DJ & STATION INFORMATION

On Air/Show Requirements

When you are hosting a show you are responsible for:

  • Legal station identification at the top of every hour during your broadcast. 

  • ONE public service announcement per hour of programming (two in total).

  • ONE promotion per hour of programming (two in total).

  • Logging all songs, promos, PSAs, and station IDs on radioactivity.

  • Following all Bates College, WRBC, and FCC rules and regulations.

STATION ID

OUR station ID: WRBC, 91.5 FM, Bates College Radio

The FCC requires that a station identify itself every hour, on the hour. At WRBC we try to get as close as possible to the top of the hour, but the FCC requires it to be at least within five minutes before or after the hour. 

We usually say, “You’re listening to WRBC, 91.5FM, Bates College Radio.”

The legal ID must be stated wholly and completely, NO PHRASES CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE STATEMENT. You CANNOT say WRBC 91.5 FM broadcasting from Bates College. You can say the ID, you can even sing the ID, but you CANNOT do anything else. 

PSA

A PSA is any announcement that is for the betterment of the community. This does not include events, which would instead fall under promotions. A list of appropriate PSAs can be found in the station and prerecorded PSAs are on CDs in the station. Please read the PSAs fully, as one sentence about wearing a helmet is not sufficient.

PROMO

A promotion is an announcement for the public, usually about an upcoming event. If you are acknowledging a business, charity, or other group, it should be made for identification purposes only and should not promote the contributor's products, services, or company. Similarly, company slogans, which contain general product-line descriptions, are acceptable if not designed to be promotional in nature. The inclusion of a telephone number or website in an acknowledgment is within these general guidelines and, therefore permissible. Prices MAY NOT be included in promotions.

Examples of Approved Promos: 

  • Bates events – such as WRBC events, museum exhibits, Olin concerts, sports events, etc.

  • Other WRBC shows

  • Goodwill – or any charitable organization (without a political agenda)

Examples of Not approved Promos: 

  • Papa Johns or NFL

  • Republican Party

LOGGING

Logging is EXTREMELY important and crucial to the well-being of WRBC. If shows go unlogged, WRBC is at risk of being shut down by the FCC. All DJs must log songs on Spinitron (including talk shows!). Every DJ should have made a Spinitron account during their apprenticing experience.

All DJs are required to play 2 NEW SONGS EVERY HOUR, by different artists from different albums. Even during a talk show. New = Within 365 days

The steps for logging are as follows:

  1. Click “Playlist” > “New playlist for…” > (show name)

  2. Enter any details for a given installment of their show

  3. Search for the song you are playing and add it to the playlist

  4. When playing new songs (came out within a year), check the “New” box and select a genre

    Thats it.

FCC

What is the FCC?

The FCC is the Federal Communications Commission. It is a government agency that is in charge of laws, fines, and keeping track of all radio stations. We try to avoid problems with them by self-regulating. So please be careful and follow our policies :)

Profanity, Indecency, Obscenity, & Calls to Action

Safe Harbor Hours: 10PM-6AM

It is a violation of federal law to air indecent programming or profane language outside of safe harbor hours (6pm - 10pm). It is a violation of federal law to air obscene programming at any time.

Obscenity:

  1. “The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest;

  2. Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; and

  3. Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value” (Miller v. California, 1973).

Indecency:

The FCC has defined broadcast indecency as “language or material that, in context, depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium, sexual or excretory organs or activities.” Indecent programming contains patently offensive sexual or excretory material that does not rise to the level of obscenity. *Safe harbor hours only. 

Profanity: 

The FCC has defined profanity as “including language so grossly offensive to members of the public who actually hear it as to amount to a nuisance.” *Safe harbor hours only.

*Whether or not you are in safe harbor hours, it is WRBC policy that DJs do not curse at all (in any language). Songs may have curse words in them within of safe harbor hours

Hate Speech, Defamation of Character and Slander:

Never allowed. There are many different people of many different cultures and backgrounds that are listening and not just Bates students. 

