ISSUE 17 MUSIC EDITION DECEMBER 11, 2006 FCC Comes to Music City ACTIVATOR CHART BOWS JAN. 8 The FCC held media ownership hearings today at Country Aircheck will launch a new “Activator Nashville’s Belmont University. Chairman Kevin Martin and Chart” in the Jan. 8 Music Edition. Compiled in Commissioners Michael Copps, Jonathan Adelstein and conjunction with Mediabase, the Activator chart Nashvillian Deborah Tate were present; Robert McDowell panel will combine airplay information from stations was absent. monitored by Mediabase with playlist information submitted by reporters via the internet. Martin opened the proceedings and at the end of his Country Aircheck is now in the process of selecting remarks received an ovation when he stated, “I also want to Activator Reporters. Programmers wishing to have briefly touch upon an issue of interest to many of you here their stations included in the Activator panel should today -- payola. The FCC has longstanding rules prohibiting submit a request to
[email protected]. payola. These rules serve the important purpose of ensuring Please include 25-54 ratings info for the past year -- shares and rank -- and a current playlist that includes that the listening public knows when someone is seeking to artist, title and number of weekly spins. In addition influence them. Broadcasters must comply with these rules. to being ratings winners, Activator Reporters must We will take enforcement action if they uncover violations of maintain a minimum current percentage of 25% and the payola rules.” (Continued on Page 6) be willing to submit ADDS in the case of Mediabase monitored stations, and current airplay lists and ADDS in the case of non-monitored reporters.