In order to create a system that is fair to everyone and will encourage membership volunteerism, safety, growth, and learning, KPSU announcers have certain duties, including programming, volunteerism, and security.
All KPSU announcers must complete the following duties. Announcers who do not, run the risk of losing their ability to broadcast on KPSU.
Playlists
In compliance with FCC and KPSU’s web licensing contract, it is required that every DJ posts an accurate playlist within 24 hours of the original broadcast. However, if you need additional time to submit a playlist, just send the music director an email to extend the time of submission. No extension is to last longer than the 7 days of original broadcast. Additionally, a DJ is responsible for submitting a playlist for any show they may be subbing for.
Those DJs that consistently fail to submit their playlists within the 24 hour grace period may be subject to receiving a strike and/or suspension.
Playlists for live acts/talk shows
Live Acts/talk Shows and playlists, or broadcasts that are not music-oriented, must to post a playlist that can easily indicate (at a glance) what happened on the show. While the ASCAP / BMI / SESAC folk don’t require playlists from people who don't play previously recorded music on their shows, KPSU does require some indication as to what happened on the air for our own records. It is recommended, although not mandatory, that every show, regardless of the format, should include at least one or two songs as "theme" music, and that needs to be posted in the playlist.
To indicate the content of a non-music show list the name of the band / interviewer / or person who filled the air time, and a description of what they did ("Live DJ Set," "Live Performance," "Interview Part 1," etc.) In those cases, you don't have to fill out the remainder of the boxes on the playlist; the performance / interview / etc doesn't have an "album" or "label" per se, given it was recorded / performed live.
Absences
If you will be absent from your show during a particular week and cannot find a sub in time, it is a DJs responsibility to submit a playlist that at the very least says, "No show - automix played" or something to that effect. This will help the KPSU Staff determine if there was a live show or not. Subs for show are the ones responsible for posting playlist for that show.
Remixed Music
The DJ is to list the artists played, (i.e. individual tracks that would infringe on copy write, tracks that can be classified as your own), and for DJ remixes, list the DJ as the artist. Under the title, put "live dj set/(and DJ name)". If most of your show is your own content, it's the DJ’s right to promote it.
All announcers and announcer trainees are responsible for answering the KPSU studio lines.
Always answer by giving the station’s call letters, such as: "KPSU, how can I help you?" Be polite and helpful, but never feel obligated to cut air breaks short to answer the phone; the caller will understand. You should also politely ask to put the caller on hold when you need to cue switch CD or go on the air. Our air signal is always the most important concern, and you will not be held responsible for impatient callers.
For security purposes, it's important that you DO NOT GIVE OUT STAFF OR DJ'S PHONE NUMBERS to callers. If you don't know the caller, offer to take a message and then relay the message to the DJ (via the lobby mailboxes) or to the appropriate staff member via email.
If you put someone on hold while you’re looking for the person they’ve called, don’t leave them on hold forever. If you haven’t found the person in about a minute or so, get back on, apologize for the delay, and offer to take a message.
Be polite and professional: “Good evening, KPSU, how may I help you?” If someone’s not in, ask if you can take a message, then remember to write the message and put a copy in the appropriate mail box.
Occasionally, the station reserves threatening or obscene phone calls. If you feel the conversation is taking a turn for the worse, hang up immediately, then let the station manager know the exact time of the call and what was said.
If the caller has general station concerns, give them the office number, which is 503.725.5669 or the Station Manager email, manager@kpsu.org. Record companies frequently call asking for our music staff to return a call. Please give them the Music Director’s phone number, (503) 725-4071.
When receiving calls about college departments, meetings or activities, be as polite and helpful as possible. Try to answer questions or provide information, even if it’s in the form of other numbers they can try.
Keep all lines free as much as possible. They are for KPSU business only.
Long Distance
Unauthorized use of the KPSU long distance code, or abuse of long distance calling privileges will result in the immediate termination.
All announcers must have a prepared program in the form of one taped show at the station for backup purposes, in case of an emergency (such as a car wreck, surgery, or sudden family problems). The existence of a backup is in no way reason to miss a show. Failure to arrive for a show without finding a substitute announcer is grounds for immediate termination. This backup is NOT to mention dates, underwriting, Public Service Announcements, or promotional spots. Backups should be appropriate to play at any time, if necessary.