On-air speech that expresses a controversial opinion must be preceded by reading the disclaimer posted in the on-air studio. Also, although WRBC appreciates diversity in our programming, we reserve the right to prohibit music that supports or resembles discrimination, hate speech, or violence.

Defamation of character is “communication which exposes a person to hatred, ridicule, or contempt, lowers him in the esteem of his fellows, causes him to be shunned, or injured him in his business or calling.” Libel is the communication of such statements in a printed or fixed medium. Slander is the communication of such statements in a transitory or non-fixed medium, usually through oral (spoken) representation, such as making defaming remarks on the radio.

Station Rules

Any act that puts WRBC's facility or equipment at risk of damage or theft is unacceptable. Such prohibited acts include: drinking or smoking in the station, allowing intoxicated guests into the station, allowing unapprenticed guests into the station without approval, propping the station door open, leaving the station unattended while windows/doors are open, leaving excessive messes in the station, and general acts of carelessness and irresponsibility.

WRBC has a zero tolerance policy for stealing CDs, records, equipment, or any other item from the studio. You are welcome to upload any CD to your laptop while in the studio, but be sure that you do not remove any CDs from the station.

If a CD is missing please email Bill Morse (lmorse@gwi.net) or send an email out to the google group if you think someone took it.

Missing a Show & Sub Requests

If you are going to miss your show, you MUST send an email to the google group at least TWO hours before to request a sub for your timeslot. You must include in the subject line “SUB” followed by the day and time. If you are accepting a sub request, click reply all and claim it. Be sure to still log your time on the air with Spinitron!

Robo DJ

Robo DJ is our software that keeps music on the air when nobody is in the station and must always be on when you are not broadcasting. When your show is over, you must turn on Robo DJ to prevent dead air. Please do not forget, because WRBC can get into trouble for dead air (and that usually involves fines). Please check the levels before you leave the station just in case Robo DJ is not at the proper volume. Problems with Robo DJ? Email us and use an overnight disc if necessary (labeled ONP) on continuous play.

Strike Policy

After three strikes, DJs will either lose their show completely or be moved to an "undesirable" time slot.

Reasons for strikes:

  • Didn't attend a show and didn't send sub request (immediate strike)

  • Didn't attend a show and sent untimely sub request (warning, strike on second offense)

  • Used explicit language on air (immediate strike)

  • Played explicit music outside of safe harbor hours (warning, strike on second offense)

  • Broadcasting while intoxicated, or drinking/smoking in the station (immediate strike)

  • Didn't play two new songs (warning, strike on second offense)

  • Didn't do PSAs/promos/station IDs (warning, strike on second offense)

  • Did not log correctly in radioactivity (warning, strike on second/third offense)

Guests

FCC law states that no more than four people may be on-air at a time (with the exclusion of live band performances). Anyone who has been apprenticed/is a DJ can always be a guest. If you are doing a talk show and want to interview someone then that is fine. We prefer that you have a reason for having a guest and that you get Board approval. You are responsible for you guest and their behavior. You and your guest(s) may not broadcast while intoxicated

Overnight CDs

In the case that Robo DJ is down, to prevent dead air you must put in an overnight disk. When playing an overnight disk, the CD player should be set to “repeat.” Instructions:

  1. Turn on a CD player and insert an OND

  2. Wait for it to load (this can take around 15 seconds)

  3. Engage “SHIFT”

  4. Press “PLAY”

    1. Because “SHIFT” is engaged, it will toggle “REPEAT” instead of “PLAY”

  5. Press “A. READY” if you see a box in the lower left corner of the screen that says “A. RDY” so that the CD doesn’t stop playing once a song ends

  6. Ensure “A. CUE” is on by using the button next to the “A. READY” button and looking for the box in the bottom left of the screen that says “A. CUE”

    1. You should see a box in the corner of the display that says “A. CUE” but you should not see a box that says “A. RDY”

  7. Disengage “SHIFT”

  8. Press “PLAY” to start the disk

Consult the sheet named “About the New CD Players” posted next to the CD players if there is any confusion


MORE QUESTIONS?