Re: WAAF Jocks In Trouble

["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@world.std.com>]

On 30 Oct 2000,  R.L. Caron wrote:

> The closest regulation they came to breaking is probably 73.1217, dealing
> with Broadcast Hoaxes. However, in order to run afoul of this regulation,
> the offense must cause substantial public harm. That's defined as some event
> that immediately causes damage to property and/or the health or safety of
> the general public, or causes diversion of public safety authorities from
> their duties. Additionally, the licensee must know the information is false,
> or it is foreseeable that the broadcast of the information will cause
> substantial public harm. Any programming accompanied by a dislaimer will
> usually be presumed not to pose foreseeable harm.
 
The broadcast claim a few years ago that Mayor Menino had died comes 
pretty close to this line and may cross it.


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