Broadcasting Rules Questions

[InsomniacInkRoss]

What is the maximum amount of updates a non-game station can do? X per hour? For example, how often could 1250 WSSP give score updates on a game thats going on? They very well can't watch the game on TV and give play by play, so where is the line?

 

I am certain there is a law on this, curious if anyone knows.

[kramnoj]

Beyond the fact that you can't do play by play, I don't know if there are any rules. I'm not a professional, just my memory. I don't think stations would really want to give a lot of updates, after all, if you wanted to listen to the game, you would listen to the game. But they are presumably allowed to give updates for events like scoring, injuries, records, brawls, etc after the event occurs.

[JoeHova]

I'm not sure there is a law against giving a lot of updates. When I used to watch Mike & The Mad Dog on YES, they would sometimes be watching a game in the studio and give pretty constant comments/updates on it. Enforcing any such law would be difficult, to say the least, so even if there is one, I doubt MLB (or any other league) tries too hard to stop people from giving updates. I mean, if they did, this site would be in trouble because of the In-Game Threads.

[endaround]

Actually they do, but not usually on radio. You can't show video clips while a game is in progress in general.

[Blindcheck]

In the NFL...for years, NBC could not show highlights from Fox until the game was over....and vice versa...but last year, the NFL must have changed the rule because now they allow it.

[dadofandrew]

Play by play would be frowned upon, as TMJ has exclusive rights for that. Anything else is fine.

[dlk9s]

Actually they do, but not usually on radio. You can't show video clips while a game is in progress in general.

I'm not a boxing fan, but it always tilted me when there was a big bout on PPV and ESPN would give updates, but only show still shots of the action.

 

[JoeHova]

nobody is talking about using video, just giving updates on what is going on. video would obviously be verboten until the rights holder allows people to use it.

[davego]

Al is correct that a radio station that does not have the rights to the game can broadcast 'updates' and 'discussion' about the game, but cannot do 'play-by-play.' For example, several years ago a radio station in the NYC area broadcast several of their employees @ a Super Bowl party and their discussion of the game (among other things), but could not actually do a recreation of the game.

[Fatter than Joey]

When I used to watch Mike & The Mad Dog on YES, they would sometimes be watching a game in the studio and give pretty constant comments/updates on it.

 

I used to do on-air work for a radio station awhile back -- and our PD would get totally bent if we gave Brewer updates while the game was playing. He thought that if someone heard -- "It's 4-4 in the bottom of the 7th" people would decide to listen to the game instead of the vile AC crap music we were playing and turn the dial. That may be why local stations do not give out updates.

 

As far ESPN, they probably have an audience that wants constant updates to track their fantasy teams more than anything. I am sure ESPN and MLB have a contract that spells out exactly how and how frequently they can update games.

[hauser42]

I read some where a couple years ago that ESPN can only use a certain amount of footage from each game. It was a certain amount of secs I believe. This is one reason you see them lead in with a lot of old footage to preview the upcoming stories. They dont get dinged for old footage just that days events when it comes to what they can use.

 

The rights to broadcast are what the Brewer stations have, I dont think a station could get in trouble for updating scores on their network. Even if they describe how it happened, they could just not do play by play off a TV.

 

There are some pretty funky laws out their when it comes to FCC, as a broadcast major I took a communications law class.

[Fatter than Joey]

Here is what MLB says:

 

"This copyrighted telecast is presented by authority of the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. It may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any form, and the accounts and descriptions of this game may not be disseminated without express written consent."

 

My guess is that ESPN radio e.g. has some sort of "express written consent" -- while your local AM radio channel does not.

[JoeHova]

Yeah, but that warning that the leagues give out is not the actual legal standing of the issue, or at least that is my understanding. Again, if that was the actual law, this website and any website that talked about games would be in jeopardy. I think the language refers to the actual broadcast, rather than the game itself.

[hauser42]

Joe is right. That copyright is to stop other venues from using that game or games to gain money from using it without permission. Just like copying a movie for resale.

 

Radio station giving an update is not gaining any monetary value.

[Invader3K]

One thing I've been curious about...why is it that WAUK (or whatever it's called now on 540 AM) uses WTMJ's calls during their post game show, but WSSP typically uses the calls from the other team's radio network? Did WAUK pay to get exclusive rights to them or something?

[endaround]

I think when WSSP first started WTMJ refused to give permission. Now that they carry spillover games not sure why its continued.

[davego]

I think all games should be on short-wave.

[Invader3K]

I think all games should be on short-wave.

That would be nice for when my wife and I travel to northern or western Wisconsin, and it's sometimes hard to find an affiliate station, especially at night. MLB could use it to reach new markets pretty easily, too.

 

[davego]

it would be sort of cool. In some parts of the upper mid-west, it's pretty hard to find a local station.