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Station identification is a practice mandated by the Federal Communications Commission for all television and radio stations in the USA.
Basic information
When identification is required
According to FCC regulations, stations must identify themselves as near to each full hour as possible. Though the FCC does not specifically designate times, many stations typically identify themselves at some point during the period of five minutes before the hour up to the hour. The FCC allows the time to vary so stations can have some flexibility in scheduling around their various live and taped programming and commercials.
Both radio and television stations are also required to identify themselves at the beginning and end of each broadcast period. For example, if a station goes off the air at 11 p.m., it must identify itself then and again when it resumes broadcasting.
Some stations identify themselves every half hour, but according to FCC rules, only once per hour is required.
The advent of automated broadcast equipment has made it much easier for broadcasters to ensure compliance with identification rules. Many television stations and some radio stations have their identifications programmed to play automatically at the appropriate times. However, it's important to note that most radio stations prefer to announce their identifications live when an announcer is available.
Why identification is required
Station identification is used because of the sheer number of signals available over the air. Not only are there radio and television signals being broadcast, there are also two-way radio signals from police, emergency crews and private companies as well as amateur radio signals. The FCC recognized the need for anyone listening to a signal over the air to be able to tune in a specific time and immediately know what station was being heard and where the signal was originating from.
Identification on other types of signals
Identification practices, however, vary for two-way and amateur radio stations and are not covered in this article.
Failture to identifiy
According to United States law, the FCC can fine or reprimand a station for failing to make the appropriate identification.
Radio identification
Radio stations are required to verbally identify themselves each hour. The station must announce its legal call sign, frequency and communities it is licensed to serve. Some stations broadcast on more than one frequncies and are required to announce these as well. However, stations do not have to announce all translators each hour. Most stations announce only a few each hour on a rotating basis. Some stations make it a practice to announce all main call signs as well as all translators at a certain time of the day, such as midnight. Some radio stations also announce the signal strength of each translator.
Proper format
Radio announcers must be careful to announce the station identification exactly as instructed by the FCC. For example, if station doesn't have the "FM" part on its official license and registration with the FCC, the announcer cannot say it. In addition, announcers need to be careful to avoid adding additional words between the call signs and the community names. For example, say "This is W--- based in Anytown" is not acceptable because of the words "based in." The community name should immediately follow the call signs, according to FCC regulations.
Many radio stations post a sign in their studios with the official and correct identification announcement printed on it so announcers are always reminded of the correct, legal identification.
Television identification
Television stations are also required to identify themselves each hour. However, because television is a visual medium, these announcements can be either visual or audio. Again, the station must identify its main call sign along with the communities it is licensed to serve and any other call signs it uses. Television stations must also include their channel number, as designated by the FCC. Translators are not required to be announced, though many stations make it a practice to display a list of all translators at a particular time of the day.
Combining identification with promotion
Many television stations have come up with a clever way to use the required station identifications as a promotional tool. By combining a short promotion for an upcoming show the station can fulfill its identification requirements while also building its audience. For example, a station may choose to show the viewers video of a local fire and tell them to tune in to the next newscast. During this short clip, the station will run its call signs and communities somewhere on screen, often in very small type. No audio announcement of call signs is necessary if the information appears on screen, so stations are free to use, in this example, the audio of an anchor or reporter promoting the story. Stations also use similar techniques to promote entertainment shows. As long as the correct and complete information appears somewhere on screen, it is a completely legal identification.
Any combination of this is also acceptable. For example some stations air a short (5 to 10 second) announcement with their station logo and an announcer reading their call signs. However, in this example, the communities the station serves were not announced verablly. Instead, they appeared as text on screen somewhere. Again, this is a perfectly legal station identification. As long as the station call sign, channel number and communities are either announced verbally or appear on screen, the identification is legal.
Digital television concerns
The advent of High Definition Television has made it necessary for stations simulcasting both their analog and digital on the same channel to include both call signs in all identifications. Usually, however, both stations have the same call signs, with the only difference being the analog ending in "-TV" and digital ending in "-DT."
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