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| "Because there's nothing on TV!"TM | ||
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This web site is part of David H. Citron's |
 and South Florida Radio History |
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| * NOW IN OUR 12TH YEAR * ESTABLISHED DECEMBER 7, 1995 * | ||
South Florida Radio Pages / RadioPages.net
RADIO NEWS: FALL 2005
Covering Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties
Contact us if you're interested in advertising on a relevant page!
Entire site copyright 1996-2007 by David Citron
All rights reserved.
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FALL 2005: SECTION 1 of 4: Florida's New Scanner Law
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Note: This file was previously called September Part 2. Problems With Florida's New Scanner Radio Law, F.S. 843.16Copyright 2005 by Robert Wymanwww.forensicphoto.com wymanent at bellsouth dot net (July 29, 2005) ... While the term "scanner" is most associated with a computer peripheral imaging device, scanners are also a type of radio receiver.
For radio hobbyists and others, including Emergency Management volunteers, news media representatives and Public Safety contractors (such as Central Alarm companies and Tow Truck operators), these radio scanners are essential tools of the trade. Specifically, such personnel are often tasked with a "response" function resulting from a specific incident. A Fire Canteen volunteer, for example, may mobilize a Canteen crew after hearing about (or "monitoring") a large fire scene on a scanner. This volunteer is not dispatched by the local Fire Department nor has a need to communicate on the Fire Department's assigned two-way radio frequencies; the Canteen Crew needs only to respond in a non-emergency manner and support the on-scene officials with coffee and refreshments. Granted, using the above example, cell phones are also used for primary communications between crew members and perhaps even the Fire Dispatcher. The scanner, however, provides real-time, at-scene information critically important for response and staging efforts. Unfortunately, this same real-time, at-scene communications intelligence is increasingly viewed as a risk to Public Safety instead of a bonus. Lawmakers are lobbied and influenced to believe that a large, unruly segment of the population is maliciously utilizing scanners to perpetrate crimes from petty theft to international terrorism. Article submission deadlines prevent an in-depth forensic analysis of crimes involving the use of scanners, but initial research (via the FDLE Criminal Statistics website) finds no published summary of scanner crimes within the top crimes of interest reported on a statewide basis. Nevertheless, a variety of scanner laws have existed for decades. Those which criminalize the use of scanners in the commission of any crime are welcomed by law-abiding radio hobbyists and the Law Enforcement community alike (see Florida Statutes 812.15, 843.165, 877.27 and 934.03). No one wants a criminal to use a scanner maliciously and only be charged with the resultant criminal activity. That is, if a scanner facilitated the criminal incident, the use of the scanner should certainly be an additional charge.
Other scanner laws, though, have been written and approved with little thought toward functionality and enforcement. Florida Statute 843.16 has always included flaws and interpretive nightmares related to scanner radios. The history of these flaws pales in comparison to the problems presented by the new version, enacted in June of this year. This version perpetuates some old flaws and introduces new ones. Scanner usage in F.S. 843.16, as it pertains to the monitoring of police and fire radio communications (other radio services are ignored), is now allowed under the following scenarios:
Note, however, that neither vehicles nor fixed locations are similarly identified for the news media or alarm companies as they are for other potential scanner users. Of further importance is how the law focuses upon vehicles and locations instead of the radio users in those vehicles and at those locations. The curious wording of the law leads to a variety of examples, both direct and interpretive, where scanner usage is not allowed by the new version:
Most confusing is a new element that also criminalizes the transportation of a radio "so adjusted or tuned" as to receive the police or fire communications. That is, one may not include a scanner as cargo within an unauthorized vehicle. The term, "so adjusted or tuned," is already raising interpretive questions:
Again using the previous example of the Fire Canteen volunteer, the new law prohibits scanner use at a business location and in a personal vehicle unless the vehicle is authorized or the volunteer is also FCC-licensed. An average volunteer, therefore, will not be able to use a scanner anymore. This is also true for CERT members, other Emergency Management volunteers, off-duty police and fire employees, families of police/fire employees, and anyone else who enjoys monitoring police and fire radio communications from the privacy of their personal vehicles or offices. A personal residence is the only location not affected by this law. The new law can be seen in comparison with the previous wording at http://www.qsl.net/k7fhp/ | ||||||||||
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FALL 2005: SECTION 2 of 4: Bebo De Cuba
Latin Jazz DVD Filmed at WDNA
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Octogenarian Pianist Bebo Valdés Celebrates |
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Bebo Valdés at WDNA with station manager Maggie Pelleyá. |
Why WDNA? (Other than that it's the only jazz station in town!)
