ELECTRONIC MEDIA MANAGEMENT - Ayo Menulis FISIP UAJY

ELECTRONIC MEDIA MANAGEMENT
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mandatory carriage on any cable system and related correspondence.
These are retained for the duration of the period for which the statement
or request applies.
Donors’ Lists: For noncommercial stations only, a list of donors supporting
specific programs. This is retained for two years.
OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
The legal guidelines for operation comprise one of the most important policies
for a broadcaster. In the early days of radio, broadcasting stations went on
the air when they pleased and where they pleased. Adhering to an assigned
frequency was of no concern. With the passage of the Communications Act
of 1934, broadcasting became highly regulated. Despite deregulation of many
areas of station activity, the FCC continues to monitor technical operations
very closely.
When licensees are allocated a channel for broadcast purposes, in effect
they have entered into a contract. They must keep their signal on that channel
and at the power allotted to them at all times. They are also required to
run checks on their entire transmitting system and to note and retain the
information gathered.
Licensees must observe FCC rules on the painting and lighting of towers,
whether they own them or not. The FCC is now emphasizing observation of
these rules and has an authorized $10,000 fine to deal with those who do not
adhere to them. A similar initiative has been under way to ensure that all stations
have Emergency Alert System equipment in operational order. The fine
for a deviation is $8,000. Those stations with directional patterns must keep
them within prescribed limits or be subject to a $7,000 fine.
Inspectors from one of the various FCC field offices arrive unannounced
and inspect the station for violation of the FCC’s engineering standards and
other rules. After the inspection, the licensee will receive either (1) no notice
at all, if the inspector determines that no violation exists; (2) a letter alerting
the station that a problem does exist that could, if continued, result in a violation
or prevent the station from performing effectively; or (3) an official
notice of violation.
An important fact for all managers of broadcast stations to keep in mind
is that, no matter how good their programs are, no matter how grandiose their
facility may be, or how efficient their sales staff is, everything within their
command is just as good as the technical staff that keeps the station on the
air.
FINES AND FORFEITURES
Sections 503(b)(1) and (2) of the 1934 act authorize the FCC to levy monetary
fines and forfeitures for violations of its regulations or certain federal
statutes. For a review of the violation classifications and the base fine for each,
see Section 1.80(b) of the FCC’s Rules. 53