[BC] Re: Simulcast call letters

[Broadcast List USER]

Sorry, but these are two absolutely different issues.

Metro Networks provides MOSTLY traffic reports, but can provide local  
news.  They are no different from NBC, ABC, CBS, Mutual, NPR, or PRI,  
among others.

Getting programming from the EIB, Excellence in Broadcasting Network  
does NOT move your local studio out of the COL.

Even if ALL the programming comes form networks and syndicated  
programming, the station still needs "one an a half" employees.

What you are writing about is illegal.

You CANNOT "loan" out employees, and stations have been dinged for  
it.  "For a monthly fee" is NOT legal.  They must be employees as I  
read the rules.

The Public File is a different issue.  It can be in an attorney's  
office, or even a gas station.  At one point, one could have a studio  
waver, but the Public File had to be in the COL.  I worked for such a  
station.  We had a studio waver, but the Public File was maintained  
both in our Main Studios and in a rented file cabinet in an lawyer's  
office.  IT was never inspected, though ours was from time to time.

Back to the studios; it MIGHT be possible to use only ONE employee,  
but that person could NEVER make a bank run, could NEVER make a sales  
call, and could NEVER go to the doctor or dentist during business  
hours, OR EVEN TAKEN A LUNCH BREAK AWAY FROM THE MAIN STUDIO LOCATION!

You really don't need to originate any programming from there, but  
you need to be able to, have EAS, and have it manned during normal  
business hours.

-chip

On Mar 1, 2009, at 11:52 PM, broadcast-request at radiolists.net wrote:

> Message: 29
> From: Mark Humphrey <mark3xy at gmail.com>
>
> This is another way the remaining mom-and-pop stations can make some
> extra money.   For a monthly fee, they would arrange to host the
> "legal main studio" and public file for one or more of these corporate
> stations and "loan" the required two full time employees.
>
> This type of arrangement has been going on for several years some
> small towns around here.   For example, see the last photo on this
> page:
>
> http://www.fybush.com/site-030821.html
>
> Mark

> On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 8:32 PM, Mike McCarthy <Towers at mre.com> wrote:
>>
>> Metro Networks regional consolidation is the tip of that next  
>> approaching
>> iceberg.  The only thing to be left at some local stations will be  
>> the
>> receptionist, sales people and a local server connected to the  
>> corporate
>> WAN.  Production, traffic, content generation, EAS, will be  
>> handled miles
>> away in a larger market if not on the other side of the country.