Legality of Music Broadcast in a High School

[GofourthD]

We are a high school in Indiana of less than 1000 students. We have a closed broadcasting system, it only goes out to the school, no where else. We want to use this to create a radio station that would play music and run announcements. It would not be recorded or posted anywhere and we would not profit off of the music in any way. What licenses, if any, would we need to do this?

 

[Zigner]

We are a high school in Indiana of less than 1000 students. We have a closed broadcasting system, it only goes out to the school, no where else. We want to use this to create a radio station that would play music and run announcements. It would not be recorded or posted anywhere and we would not profit off of the music in any way. What licenses, if any, would we need to do this?

A good place to start would be https://www.ascap.com/

You are a "Music User" in-so-far as they are concerned. Follow the links and read up.

 

[xylene]

Define "closed broadcasting system" please?

AM? FM? Wattage? Is there a license already for the transmitter & does it need one or a new one for this role?

 

[Zigner]

Define "closed broadcasting system" please?

AM? FM? Wattage? Is there a license already for the transmitter & does it need one or a new one for this role?

Another possibility is that this is a wired system running to each room (as opposed to using a radio signal).

 

[quincy]

We are a high school in Indiana of less than 1000 students. We have a closed broadcasting system, it only goes out to the school, no where else. We want to use this to create a radio station that would play music and run announcements. It would not be recorded or posted anywhere and we would not profit off of the music in any way. What licenses, if any, would we need to do this?

Following are two links that can be of help to you and your high school in starting a high school radio station.

The first link is to College Broadcasters, Inc., with detailed information on the licenses required. The second link is contact information for WSDP 88.1 The Park, a Michigan high school radio station where either the station manager or the staff should be happy to address any questions you have.

WSDP has been operating since 1972, with many of the graduating students who once worked for the station now employed as successful state and national radio station personalities. You could also find a high school in your area that operates a radio station and speak to its station manager for advice and direction.

CBI: https://www.askcbi.org/webcasting-information/webcasting-and-copyrights-for-radio-stations-the-basics/

WSDP: http://www.881thepark.com/contact/

Good luck.

 

[adjusterjack]

We are a high school in Indiana of less than 1000 students. We have a closed broadcasting system, it only goes out to the school, no where else. We want to use this to create a radio station that would play music and run announcements. It would not be recorded or posted anywhere and we would not profit off of the music in any way. What licenses, if any, would we need to do this?

If you want to avoid licensing issues there are several sources online about music that's in the public domain.

Of course, you'll be going back almost 100 years or more but you'll get quite a bit of cultural education out of it.

 

[quincy]

Although using materials in the public domain can be a good option, one has to be careful when considering the use of public domain materials - and from what source the material is obtained. Some commercial sites are best avoided.

Original works published prior to 1923 can be used but many of these early works have been updated and used to create new works, or are part of a compilation, and these are NOT in the public domain. Only the original underlying works are no longer rights-protected.

From Stanford, a link to information on public domain materials and what is, and what may not be, in the public domain: https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/

 

[Ohiogal]

Following are two links that can be of help to you and your high school in starting a high school radio station.

The first link is to College Broadcasters, Inc., with detailed information on the licenses required. The second link is contact information for WSDP 88.1 The Park, a Michigan high school radio station where either the station manager or the staff should be happy to address any questions you have.

WSDP has been operating since 1972, with many of the graduating students who once worked for the station now employed as successful state and national radio station personalities. You could also find a high school in your area that operates a radio station and speak to its station manager for advice and direction.

CBI: https://www.askcbi.org/webcasting-information/webcasting-and-copyrights-for-radio-stations-the-basics/

WSDP: http://www.881thepark.com/contact/

Good luck.

Sorry but no... Try this station: https://www.facebook.com/savewktl

Struthers High School in Ohio. Been operating quite a bit longer than that. It launched in 1965.

 

[quincy]

Sorry but no... Try this station: https://www.facebook.com/savewktl

Struthers High School in Ohio. Been operating quite a bit longer than that. It launched in 1965.

Well actually, the best high school radio station to contact for direction probably would be one operating in GofourthD's home state of Indiana.

I only suggested WSDP because it is a good one that is familiar to me and I know the staff is helpful.

 

[Ohiogal]

Well actually, the best high school radio station to contact for direction probably would be one operating in GofourthD's home state of Indiana.

I only suggested WSDP because it is a good one that is familiar to me and I know the staff is helpful.

Just picking. Needed a diversion... but I agree ... and check your pm

 

[quincy]

Just picking. Needed a diversion... but I agree ... and check your pm

I understand the need for diversion. PMs checked.

 

[FlyingRon]

While the composition may indeed be in the public domain, you also have to make sure the recording is as well. Beethoven has been dead for centuries but many of the symphonies have copyrights on their recordings.

The first thing you need to do is inquire with the school as to whether such a performance license ALREADY exists. When I was working with college broadcasting, the school had a blanket license that covered all manner of things from music-on-hold, to performances of the student musicians, to music at dances and the campus pub, to the campus radio station (originally carrier current like your closed system but later a public FM station... I had the distinction of filing the LARGEST power increase application ever done by a radio station when we went from 10 to 13,720 watts).

 

[quincy]

While the composition may indeed be in the public domain, you also have to make sure the recording is as well. Beethoven has been dead for centuries but many of the symphonies have copyrights on their recordings.

The first thing you need to do is inquire with the school as to whether such a performance license ALREADY exists. When I was working with college broadcasting, the school had a blanket license that covered all manner of things from music-on-hold, to performances of the student musicians, to music at dances and the campus pub, to the campus radio station (originally carrier current like your closed system but later a public FM station... I had the distinction of filing the LARGEST power increase application ever done by a radio station when we went from 10 to 13,720 watts).

The copyrights of materials said to be in the public domain definitely should be checked prior to use.

Although the US Copyright Office does not publish a list of works now in the public domain, here is a link to the US Copyright Office's Circular 22 on "How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work:" https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ22.pdf

Again, it can be important for anyone who wants to use public domain material to do their own investigation into the work's copyright status. Some websites that have created lists of public domain works have included works that are still protected.

In other words, you cannot rely on all lists of works that you might find online to determine if the work you want to use is rights-free. Only the underlying original works are. Newer versions of the work have copyright protection.