WPTC Current Underwriters

Station Information

WPTC, 88.1 FM, is the non-commercial radio station owned by the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport. WPTC broadcasts an effective radiated power of 494 watts, covering a radius of approximately 10-15 miles, from studios in the Lifelong Education Center on campus and streams on the Internet at www.pct.edu/wptc. WPTC broadcasts 24 hours a day year round. During the academic year the station broadcasts a modern rock format. On weekends and during semester and summer breaks, WPTC broadcasts a jazz format.

WPTC also broadcasts documentaries, radio drama, a variety of independent music shows and locally and nationally produced news and public affairs shows and features, including public radio's Earth & Sky; Jazz Perspectives; The Hightower Report, Voices of Our World; A World of Possibilities, Jazz Inspired, War News Radio and Listen Here!

Underwriting Policy

WPTC solicits underwriting grants to help offset acquisition, production, and maintenance costs associated with broadcasting a variety of programming. In exchange for these grants, WPTC broadcasts on-air acknowledgment of all underwriters in compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and regulations. (See "FCC Requirements.") Underwriting grants are tax deductible. A portion of the grant may be used to pay commission to the student or station volunteer who solicited the funding. Information on WPTC underwriters is also displayed on the station's website (www.pct.edu/wptc) and on PCTV, Channel 20, the Penn College campus cable television channel.

Schedule and Rates

Underwriting announcements for each donor air at least three times daily in accordance with the FCC requirements described below. All announcements are recorded and air at normal breaks at the top and bottom of each hour. Unless otherwise indicated in the "Underwriting Agreement," announcements will be randomly scheduled throughout each broadcast day; however, donors may request specific time and/or program placement. Separate announcements will be recorded for WPTC's student and jazz formats.

Rates are $150 per academic semester (September-December; January-April) or $300 for a full academic year. Rates may be prorated for special programming or schedule requests. Please see the student underwriting director or faculty adviser.

FCC Requirements

The Federal Communications Commission requires on-air identification of the person or organization furnishing the underwriting contribution. A division or subsidiary may be mentioned if it is the donor or underwriter and if the entity is a bonafide operating division.

In making the on-air announcement, the FCC allows non-commercial stations to broadcast slogans that don't promote, location and telephone information and "value-neutral" descriptions of product lines or services. The FCC specifically prohibits the broadcast of information about prices or discounts, inducements to buy or any call to action. On-air acknowledgments may not interrupt regularly scheduled programming. In complying with this FCC regulation, WPTC's policy is to identify underwriters at the beginning and end of specific programs and/or at regular breaks in the broadcast schedule identified above ("Underwriting Schedule and Rates").