Standard Operating Procedures 1
Standard Operating Procedures
Absenteeism:
WCUR management does not tolerate those who fail to show up for an assigned air shift. Make sure
that you remember when you are assigned an air shift, and show up for it, preferably at least five
minutes early. Realize that if you don’t come for an air shift, then you are taking time away from people
who want to be there. If for some reason that you are unable to work an air shift, notify the
Programming Director and/or the General Manager no later than 48 hours before your air shift. Failure
to do so is an offense that will be excused only in the most extreme circumstances.
Air Shift Schedule:
DJs work at WCUR according to an air shift schedule, which is determined by the Programming Director.
Make sure you know when you are scheduled to be on the air. Air shifts are assigned by priority
scheduling. The air shifts are given out that are accommodating to as many people as possible. If you
are a new DJ, chances are likely that you will be assigned to an air shift at a time that is not your first
choice.
Audio Levels:
Average audio levels should be maintained between 70% and 100% modulation, as registered on the VU
meter. Do not increase the level of transmission significantly beyond 100%, as this may cause distortion
in our signal, as well as possibly resulting in illegal interference to other broadcast stations. While we do
have some automatic level control equipment, it is not sufficient to compensate for wide fluctuations in
audio level; therefore, watch the VU meters, and make level adjustments accordingly.
Contests:
WCUR occasionally has on-air promotions involving the giving away of prizes such as CD’s, t-shirts,
concert tickets, etc. It is important that such contests be held in a fair manner, and follow FCC
guidelines. Never ask the audience to provide any sort of compensation (anything that would require an
investment in time, effort, or money) in exchange for being eligible to win (this would be in violation of
FCC lottery rules, and could result in heavy fines being leveled against you and the station). Make sure
that you print clearly all of the required information about the winners (such as name, address, phone
number, and the prize won) so that we can make sure that the prize gets to the winner. Never “rig” a
contest by giving your friends “inside information.” WCUR employees and their families are not eligible
to win any contest we hold.
Donor Announcements (“Underwriting”):
Businesses and other for-profit enterprises may sponsor WCUR to help defray the cost of programming.
In exchange for such a donation, WCUR is allowed to mention the donor’s name, address, phone
number, and a value neutral description of the donor’s business and/or product. Space here does not
allow a complete description of the FCC regulations pertaining to such announcements, but the most
important rule is that these announcements must not directly promote the sale of a specific product or
service.
Emergency Alert System (EAS):
This is a national network of broadcast stations that transmit emergency communications during times
of crisis. The EAS was formerly known as the Emergency Broadcast System, or EBS. IN order to insure
that the network is always fully functional, WCUR is required to transmit an EAS test once per week, and
Standard Operating Procedures 2
we will receive a test from the station we monitor once per week. It is your responsibility as a registered
operator of WCUR to understand the EAS, and what to do in case of an emergency. You should be
briefed on the procedures to follow when transmitting and receiving an EAS test, as well as what to do
in case of an emergency, when you train as a DJ. Here is a brief overview of what you need to
understand:
-Transmitting a test: If a test is scheduled during your air shift, you will read the “EAS Test Copy”
found in the control room. You will notice that the copy is in two parts a paragraph to read
before the attention signal and a paragraph after the attention signal. Make sure that the “EAS
Tone” input is engaged and ready on the soundboard. Turn on the mic, read the first paragraph,
and then turn off the mic. Reach over to the EAS tone generator and press the “transmit”
button. You should hear a tone on the air, which will last about 5 seconds and then stop
automatically. After the tone has stopped turn on the mic and read the second paragraph.
Once this is complete, resume normal programming. Make sure you write down the exact time
you sent the test on the transmitter log.
-Receiving a test: Don’t panic when you suddenly hear a loud tone, followed by an EAS test
announcement. You have just received an EAS test (or, you have been EAS-rolled). When the
station we monitor transmits an EAS test, our EAS receiver picks it up. When this happens, just
press the reset button on the EAS receiver, and record the exact time you received the test on
the transmitter log.
-What to do in the case of an emergency: If the EAS monitor is activated, and the announcer
says “this is not a test, this is an actual emergency,” then you are required by law to cease
normal programming, and begin transmitting the emergency information you are receiving.
Turn up the input on the board labeled “EAS Receiver,” and follow the instructions in the orange
EAS book, found in the control room. All broadcast station operators must know what to do in
case of an emergency so read and understand the orange EAS book found in the control room.
Equipment Maintenance:
Please treat the equipment in the WCUR studios with care. It is very expensive to replace equipment
that is damaged by careless abuse, so please be considerate. If you are not sure how to operate a piece
of equipment, ask someone for help. If something does not seem to be functioning properly, tell the
General Manager so that it can be fixed. Do not attempt to fix a piece of equipment yourself, as you risk
personal injury, and may cause greater damage to the equipment.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC):
This agency of the federal government regulates all broadcast stations in the US. While you may never
come into direct contact with the FCC as an operator of WCUR, you are obligated by law to abide by
their regulations. Failure to obey FCC regulations can result in severe penalties, including fines leveled
against you and the station. You may believe that you deserve special consideration since you are
working at a college radio station, but the FCC makes no such distinction. While you are not required to
know all FCC regulations, you are required to be generally aware of the ones that affect your role as a DJ
at WCUR. Most of the FCC regulations that you are responsible for are included later in the document
“FCC Rules You Need to Know.”
Legal ID:
The FCC requires all broadcast stations to identify their call letters and city of license at least once an
hour by making an announcement called a legal ID, which is given as close to the “top” of the hour as
programming allows. There is an exact format that the legal ID follows, and it is very important that the
format be followed. A legal ID consists of the call letters and the city of license; therefore, the WCUR
Standard Operating Procedures 3
legal ID is “WCUR, West Chester.” Please make sure you give the legal ID once an hour, following the
format provided. Failure to do so is in direct violation of FCC regulation.
Non-profit Time Sales:
While WCUR is a non-commercial radio station, and does not sell commercial advertising time, we may
sell air-time to non-profit organizations. However, any time purchased may not be used for the
promotion of a commercial, profit-making enterprise. For more information about time sales to nonprofit organizations, talk to the Production Director or General Manager.
Production Studios:
WCUR has a production studio specifically for audio editing. If you wish to reserve the production studio
for your use, consult the Production Director. The Production Director is in charge the studio, and can
provide assistance in its operation. If you are using the equipment, please leave the production studio
neat and clean, and be considerate with the equipment.
Public File:
The public file is a collection of documents that are available for public inspection during regular
business hours. Included in the public file are copies of our license and other documents required to be
available for public inspection by the FCC. The public file is kept in the SSI office. If someone asks to see
it you may direct them to that office.
Public Service Announcement (PSA)
WCUR will provide public service announcements free of charge to non-profit organizations. An
organization desiring a PSA should send the information about their event, activity, or organization to:
PSA, WCUR Radio, Sykes Union 237, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383. We will write a
short announcement based upon the information and will place the announcement in rotation with all
the other current PSA’s. Check the expiration on the PSA copy before you read it on the air, and if you
find expired PSA copies, please put it in the “to be filed” bin. WCUR typically broadcasts at least one PSA
an hour. If a non-profit organization wants more air time than is possible through rotation of a PSA, we
encourage them to consider non-profit time sales.
Requests:
WCUR often plays requests from the listening public. Please don’t ask for requests on the air more than
once and hour, as this quickly becomes tedious to the listener (and makes you sound desperate).