Underwriting Guidelines
Grace Radio 102.9 is the only radio station serving
Cherokee County exclusively. Regional stations may have more power,
however they use their large coverage to air programs for the entire Atlanta
Radio Market, not individual towns or counties. With 16
Christian radio stations in the greater
Atlanta metropolitan area, there are a wide range
of formats. WPCG-LP is unique with its
blend of hymns, traditional Christian music,
and selected talk / ministry programs.
WPCG-LP is required by the FCC (Federal Communications
Commission) in Washington to serve Canton, and
surrounding communities, with local
information and programming. We cheerfully accept this responsibility. All music selections and
programming decisions are made by Cherokee
FM Radio, a locally owned and operated
non-profit, non-commercial organization. 'LP" means "Low
Power" to the FCC; to us it means "Local
People / Local Programming."
N.C.E.
(Non-Commercial Educational) radio stations are
allowed by the FCC to air commercials, paid
programming from businesses / individuals,
or raising money for any purpose except the
station's own expenses. However,
Grace Radio and hundreds
of other educational radio/TV
stations are permitted
to:
1. Air
"enhanced underwriting announcements"
acknowledging financial support from
businesses and "for-profit" organizations.
2. Accept
financial underwriting to air programming
provided by non-profit organizations such as
churches, ministries, and civic clubs and
associations. These programs must be aired
"in the public interest" and not "because of
financial considerations."
3. Solicit donations from
individuals and families. These are
tax deductible; as
required by the IRS, receipts must mailed to
all donors.
Underwriting
from businesses and other "for profit"
organizations
Donations may
be acknowledged by a brief announcement,
generally 30 seconds or less in length.
Permitted:
A. Name of
donor
B. Slogan or
logo identifying the donor (audio or visual)
C. Address,
telephone number, and web site
D. Brand name
may be included
E. A value
neutral description of products,
goods, and services
Prohibited:
A. Comparative
or qualitative statements
B. Price
information
C. "Calls to
action" or statements encouraging listeners
to contact or patronize the donor
D. Repetitive
statements (giving name / address several
times in one announcement).
Underwriting from churches, ministries, and
other non-profit organizations
Stations may air programs and announcements
from bona fide non-profit entities if the
material aired is deemed as advancing the
public interest, rather than in return for
consideration.
Permitted:
- Everything a
for-profit entity is allowed plus:
A. Comparative
or qualitative statements
B. "Calls to
action"
C. Price
information ("suggested donation")
D. Printed materials and audio / video tapes
may be offered and brief requests for
donations
Prohibited:
A.
Announcements totaling more than three
minutes out of a thirty-minute program
encouraging the listener to "send a
donation"
B. Grace
Radio is forbidden to "interrupt regular
programming" to raise money for any purpose
except its own operating
expenses. Specifically, money can NOT
be raised to help victims of disasters or
groups like the Red Cross or Salvation Army,
unless done as occasional brief Public
Service Announcements.
Gray Areas
in the Regulations
NCE stations and business underwriters
who wish to "stretch the envelope" find
conflicting interpretations by underwriting
professionals, FCC attorneys, and the FCC
itself. Here are some "gray areas":
It is OK to
identify an accounting professional as a
"CPA" and health professional as a "MD" but
the FCC criticized (but did not fine) a
station for saying that a photographer was a
member of "Professional Photographers of
America." We assume that it is OK to say that
someone is a REALTOR but not that they are
members of a "Million Dollar Roundtable."
It is OK to
say that a retailer has "ten area locations"
but not that the locations are "convenient."
It is OK to
say an auto dealer sells "new and used cars"
and that an amusement park is open "most
holidays" but not
to say, "(dealer) now has
the new 2013 Monte Carlo in stock" or that
the amusement park "offers a Halloween
alternative" by being open on
Halloween.
NCE stations
can hold contests and give away prizes
supplied by businesses, but the station
cannot brag about "how great" the price is.
Educational
stations can air commercials if they do
not receive compensation in any form for
doing so. The question, "What is a
station's motive for airing the
commercial?" Apparently historic /
nostalgia programming on "the best commercials
of the 90s" would be OK.
Can a station
air a "Yard Sale of the Air," allowing
members of the public to sell household
items at no charge? Underwriting
professionals differ on this issue.
Prospective
underwriters should submit a proposed script
in advance for Grace Radio's review, or request that we
script your announcement (free).
|
