Penn State University Losing FM Station?

It couldn't have happened to nicer people!
After the Penn State office of Student Affairs saw that there was a "inequality" in how much money they dole out to their students through their clubs, Penn State radio is now scrambling to find funding to keep their FCC licensed FM signal up and running.

In the e-mail explain how much the Lion means to you and why UPAC should keep us around. Do your part, keep good radio alive!

Welcome to the real world kiddies! Money doesn't grow on trees! And it sure just doesn't appear there if you ask for it with your hand out! Get out there and sell the station like the rest of us who actually work in commercial radio has to do.

Of course this could all come off and sound like I've got an ax to grind against the boys club called student radio. I've never forgotten and neither should you.
[Via:The Digital Collegian]

PBS Station Has Sellers Remorse

The seemingly last bastion of liberal elitist is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the USA's PBS affiliates all over the country. There they take millions of dollars of tax money and promote their secular world view.

When KOCE-TV was put up for auction by the Coast Community College District, it came as a giant shock to find that the highest bidder was Daystar Television Network based out of Dallas, TX.

I can almost hear the cacophonous screams of liberal terror to see that their station had been bought by Christians. They can't stand the idea that Pat Robertson may appear on the station that they had in their grubby control. Now, fighting to keep the Word of a Christian God out of the public discourse, Coast Community College District rescinded their sale.

The college district apparently wasn't watching the [case law]. It now has gotten itself into a real bind, because the sale is off the table. Unless, that is, Daystar, whose corporate name is Word of God Fellowship, Inc., succeeds in convincing a court that the district make good on the sale to its organization.

It's a whole other discussion as to whether it would be better if KOCE remains in the Public Broadcasting System fold. I wish it would, but as the appellate court unflinchingly noted, you can't be so obvious in trying to thwart televangelists from buying your station in a fair auction.

I can only laugh my ass off at this news. Score another one for the good guys.

Giveaway Mistakes Costs Radio Stations Money, Fines

Cumulus owned WLTO-FM in Lexington, KY is in a lot of hot water these days. After evening jock "DJ Slick" (oh yea.... real original) promised a lucky called $100 Grand.

Well, Mrs. Norreasha Gill, 28, was that "lucky" caller and when she went to claim the "prize", the GM of the station told her it was just a Nestle brand candy bar. Uh-oh! Somebody's in trouble!

FCC regulations say contest descriptions can't be false or deceptive and that stations must conduct contests as advertised. Stations in two other states have been fined for contests that told listeners they'd won cash prizes without specifying they were in the Italian or Turkish lira, not the U.S. dollar.

Okay then, what happened to the DJ in all this mess?

DJ Slick did not return an e-mail from the Herald-Leader, but he said on his Web site that he had left his job. WLTO and Cumulus declined to comment, identify DJ Slick by his given name or say whether he was fired.

In Hartford, CT the FCC fined ClearChannel for being responsible in WKSS's mishap involving promises to provide an "all expenses paid" wedding".

...the FCC investigated and confirmed claims that WKSS's "I Do Island" contest awarded a prize package valued significantly less than the value publicized by the station and stated in the contest rules.

Specifically, the contest required five brides-to-be to live continuously in the center court of a local shopping mall for seven days and nights, utilizing only the clothes worn on the contest's first day, a sleeping bag and one additional item. Each day WKSS listeners voted to eliminate one of the contestants. The contest winner — who is the complainant — was entitled to a "Wedding Package" consisting of a wedding reception, bridal gown, bridesmaids' dresses, wedding rings, a honeymoon package and other parts of a traditional wedding event. WKSS staffers told her on the day she won the contest that she would receive all of the information necessary to collect the prizes advertised within two weeks.

However, the contest winner had not received all of the information needed to plan her wedding approximately three months after the contest had ended. WKSS ultimately informed her that the prizes awarded were worth $20,330; the station advertised the prize as being valued at $35,000.

If you think this is anything new, guess again! There have also been other idiots who try to cheat the public by stretching the truth a bit with their prize payouts.

A prank in Florida led to a similar lawsuit that was settled in 2002. A former waitress claimed Hooters promised to award her a new Toyota car — but instead gave her a toy Yoda.

That's hysterical!


[Via: Yahoo! News & Radio & Records]

Pittsburgh Broadcasting Legend Retires After 35 Years

Even with a raspy voice, the legendary broadcaster loved so much by the city he called home, announced to a gathering of his own colleagues that he was unable to continue his career.

Myron Cope, the innovator of "the terrible towel" fad, was saddened to call his career to an end when his list of ailments beginning last offseason became too much to bear. A 35 year veteran of the broadcasting industry, Cope was the most recognizable voices in Pittsburgh sports. He made all Steeler games unique with his own catch phrases and made up words. "Yoi!" and "Urm-ha" were just some of the added bonuses that listeners got from the unpredictable Cope.

[Via: The Pittsburgh Channel - WTAE]

Canada Gov't. Gives Permission to it's Citizens to have satellite Radio

So it looks like the Canadian contingency will eventually get to hear my radio program after all. I was a little dismayed at the attempts that the CRTC to block the ownership of satellite radio services in Canada.

But I guess something allegedly got around to the controlling board because Canada's gov't. never met a bag man they didn't like *ahem*.

The CRTC's approval of the satellite initiatives has a few conditions, however: At least eight channels must be Canadian-produced with 25% of the offerings French-language; at least 85% of the content on the Canadian-produced channels must be Canadian; at least a quarter of the music on those channels must be from new Canadian artists, and another 25% on the Canadian-produced must be from emerging Canadian artists. Sirius Canada and CSR must contribute 5% or more of their gross revenue to develop Canadian talent, and the CHUM-Astral conglomerate is required to contribute 2% or more.

You'd think that it would be a sweet victory for freedom lovers and broadcasters everywhere, but no.... the gov't. has to weasel themselves into places they don't belong. I've never seen so much regulations in my entire life! So where's my 24 hour Sarah McLachlan, Nickelback, Rush, Avril Lavigne, and Celine Dion channel? This is strictly a case of the minority forcing it's will on the majority.

The Canadians have hit a small snag in their plans for meeting the CRTC regulations. According to the second article, CHUM radio is expected to pull out of their plans to produce their channels in space leaving the doors open for XM and Sirius.

...the situation may be further muddied if the CHUM/Astral Media partnership the only 100% Canadian-owned company to win one of the three licenses issued by the CRTC drops out due to the cost of launching the service against XM and Sirius, which both already have systems in place that can reach Canada.

[Via:Radio & Records & Radio & Records]

Rams Hire Mole in KTRS/FSN-Midwest

When I studied politics, I was really disheartened to see just how many politicians are corruptible. When I did my turn to look into the broadcasting field, I have found that the same ratio of corrupted media types were about the same.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has broken a story claiming that the well known commentator, John Hadley, was hired as a consultant to the St. Louis Rams. Some fans and other journalists fear that there might be a conflict of interest. Even Hadley agrees,

"It's not a perfect situation by any means," Hadley acknowledges. "I'll have to be very careful"

I guess he's not worried now that as long as he gets paid. The concern is that as long as he is employed by the Rams, he can use his broadcasting position to spin the news in favor of the Rams.

[Via: St. Louis Post-Dispatch]