Underwriting Guidelines for 
Marion Community Radio - WDCM 97.5

Preamble

FCC rules require the identification of businesses who are providing funding for the programming on WDCM. The FCC also permits “enhanced announcements” which further identify these supporters of Marion Community Radio. The FCC recognizes that these enhanced announcements are a valuable tool for raising the necessary funds for providing quality programming. They also have specific rules governing what may, or may not be, contained in these announcements.
It is the intention of Marion Community Radio to follow the letter and intent of these regulations, while using the fundraising capabilities that they present.

Marion Community Radio has attempted to familiarize itself with rules regarding underwriting to the extent of the following:

1. Researched, and to some extent reprinted, FCC rules regarding underwriting for non-commercial stations.
2. Researched, and to some extent reprinted policies from other non-commercial radio stations and networks. 
3. Researched, and to some extent reprinted, FCC rulings regarding stations found in violation of their guidelines.

In addition, hard copies of much of these materials will be located at the Studios of WDCM, and will be accessible for staff and volunteers of WDCM.

All content for announcements must be approved by personnel in charge of compliance and who are familiar with the above regulations and rulings.

It is in the interest of WDCM to err “on the safe side” in regards to these announcements, and to perform due diligence in approving copy for said messages.

In situations where announcements or concepts may come into question, it shall be the policy of WDCM to research prior FCC Rulings, contact other organizations operating non-commercial radio stations via phone or email, use list serve programs, or other available methods to reach some consensus on the copy or concept in question.

While financial support from listeners will certainly be an option for the continued funding of WDCM, our community’s lower economic base underscores the importance of corporate underwriting for WDCM.

What is underwriting?

Underwriting is assistance in the form of money, goods or services provided by businesses and not for profit organizations in support of general or specific WDCM programming.

What is the purpose of underwriting?

Underwriting provides operating funds for WDCM, future growth and programming, strengthen WDCM’s image within the community and also provides opportunities for sponsors to showcase their support for our programming.

Underwriting Procedures

In accordance with FCC rules, entities contributing money, goods or services to WDCM must be indentified on air by means of underwriting announcements or non-profit announcements. 

All individual and shared underwriting announcements are limited to a maximum of 29 seconds, but may be less.

Announcements must be approved compliant by a staff member of volunteer who is familiar with the FCC and WDCM rulers regarding these announcements and have read and signed these procedures and related printed materials. 

Underwriting announcements may be for a specific program, or for the general support of the station. Where specific programs are being underwritten by, the announcements should appear near the beginning or end of said program. Programs may be of any length on WDCM (ie: Weather Program to long form programming).

Underwriting Guidelines

• Underwriting announcements may not contain comparatives or superlatives (better, biggest, most, cheapest)
  
• They may not contain price information, either by an amount, discount, rate, or “free”.
  
• Announcements containing a call to action are prohibited. Calls to action include verbage like “stop by”, “call”, or “visit”.
  
• Announcements containing an inducement to buy, sell, rent or lease are not permitted. Inducements to buy would include “Sunday special”, “Bonus”, “first six months free”, “Buy one get one”.

Announcements MAY CONTAIN:

• Legal or recognized name of the underwriter, hours, web address, location(s) telephone address, email address, length of time in business.
  
• Underwriter’s product or service line by generic trade name. Brief, objective descriptive phrases are permitted. Usually such language would be limited to a product or service’s origin (ie: Chinese food), it’s intended use (ie: “Insurance for Seniors”), form of delivery to consumer or method of preparation (ie: “Bottled water”, “Draft beer”) or product content (ie: wool suit”, “stainless steel”)
  
• An underwriter’s slogan as long as it does not promote. 
   
• Specific events may not be mentioned in underwriting events if they are for-profit.
  
• Non-profit organizations are NOT required to follow the restrictions of for-profit announcements, and therefore may promote events and contain calls to action.
  
• WDCM will NOT air announcements in support or opposition for any candidate or political view.

In-kind donations and acknowledgements 

WDCM may accept donations of in-kind products or services in return for a appropriate number of on air donor announcements in number and frequency determined by WDCM in accordance with it’s current rate card.

Donor acknowledgements must meet the same criteria as cash donations.

WDCM may accept tickets, CD’s or other promotional materials for on air giveaways, as long as such items would not be considered an inducement to buy. 

Unless of significant value, recognition of such donation shall be limited to the items on air description as a prize (ie: “You can call in and win a large, 2 item pizza from ABC Pizza, valued at $14.99”)