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RADIO STATION DOES ANYTHING FOR MONEY?

In the just published issue of my Radio Advertising Letter, a subscriber wondered:

1. Is a particular commercial illegal? (Unless the FCC has changed its rules, it is.)

2. What should he do about it? (He tried to explain the problem to the station’s Traffic Department and, essentially, was told to mind his own business.)

Any subscribers who want to add their own comments, here’s where to do it.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Stinger June 22, 2008, 1:59 pm

    It’s not by any chance a city known for its beer and bratwurst, is it? That same problem was heatedly discussed at my station, and we were told not to worry because the client’s legal dept. said it’s OK.

  • djpro June 22, 2008, 2:52 pm

    Don’t keep us in suspense. Which Denver station got fined $10,000 for doing this??

  • Dan O’Day June 22, 2008, 3:10 pm

    Sorry, djpro…If you do an Internet search (that’s what I did), you’ll find it.

  • RickyT June 22, 2008, 3:34 pm

    I LOVED the concert promo in the latest newsletter. Hats off to Alan McKinnon. Wish I could get my PD to understand it’s not about stuffing 27 sponsor mentions and a gazillion fx into one promo.

  • mediapro June 22, 2008, 4:38 pm

    Is this the kind of “corporate responsibility” we keep hearing about, as CC and others lay off more & more people but don’t have any problem breaking the law? As Dan said in the Letter, there’s a name for people who will do anything for money.

  • Anonymous June 22, 2008, 4:43 pm

    Hope this doesn’t appear twice. I thought I uploaded this already, but I don’t see it. If it’s here twice, I assume Dan can delete me.

    That other spot (the Miami one) that Dan featured in this weekend’s newsletter – it sounds like it was produced by an agency. Do you mean to say somebody was PAID to produce that piece of…?

  • Kansas June 22, 2008, 6:30 pm

    So if someone reports the station to the FCC and there’s a big fine, who gets fired? The Market Manager? Sales manager? AE?

  • mediapro June 22, 2008, 6:44 pm

    Oh, I’m sure the client will pay all the fines and give pensions the station’s rolling heads…

  • Paul MacArthur June 23, 2008, 7:31 pm

    Dan O’ –

    You’re spot on in your analysis of the commercial and it’s lack of
    sponsorship identification.

    You probably have seen this link, but you might want to send people to it in your next ADV letter:

    https://www.fcc.gov/eb/broadcast/sponsid.html

  • Paul MacArthur June 23, 2008, 8:05 pm

    Let me add one more comment: IIRC, the person mentioned that the station figured that if it got a cease and desist order it would comply and that would be the end of it.

    The management couldn’t be more wrong. The FCC won’t bother with a cease and desist. It will issue a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture first and ask questions later. Now, the lawyers are involved and, even if there is no fine issued in the end, the process will be costly.

  • Dan O’Day June 23, 2008, 8:13 pm

    Very good point, Paul.

    C&D orders are for civil actions, not enforcement actions.

  • Paul MacArthur June 27, 2008, 9:53 am