Legal Identification

General

The following is the text of 47 CFR 73.1201, the FCC regulations governing station identification. The text was provided to us courtesy of A. Joseph Ross, J.D.; formatting is mine.

  Title 47 Code of Federal Regulations
    CHAPTER I
    SUBCHAPTER C
    PART 73
    Subpart H
 
    Sec. 73.1201 Station identification.

(a)

When regularly required. Broadcast station identification announcements shall be made:

(1)

At the beginning and ending of each time of operation, and

(2)

hourly, as close to the hour as feasible, at a natural break in program offerings.

Television broadcast stations may make these announcements visually or aurally.

(b)

Content.

(1)

Official station identification shall consist of the station's call letters immediately followed by the community or communities specified in its license as the station's location: Provided, That the name of the licensee or the station's frequency or channel number, or both, as stated on the station's license may be inserted between the call letters and station location. No other insertion is permissible.

(2)

A station may include in its official station identification the name of any additional community or communities, but the community to which the station is licensed must be named first.

(c)

Channel -

(1)

General. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, in making the identification announcement the call letters shall be given only on the channel identified thereby.

(2)

Simultaneous AM (535-1605 kHz) and AM (1605-1705 kHz) broadcasts. If the same licensee operates an AM broadcast station in the 535-1605 kHz band an AM broadcast station in the 1605-1705 kHz band with both stations licensed to the same community and simultaneously broadcasts the same programs over the facilities of both such stations, station identification may be made jointly for both stations for such periods of simultaneous operation.

(3)

Satellite operation. When programming of a broadcast station is rebroadcast simultaneously over the facilities of a satellite station, the originating station may make identification announcements for the satellite station for periods of such simultaneous operation.

(i)

In the case of a television broadcast station, such announcements, in addition to the information required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section, shall include the number of the channel on which each station is operating.

(ii)

In the case of aural broadcast stations, such announcements, in addition to the information required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section, shall include the frequency on which each station is operating.

(d)

Subscription television stations (STV). The requirements for official station identification applicable to TV stations will apply to Subscription TV stations except, during STV-encoded programming such station identification is not required. However, a station identification announcement will be made immediately prior to and following the encoded Subscription TV program period.

(34 FR 19762, Dec. 17, 1969, as amended at 37 FR 23726, Nov. 8, 1972; 39 FR 6707, Feb. 22, 1974; 39 FR 9442, Mar. 11, 1974; 41 FR 29394, July 16, 1976; 47 FR 3791, Jan. 27, 1982; 48 FR 51308, Nov. 8, 1983; 56 FR 64872, Dec. 12, 1991)

Low-power TV and TV translator stations

    Title 47
    CHAPTER I
    SUBCHAPTER C
    PART 74
    Subpart G
 
    Sec. 74.783 Station identification.

(a)

Each low power TV and TV translator station not originating local programming as defined by Sec. 74.701(h) operating over 0.001 kw peak visual power (0.002 kw when using circularly polarized antennas) must transmit its station identification as follows:

(1)

By transmitting the call sign in International Morse Code at least once each hour. This transmission may be accomplished by means of an automatic device as required by Sec. 74.750(c)(7). Call sign transmission shall be made at a code speed not in excess of 20 words per minute; or

(2)

By arranging for the primary station, whose signal is being rebroadcast, to identify the translator station by transmitting an easily readable visual presentation or a clearly understandable aural presentation of the translator station's call letters and location. Two such identifications shall be made between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. each broadcast day at approximately one hour intervals during each time period. Television stations which do not begin their broadcast day before 9 a.m. shall make these identifications in the hours closest to these time periods at the specified intervals.

(b)

Licensees of television translators whose station identification is made by the television station whose signals are being rebroadcast by the translator, must secure agreement with this television station licensee to keep in its file, and available to FCC personnel, the translator's call letters and location, giving the name, address and telephone number of the licensee or his service representative to be contacted in the event of malfunction of the translator. It shall be the responsibility of the translator licensee to furnish current information to the television station licensee for this purpose.

