“Local” changes could be coming — FCC

I received a report today from Radio Inc that may create some changes in the make up of local radio as we know it today.

http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=140804&pt=todaysnews

According to the above report the FCC has issued a Report on Broadcast Localism including some tentative conclusions and a possibility of some changes in the rules.

There’s some concern that local broadcasters aren’t devoting enough time to local programming  or at the very least understanding the needs and responding to the local community. The report suggests that stations don’t do enough to engage in the necessary public dialogue as to community needs and interests and are not fully aware of the local issue-responsive programming that their local stations have aired.

To address that, the FCC is proposing rules changes that, it says, will “promote both localism and diversity.” They would like each radio station to establish a permanent advisory board made up of officials and other leaders from the service area of its broadcast station.

There’s a concern on who will be required to serve on that board.

There’s also a concern that radio stations will again be required that radio stations be staffed during all on-air hours and says the commision is “still considering” such a requirement.

Looking at the amount and nature of “community-responsive programming” broadcasters produce, the FCC acknowledges efforts by, among others, Entercom’s KNSS-AM/Wichita, which airs three hours of local news every weekday, and Jeri Lyn Broadcasting’s KHTS-AM & FM/Berryville, AR, which devotes 30 percent of the broadcast day to news and information programming, and mentions Clear Channel/Albany, NY’s Clear View half-hour community-affairs program. But it goes on to note that many commenters “feel that broadcasters are not complying with their obligation, as public trustees, to air sufficient programming that is responsive to local needs and interests.”

The FCC has tentatively concluded that it should re-introduce renewal-application processing guidelines designed to ensure that all broadcasters provide some locally oriented programming. For example, renewal applications by licencees that have met or exceeded the prescribed minimums for public interest programming would be processed by the Media Bureau, while other applications would have to be considered by the full commission.

The FCC is also seeking comment on whether it should return to its pre-1987 rule that required that a station’s main studio be within its community of license, and on a standardized quarterly reporting form for local programming that would apply to both radio and TV.

The commission is also looking into the prevalence and effects of voicetracking and seeking comment on “whether the commision can and should take steps to limit the practice, require disclosure, or otherwise address it.”

All of this could seriously impact Christian radio as there are MANY stations who could perhaps be in violation of all of these things. In the past, local news departments helped stations in tune with the community needs. However, many radio station secular and Christian don’t have news departments. It could also mean a return to overnight announcers who really announce — not just voice track.

It could definitely mean addition revenue will be needed to keep the radio station on the air, or they would be forced to go off the air because of lack of staffing.

We’ll see what happens.