Co-producer Nat Chediak used to have a radio program on WDNA, back in
the nineties. "So when Bebo was here in 2002, we stopped by WDNA."
Chediak may be best known as one of the founders of the Miami Film
Festival, but he's also a music historian and created Diccionario de jazz latino
Impressively, the 87-year old maestro's compositional and arranging instincts are still fertile, his fingers as nimble as ever, and his ability to craft music of extraordinary depth, passion and beauty undiminished by the passing years.
The CD/DVD set, housed in a glossy four-section folder, consists of:
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- the Suite Cubana CD
- the El Solar De bebo CD
- the New York Notebook DVD
- a colorful 56-page booklet
Suite Cubana is described in the booklet as "a great celebration and nostalgic tribute to our distant homeland" but you don't have to be Cuban to enjoy it. Or even know Latin jazz. Just imagine the kind of music Ricky Ricardo might have played!
El Solar de Bebo, on the other hand, is described as mostly jam sessions -- "direct descendants of the ones Bebo recorded ... more than a half century ago."
Although Bebo De Cuba has been available as an import
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| FALL 2005: SECTION 3 of 4: Payola! | ||||||
FCC Issues
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"Federal law, including Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, requires that employees of broadcast stations, program producers, program suppliers and others who have accepted or agreed to receive payments, services, or other valuable consideration for airing material must disclose this fact to the broadcast licensee airing the material" states the FCC's new Payola Rules Factsheet. "This is required so that broadcasters have the information they need to disclose to their audiences that the material was paid for."
The fact sheet provides important information in two sections: What the Payola Rules Say and What You Can Do if You Think the Rules Have Been Violated.
The Payola Rules Factsheet is the newest part of the Rules Regarding Broadcast Content section of the FCC web site. Other topics include Program Background Noise and Loud Commercials, Broadcasting False Information, Obscene Profane and Indecent Broadcasts, Contests Lotteries and Solicitation of Funds, FCC and Freedom of Speech, Complaints about Broadcast Journalism, and Complaints about Broadcast Advertising.
NYC's Village Voice is Cynical
About Payola
Investigation
(NYC, NY -- August 25, 2005) ... The
alternative weekly
Village Voice
Read the rest of the Douglas Wolk's report: The FCC sweeps Eliot Spitzer's payola findings under the rug.There is, however, a crucial problem with this: The reason payola of any kind is wrong is that you can't tell when you're hearing it — when what's supposed to be programming, on airwaves that belong to the public, is actually advertising. What are you supposed to do, declare that you hate a song so much you're sure the DJ is wearing new sneakers?
Radio Payola Tentacles
Reach S. Florida Radio
(Albany, NY -- July 26, 2005) ... A half century after the original Payola scandal hit rock & roll radio, it's back -- and not even on oldies stations. "Payola is a contraction of the words pay and Victrola (LP record player), and entered the English language via the record business" says the history-of-rock.com.
Wikipedia suggests that modern "legal" payola, run by independent promoters, is the reason that "a very large majority of DJs are cut out of the song-picking decisions and are instead told what to play and when (for the most part) by music directors and/or "higher ups" at their radio stations."
In Roger Friedman's Fox News report, Sony Bought Airtime for J-Lo and Others he mentions one memo with a Clear Channel South Florida connection: "We ordered a laptop for Donnie Michaels at WFLY in Albany. He has since moved to WHYI in Miami. We need to change the shipping address."
