The word college shouts liberty, expression and self-discovery, and that’s what college radio is about. College radio seeks to be far from mainstream and bias. It plays the music you will never listen to in any other stations, and it serves as a platform for undiscovered and under-appreciated talent; for creative minds to be heard. You would think that college radio is given freedom of speech, but the truth is, it is being censored more and more each day.
The FCC, Federal Communications Commission, is an independent agency of the US government, created to work as the nation’s media regulator. They are responsible for the censorship we have today. Every radio station, including commercial stations (like Top 40’s) and noncommercial (like college radio), have to follow the same FCC rules in order to be kept on air. If stations fail to meet their requirements, or break a rule, punishments start off as a fine or the suspension or expulsion of the program host. Then it could go into further consequence like the revocation of the station’s license, which would then lead to its complete deletion from the airwaves.
This is where my first main question pops up in regards to this issue: why are commercial and noncommercial stations being looked upon as equals? Their playlists, budgets, vision and over all culture make them two completely different forms of radio broadcasting. But still, the FCC is constantly on top of student stations, having no empathy whatsoever. To get further into detail with this topic, I will break it down to my main points.
One thing the FCC should take into consideration is the fact that college radio stations act as a training facility for students, like laboratories for future radio and media talent. And since it’s a learning experience, mistakes are bound to happen. No one there is professional. When these broadcasters break the rules, the FCC fines them with up to ten thousand dollars. This brings me to my next point.
As I mentioned before, college radio stations are noncommercial, meaning they are legally prohibited from playing advertisements not even call to action. Their only funding is through fundraisers and through a budget provided by the SGA, which is unfortunately in most cases, a very small amount. So, what if they can’t afford to pay those fees? They have to pay harsher consequences, such as deletion from the air, just because of some mistake? Tying this to me previous argument, this only takes away their opportunity of learning and gaining experience.
Unlike commercial radio, college radio stations are not driven by money, popularity or ratings. They are all about the love for music, art, creativity and just being liberal. Their programming consists of an eclectic mix of talk, news, analysis, humor and of course, music. They cater to a younger and edgier audience, which can be much more limited, yet allows their programing to be very flexible. Most listeners state that what draws their attention to these stations is the passion behind their content. But sometimes the FCC doesn’t comprehend that. There are obviously some things that must be looked over in a program, like if someone is supporting rape on air or abortion; these are clear boundaries. But, when it comes to subjects such as drugs, sex and nudity, or violence, the FCC shouldn’t exaggerate. They can’t go censuring everything. That cuts out the beauty and power in compositions. Its like you want to cover up Michelangelo’s David statue just because he has his genitals out.
I once read a story about a student who was was apart of the University of Idaho’s radio station. After the FCC shut down her program, she complained “They are trying to censor us. They are making it criminal to play music. To read poetry on the air. To read literature…” Why is the FCC basically deciding what constitutes as “proper artistic expression in the eyes of society”? All they are doing is limiting a student’s creativity and expression, and also contributing to close-mindedness. They are controlling what radio listeners hear and what is denied to them. On the other hand, why would they hide those topics from college students? It’s not like we don’t talk about them already, or face them in our favorite TV-series.
College radio communities work to share their passions, to enhance exploration of the art and ergo believe that their broadcasting should not be limited or banned to certain extent. What is striking about college radio stations is how wide-ranging they are; how they focus on creativity and don’t limit their content to popularity This threat of being censored hinders college radio’s freedom to be itself; it keeps them from doing exactly what they want to do and how diverse and different they want to be. And in regards to the audience, it keeps other college students from discovering new things and learning.
Certain censorship incidents are agreeable for the college radio community. Yet the majority of the time it is useless and ridiculous. It is nothing but an obstacle for this community’s growth and causes a bigger problem for them. Throughout the years, many college radio stations have been suspended, deleted, fined and have faced all sorts of punishments simply because the FCC believes they aren’t appropriate for their audience. What, then, is appropriate for college students?
