FCC rules?

[rhu]

Long-time Boston-area station WCRB (currently at 102.5FM) is moving to 99.5 on Friday in a complicated frequency, format, license, staff, and intellectual property swap with a country-music station based in Lowell. Reception will suffer, but at least Boston will still have a 24-hour "classical" radio station, for top-40 values of "classical."

For the past several weeks, instead of announcing "This is Classical 102.5, WCRB Waltham Boston" every so often, they've announced "WCRB is moving to 99.5FM on December 1." (and, this week, "... at noon on Friday.")

But I thought FCC rules required radio and TV stations to broadcast their call sign and frequency on the hour and half-hour. So oughtn't CRB have been saying at least twice an hour "WCRB, currently at 102.5 FM, is moving...."?

Comments

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

Nope and nope, actually. Just call letters and location, hourly (not half-hourly). Wikipedia mentions that the half-hourly rule is frequently observed by college radio stations, but it is not required.

But here's the actual text of the FCC CFR citation.

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that was the wrong regulation link. Here's the domestic regulation. In particular (emphasis mine):

b) Content. (1) Official station identification shall consist of the station's call letters immediately followed by the community or communities specified in its license as the station's location; Provided, That the name of the licensee, the station's frequency, the station's channel number, as stated on the station's license, and/or the station's network affiliation may be inserted between the call letters and station location.

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Well, then. That explains that. Thanks!

[autotruezone.livejournal.com]

Will reception suffer that much? I can get the current 99.5 FM (WKLB) just fine at home in Brighton and at work downtown, and en route to Worcester. The maps at http://www.radio-locator.com seem to imply that it'll be worse in the south and better in the north, but most if not all of the area inside 128 will still be within the local reception range.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I hope reception doesn't suffer too much, I was already grouchy about having to change all my presets...