(c)

A low power TV station shall comply with the station identification procedures given in Sec. 73.1201 when locally originating programming, as defined by Sec. 74.701(h). The identification procedures given in paragraphs (a) and (b) are to be used at all other times.

(d)

Call signs for low power TV and TV translator stations will be made up of the initial letter K or W followed by the channel number assigned to the station and two additional letters. The use of the initial letter generally will follow the pattern used in the broadcast service, i.e., stations west of the Mississippi River will be assigned an initial letter K and those east, the letter W. The two letter combinations following the channel number will be assigned in order and requests for the assignment of the particular combinations of letters will not be considered. The channel number designator for Channels 2 through 9 will be incorporated in the call sign as a 2-digit number, i.e., 02, 03, . . . ., so as to avoid similarities with call signs assigned to amateur radio stations.

(e)

Low power TV permittees or licensees may request that they be assigned four-letter call signs in lieu of the five-character alpha-numeric call signs described in paragraph (d) of this section. Parties requesting four-letter ccall signs are to follow the procedures delineated in Sec. 73.3550. Such four-letter call signs shall begin with K or W; stations West of the Mississippi River will be assigned an initial letter K and stations east of the Mississippi River will be assigned an initial letter W. The four-letter call sign will be followed by the suffix ``-LP.'' A party holding a low power TV construction permit who requests a four-letter call sign must file with that request a certification that the station has been constructed, that physical construction is underway at the transmitter site or that a firm equipment order has been placed.

(f)

TV broadcast booster station shall be identified by their primary stations by broadcasting of the primary station's call letters and location in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 73.1201 of this chapter.

(41 FR 17552, Apr. 27, 1976, as amended at 47 FR 21502, May 18, 1982; 52 FR 7424, Mar. 11, 1987; 52 FR 31405, Aug. 20, 1987; 59 FR 31557, June 20, 1994)

FM boosters and translators

    Title 47
    CHAPTER I
    SUBCHAPTER C
    PART 74
    Subpart L
 
    Sec. 74.1283 Station identification.

(a)

The call sign of an FM broadcast translator station will consist of the initial letter K or W followed by the channel number assigned to the translator and two letters. The use of the initial letter will generally conform to the pattern used in the broadcast service. The two letter combinations following the channel number will be assigned in order and requests for the assignment of particular combinations will not be considered.

(b)

The call sign of an FM booster station will consist of the call sign of the primary station followed by the letters ``FM'' and the number of the booster station being authorized, e.g., WFCCFM-1.

(c)

A translator station authorized under this subpart shall be identified by one of the following methods.

(1)

By arranging for the primary station whose station is being rebroadcast to identify the translator station by call sign and location. Three such identifications shall be made during each day: once between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., once between 12:55 p.m. and 1:05 p.m. and once between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Stations which do not begin their broadcast before 9 a.m. shall make their first identification at the beginning of their broadcast days. The licensee of an FM translator whose station identification is made by the primary station must arrange for the primary station to keep in its file, and to make available to FCC personnel, the translator's call letters and location, giving the name, address and telephone number of the licensee or his service representative to be contacted in the event of malfunction of the translator. It shall be the responsibility of the translator licensee to furnish current information to the primary station licensee for this purpose.

(2)

By transmitting the call sign in International Morse Code at least once each hour. Transmitters of FM broadcast translator stations of more than 1 watt transmitter output power must be equipped with an automatic keying device that will transmit the call sign at least once an hour, unless there is in effect a firm agreement with the trnaslator's primary station as provided in Sec. 73.1283(c)(1) of this section. Transmission of the call sign can be accomplished by:

(i)

Frequency shifting key; the carrier shift shall not be less than 5 kHz nor greater than 25 kHz.

(ii)

Amplitude modulation of the FM carrier of at least 30 percent modulation. The audio frequency tone use shall not be within 300 hertz of the Emergency Broadcast System Attention signal alerting frequencies.

(d)

FM broadcast booster stations shall be identified by their primary stations, by the broadcasting of the primary station's call signs and location, in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 73.1201 of this chapter.

(e)

The Commission may, in its discretion, specify other methods of identification.

(55 FR 50699; Dec. 10, 1990)