming. There are lots of ways that radio stations perform community service that don't involve public affairs shows at 5AM Sunday morning.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

We're not talking about lists or public files. We're talking about actual on air programming. There are lots of ways that radio stations perform community service that don't involve public affairs shows at 5AM Sunday morning.

We most certainly are, because without documentation those shows effectively never happened. Since the FCC cannot possibly monitor every station 24/7, the issues-and-programs list is the only documentation that the PA shows actually ran.

 

[Shiny Knob]

FCC doesn't have to monitor anything. Nearly all of their program content violation fines come from stations turning themselves in at renewal time. Stations note in a sworn document to the FCC that they didn't do this, that or the other thing right there on the renewal form. ZAP, the Fine Fairy pays them a visit.

And then, there's the pubic file. If it's not in order, it's more free money for the FCC.

Careful what you tell the FCC. They WILL use it against you.

 

[ajc_trw]

Back in the 80s KROQ-FM in the LA area told one of its DJs to put together a public affairs program for Sunday nights. He came up with a call-in show to help listeners with their love lives. The DJ: James the Poorman Trenton and the show was Loveline. He later brought in a med student (Dr. Drew) to help with the medical problems. Because of the ratings they expanded to five nights where it is now.

So PA programming, if entertaining enough, will air when everyone can hear it. My 2¢ so YMMV