Why the CBSC wants talk stations to tell listeners when they repeat a show on air

From where I sit On The Kowch, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) sent out a clear message to talk stations across Canada when it slapped Newstalk 1010 in Toronto on the wrist for not telling listeners they were listening to a repeat broadcast.

In fairness to CFRB, the show was repeated the evening of December 29th - smack in the middle of the Christmas/New Years holiday season when radio stations across North America give on air staff time off and run the best of shows from their archives.

So why would repeating a show at that time of year get someone upset enough to file a complaint to the CBSC.

Well, when I looked into this complaint the answer surprised me.

Radio stations today encourage people to text in their comments about the topic being discussed.

When you send a text, it cost 25 to 50 cents per message. In the case of CFRB, the cost to the listener is a quarter.

Sure enough, here is what the listener wrote the CBSC:

"I am writing to complain about a specific practice that this radio station is employing. It is running repeat broadcasts without notifying the listener that the show that they are listening to is a repeat. They are encouraging people to text messages or call them during these repeat broadcasts. Thursday, Dec. 29 7-10 pm show is a perfect example. I find this practice by Newstalk 1010 misleading as well as costing listeners unnecessary text costs that they end up paying to their cell phone companies. I would like this practice stopped immediately."

The CBSC says listeners were encouraged to text the hosts eight times during the repeat broadcast. In its ruling the CBSC wrote:

"The panel only expresses the hope that CFRB-AM and other broadcasters reviewing this decision do put proper and effective procedures in place to avoid audience confusion and cost when programs or episodes are repeated."

It didn't help that in its response to the listener lodging the complaint the station wrote: "We will take proper steps to ensure listeners do not send text messages during repeat or pre-taped programming. For example, we will be running pre-recorded messages to make listeners aware of any programming that is not live."

Two weeks after receiving assurances from the radio station they would act on his complaint, the same listener wrote back to the CBSC complaining that he heard another repeat broadcast in February urging listeners to call in and text their comments to the station.

The listener ended his remarks to the CBSC with: "In my opinion, no changes have been made to notify listeners that they are listening to a repeat program."

From where I sit On The Kowch, if you tell a listener and the CBSC that you will fix a problem and don't, you're only asking for trouble.

To read the full CBSC ruling click here

Steve was in charge of programming Canada's two largest newstalk radio stations for 14 years

You can email Steve at steve@kowchmedia.com

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Comments

 

0 #2 Kelly F 2011-10-08 19:34

Oh, please - that is so lame on the part of the complainant! Everybody who is a regular listener knows live air goes off at 6PM or so on this date

LOL, to the listener

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0 #1 Dr Tony Lane 2011-10-05 19:25

well it seams reasonable what id the objection

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