NC Public Radio Station Bars Use Of Phrase 'Reproductive Rights'

[Atlant]

http://www.nbc17.com/news/3911222/detail.html

NC Public Radio Station Bars Use
Of Phrase 'Reproductive Rights'

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- There's a big difference between reproductive
rights and reproductive health, says the head of a group forced to
substitute one word for the other in an underwriting announcement
on a local radio station.

WUNC-FM recently informed Chapel Hill-based Ipas that use of the
phrase "reproductive rights" in the group's on-air underwriting
announcement could be interpreted as advocating a particular
political position.

The station required Ipas, an international women's rights and
health organization, to use "reproductive health" instead.

Ipas' executive vice president, Anu Kumar, said she disagreed with
WUNC's interpretation and said the words don't mean the same thing.
But she said she was less upset about WUNC's decision than with the
political climate that led to it.

"What concerns me is the chilling effect of the world we're living
in, which makes everybody super-cautious about what they say," she
said. "The issue of reproductive rights, like many others, has been
cast as an `either you're with us or you're against us' issue, and
so much of the language is assumed to be code for something else."

WUNC's general manager said the station made the change to avoid
trouble with the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC
prohibits public radio stations from airing underwriting
announcements that advocate political, social or religious
causes.

<more>

[tk2kewl]

1. You aint got no rights here honey

[derby378]

2. Oh, suuuuuure they did...

Big, bad FCC waiting to clamp down on them for using the phrase when they're too busy chasing down boobies on prime-time. Yeah.

[auburngrad82]

22. I live in Raleigh and heard WUNC broadcast this during the news segment

They broadcast it on Friday.

Here's a link to the announcement IPAS about the issue:

http://www.ipas.org/english/

[htuttle]

3. Double-Plus Ungood!

The fewer words in the language, the harder it is to express certain thoughts and concepts.

Orwell had it pegged.

[Metatron]

4. That kills me.

As a former employee of an NPR/PBS station, I can tell you from first-hand experience that most of the FCC laws guiding the content of underwriting spots have been ignored/watered-down over the last few years. This is just another example of why I no longer support either network.

[Buzz Clik]

7. Could you explain a bit further?

[Metatron]

9. There are specific guidelines as to what actual text can be used

in PBS/NPR spots. For example, there can be no calls to actions ("Come down to Uncle Bob's Diner for the Best Food"), cannot mention "sales," no advocation of political or religious causes, etc. Each spot is supposed to be approved by the station before it is aired. If there is a dispute, there are lawyers who make the final decision. But, many times the spots skirt the law, or go on air and finish their run before a complaint can be made. If you go to the PBS or NPR national web sites, and look up information on underwriting programs, there will be a laundy list of things you cannot do.

[mdhunter]

5. That's a shame, WUNC is a great station - if only they'd stop airing

The People's Pharmacy so often...

[CatholicEug]

14. Oh my god

That's the show I used to work on!!!! I love Joe and Terry ... I used to meet them every Saturday morning at 7:30 at Haines Hall ... man, those were some of the best days of my life.

Truly.

[Buzz Clik]

6. Ah, the FCC...

"The FCC prohibits public radio stations from airing underwriting
announcements that advocate political, social or religious causes."

This is exactly why public radio stations must wean themselves from federal dollars.

[x_y_no]

8. They are mostly weaned

from Federal dollars. But this has nothing to do with that. It has to do with regulations they must follow to preserve their non-commercial status.

[Atlant]

11. Nonsense.

> But this has nothing to do with that. It has to do with regulations
> they must follow to preserve their non-commercial status.

Nonsense. WBAI certainly doesn't follow any such cowardly regulations
nor do any of ten thousand "Bible" stations, and they all stay happily
"non-commercial", even 501(c)3.

Atlant

[x_y_no]

15. I don't know what regulations cover WBAI ...

Are they classified in the same way as public radio?

At any rate, I stand by my statement. Public radio gets a relatively small fraction of its funding from federal tax dollars, at least directly. And I see no reason to believe that they would choose to flaut the regulations governing them even if that number were zero.

Do a google search of '"public radio" underwriting FCC regulations' and you'll find plenty of examples supporting my contention regarding regulations. Probably, the FCC site can provide you with the specific regulatory language as well, if you're interested.

Edit: typo.

[Metatron]

16. Here you go.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/decdoc/letter/1999--05--15--underwriting.html

[Atlant]

19. We're disagreeing about your use of "non-comercial"

Based on this latest reply, I think you meant "Public Radio",
not "non-commercial radio". They're quite different as I'm
sure you know.

Atlant

[Metatron]

21. Well, that is really the question. Are they different?

In the link I provided above, the underwriting rules suggested by the FCC rep. (to an NPR conference) refer to both public and non-commercial stations, without appearing to differentiate between them. But, I always thought there was a legal difference. I must say that the FCC's web site is less than helpful in trying to find out what those differences are.

[AP]

10. No announcements advocating "political, social or religious causes"?

That rule should apply equally to all the cheerleaders for consumption -- like those GMO companies and oil campanies -- that advertise ... uhm, I mean "announce" on NPR.

Funny thing is, NPR's pro-fast food, pro-SUV tilt is way more apparent than a pro-reproductive rights tilt, yet the FCC waives its regulations as sword to cut out liberal organizations from reaching the public with their ideas.

[Warpy]

12. Reproductive SLAVERY is how they can talk about the opposition

then, since that is the stated aim.

[CatholicEug]

13. Believe it or not!

I used to work at that radio station! It was a great experience ... I absolutely loved working there ...

[DencoDeeger]

17. Oh, that's baloney...

The FCC doesn't care a hoot about that terminology. It's used with great regularity in a wide variety of broadcast media, including other NPR affiliates.

They made that move because the local ownership/management of the station wanted to. And they're using the FCC as a smokescreen.

Gimme a break...

[ispeculate]

18. it's ok for the conservatives to use orwelian logic, but

don't try to use it as a liberal. Especially on a theocractically owned radio station.

If you have no idea what Im talking about, you must read the book "Don't think of an elephant" by Lakoff. Best 10 bucks you will ever spend!

Stop thinking of an elephant. Stop thinking of George Bu$h licking and elephant's nuts! LOL

[ComerPerro]

20. but "pro life" is ok?

"What concerns me is the chilling effect of the world we're living
in, which makes everybody super-cautious about what they say," she
said. "The issue of reproductive rights, like many others, has been
cast as an `either you're with us or you're against us' issue, and
so much of the language is assumed to be code for something else."

But calling people who get or perform abortions murderers is ok, I suppose.