And Now For Something
Completely Different
About
Payola
(Miami, FL -- August 5, 2005) ... "What's truly eye-opening about Spitzer's payola investigation is just how little it cost to buy the airwaves" says Brett Sokol in Miami New Times this week. In Payola on the Cheap Sokol offers a different angle, saying "Bribing DJs used to be expensive, but now mere trinkets will do the trick."
The best part of the article is a sidebar in which some stations
and programs immune to Payola are listed... stations that perhaps
never heard of J-Lo
- Modern School of Modern Jazz, WDNA-FM (88.9), Saturdays 11 p.m. to 1 AM.
- Weekend Jazz, WLRN-FM (91.3), Saturdays 8 PM to midnight.
- Nocturno 92, WCMQ-FM (92.3), weekdays 7 PM to midnight.
- WVUM-FM (90.5) ... The University of Miami station.
- Old School Quiet Storm, WHQT-FM (105.1), Sundays 8 to 11 PM
Maybe this highlighting the better side of local radio is how the New Times company compensates for their Broward-Palm Beach edition's unconscionable choice of a pirate station for its Best Radio Station award, as described in June Radio News.
 British Invasion The British are here! Get 30 tracks of Britain's greatest like the Beatles, Dusty Springfield, and The Kinks, and more! |
 Remembering The Fifties 40 #1 hits from the biggest stars of the '50s! |
 The Sounds of Christmas A collection of classic Christmas songs performed by legendary artists |
 Malt Shop Memories 36 of the most romantic songs of the '50s! |
 The Rolling Stone WOMEN IN ROCK Collection From Janis to Jewel, Aretha to Madonna, they're all here! |
| FALL 2005: SECTION 4 of 4: Talk Radiooo T-Shirts Ed Bell's South Florida Arts Beat | |||||
NEW! Talk Radiooo T-Shirts!Be the first one on your block to wear this colorful shirt!
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Ed Bell's South Florida Arts Beat: September ScheduleFriday, Sept. 2nd ... Florida’s renowned landscape photographer
Clyde Butcher
and about the museum’s many exciting offerings. If you saw the
recent movie, The Life Aquatic, you may have wondered who that guy
was singing David Bowie songs in Portuguese. Find out more about
Seu Jorge
from SFAB contributor Ethan Schwartz. Miami Beach events fill
our entertainment calendar courtesy of Michael Aller.
Friday, Sept. 9th
Friday, Sept. 9th ... Rockin’ through the late ‘60’s and early
‘70’s, vocalist
Grace Slick Friday, Sept. 16th ... Richard Ives guest hosts this edition
of SFAB. His guests include
Michael Tilson Thomas Friday, Sept. 23rd ... Richard Ives is the guest host. He’ll speak with David Arisco, Artistic Director of the Actor’s Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. Ed Bell previews Festival Miami with Dean William Hipp of The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Jody Horne-Leshinsky has the details about fun Broward County events on our entertainment calendar and humorist Buzz Fleischman returns with The Radio Buzz. Friday, Sept. 30th ... South Florida’s own Johnny Rodgers is
singing and playing his way to the top. A great pianist, vocalist and
songwriter, this talented young man’s new CD is
Box of Photographs Future topics include The Beethoven Society, New World Symphony, Broward Caribbean Carnival, Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, musician Kenny Millions, Blues/R & B singer Bobby Stringer, authors Bob Kealing and John Moran, Beth Boone of Miami Light Project, Miami Jewish Book Festival, Mary Luft of Tigertail Productions, Justin Moss with The Florida Grand Opera, The Key West Symphony, Miami Book Fair International and author Chuck Goldstone and Laura Quinlan of The Rhythm Foundation among other stellar South Florida artists, national visitors and local events. | |||||
He’ll perform live in our studios. The entertainment calendar
concludes another live performance on SFAB.
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Page hatched on:
September 2005
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