does channel 5 know FCC rules

[Dan Billings]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gic" <gary@garysicecream.com>
To: "Boston radio e-mail list" <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2004 6:05 PM
Subject: does channel 5 know FCC rules


> I'm beginning to wonder.  For the second time in a few days NewsCenter5
(at
> 6) was quoting what they said was "police transmissions we are
monitoring".
> Isn't there still a law that says you can listen to police and other
private
> communciations, but cannot repeat them (or has that law been done away
> with).  I know some years ago a local newsman in Lowell got in big trouble
> for repeating on air what he heard on the scanner.

I am not sure if we are talking about the same law, but the Supreme Court
struck down a law that outlawed the broadcast of illegally taped phone
calls.  A radio station broadcast an illegally taped call where a union
official threatened violence.  The tape had been given to the station.  The
court said the taping of the call could be illegal but banning the broadcast
violated the first amendment.  It seems to me that the same principle
applies here.  If the station did not break the law by listening to the
transmission.  They should be able to use the information.