WESS Radio Underwriting Guidelines

WESS has an educational, non-commercial license to broadcast on frequency 90.3 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. WESS has the option to seek support from area businesses for our programming in the form of underwriting. Per federal law, WESS is not permitted to accept any forms of advertising. The following are the differences between underwriting and advertising. 

Underwriting must name, but cannot promote, the underwriter, its services, facilities, or products. Underwriting must exclude the underwriter’s opinions on any and all matters of public interest or importance. The underwriting announcement must exclude any support or opposition for any political candidate. The underwriting announcement must be scheduled so as not to interrupt the station’s scheduled programming. Underwriting announcements must keep the non-commercial character of WESS in mind. To maintain consistency, all underwriting announcements will either be read live on air, or prerecorded by a WESS deejay. 

Underwriting Announcements May: 

  • Describe a business 
  • Name facilities, services, or products (limit of three per underwriting announcement) 
  • Explain an entity’s corporate mission 
  • Include a corporate slogan, as long as the slogan is not promotional 
  • Incorporate a web address, phone number, and/or address for a business 

Underwriting Announcements May Not Include: 

  • Qualitative Language (Industry leading, winners, etc.) 
  • Comparative Language (Large, newer, nicest, etc.) 
  • A call to action (Come down to our store…) 
  • Encourage listeners to buy, sell, rent, or lease 
  • Any and all references to price or value 
  • Personal pronouns (Slogans are an exception) 

 

Underwriting Announcement Lengths 

Underwriting announcements read live on air can run up to but not over thirty seconds. Additionally, produced announcements may run up to but not over sixty seconds.  

Underwriting Organizations 

In accordance with FCC law, WESS does not accept any form of underwriting from political organizations. Nor will WESS accept any underwriting announcements advocating for or against a controversial topic, political party, or a candidate for office. WESS reserves the right to determine if an underwriter or an underwriting announcement violates these rules. If an underwriter does not follow this rule, their sponsorship may be declined. 

Advocacy Groups 

Underwriting submitted by an organization that seeks to influence matters of public concern, either through public outreach or through the legal process, will be allowed under appropriate circumstances and under appropriate conditions. Underwriting from advocacy groups are not guaranteed to be accepted, and a decision on acceptance will be made after careful consideration. If accepted, the language of the underwriting announcement may, under any circumstances, have any language that expresses an opinion on public concerns or controversial matters. 

Alcoholic Beverage Companies 

Companies and distributors of alcoholic beverages, including but not limited to; wine, beer, and distilled spirits, are permitted to submit underwriting to WESS. However, product descriptions should be limited to the minimum needed to identify the sponsor’s line of business. Any other language should be restrained.  

Government and Government Funded Institutions 

Underwriting from political or policy-oriented institutions of government, including foreign countries, will not be accepted by WESS under any circumstances. However, WESS allows underwriting by government agencies or government funded institutions that are involved in public education, tourism, and trade. 

Religiously Affiliated Institutions 

Underwriting by religiously affiliated institutions, including churches, can be accepted. However, any underwriting submitted by these institutions must follow WESS guidelines on religion, and ensure the underwriting is appropriate for public radio. Any language that is intended to create distinctions between different religions will not be allowed. The section regarding advocacy groups still applies to religious groups. 

Competitive Media 

Underwriting by commercial and non-commercial media organizations can be accepted. 

Lotteries and Casinos 

Casinos and lotteries are not permitted to submit any underwriting that highlights gambling activity. However, language that identifies any events that the lottery or casino hosts and does not break any other rules is allowed.  

Tobacco Products 

Any underwriting highlighting a tobacco product is not allowed. However, underwriting from companies that produce multiple non-tobacco products, but also produce tobacco products, are allowed. Any underwriting that mentions a tobacco product will not be accepted. 

Editorial Control 

WESS contains the right to edit any underwriting announcements submitted to WESS to abide by WESS station rules as well as FCC guidelines.