5:00 PM DJs (Noon On Saturday & Sundays)
Last broadcasting DJ of the night
These DJs are responsible for closing down the station and making sure all doors are locked.
At any time that you are broadcasting on the AM frequency, DJs are responsible for monitoring our broadcasts to make sure we are on the air. If there are any problems with our signal, or we are not coming through for some reason, immediately contact the Program Director. Even during the Daytime, if we're not on the Internet or the FM broadcast signal, contact the Tech Director immediately.
Keeping the station clean is everyone’s responsibility. Each person should not only clean up his or her own mess, but also be willing to help out whenever a clean up is needed.
The studio and office space should always look professional. Food and drinks are not allowed in the broadcast and production studios. (In the lobby is fine.)
An important aspect of station cleanliness is making sure CDs are filed. Always re-file CDs you play on your own show. Leaving CDs out when you leave could result in getting a strike.
In addition, DJs should check the station for other CDs that need restocking. Taking care of the station's music is everyone's responsibility, and it helps prevent theft, loss, and damage of our station catalog.
KPSU is financed by student fees and underwriting. Any contracted DJ who is not a student, must find underwriting to help cover the costs student fees pay for. Community Members are asked to bring in $60 in Underwriting on an on-going monthly basis, or $15 per week. There is a PSU alumni rate of $50 per month. DJs are encourage to work out a deal with KPSU's Assistant Development Director - lower per month requirement if paying minimum 6 months in advance. If you need help obtaining underwriting, or have questions about how to do it, please contact our Development Director (development@kpsu.org). This minimum amount may be paid by the DJ directly, at their discretion, in order to satisfy this requirement. (I.E. $30/month from an underwriter & $30 from the DJs pocket - or any combination thereof)
Effective November 2007, there will be professionally designed Underwriting sales packets available to DJs in order to better assist them in their quest to find underwriting for their shows. Again, please contact the development director to obtain one of these packets.
Failure to secure the minimum amount of underwriting mentioned above will result in a strike issued to the corresponding community DJ for each month the requirement is not met.
Consistent failure by a community DJ to meet the minimum underwriting guidelines of $60 per month may result in 3 strikes issued and thus may result in said DJ's termination from KPSU.
KPSU holds general meetings on the first Sunday (3pm) and Wednesday (6pm) of each month, except for when holidays or other special events may interfere with these meetings. All volunteers are required to attend one meeting per month. Notify the Volunteer Director or Station Manager immediately if you'll will be unable to make both meetings in any given month. If a contracted KPSU announcer has an unexcused absence from a General Meeting, a strike will be awarded. Also, consistently missing both general meetings will result in disciplinary action. Times and places of the meetings will be posted around the station, on the KPSU website, and emailed to the DJs list at least two weeks in advance. However, even without this information, the meetings are always held at the same times, and the SMSU building events postings (near all building entrances) always lists the room numbers. These meetings are very important to long term success at KPSU - this DJs should do all they can to adjust their schedules to accomodate these meetings.
You may have guests of any nature appear on your show, be they musical, a DJ, or merely a friend who wants to sit in and help pick out music. However, they cannot do a show unattended under any circumstances, until they have passed the KPSU and FCC requirements for becoming an announcer. Any programming violations made by an assistant, guest, or band will be held against the hosting announcer, and will most likely result in termination.
In the event of any emergency type situation such as a fire, flood, or any other disaster....the DJs PRIMARY concern should be the safety of themselves and anyone else currently in the station.
Exit the Sub Basement immediately in a calm and orderly fashion, using the stairs only.
Once you get outside safely, and are a safe distance away from the building, make sure to call 911 and the Campus Security Office at 503-725-4404.
The main way to stay in touch with KPSU updates, policy changes, and other general information regarding the station is to make sure you are on the KPSU-DJ's listserv. This listserv focuses on KPSU business / management / station updates, and it is mandatory that all KPSU contracted announcers are subscribed.
Important station information will also be posted regularly on the station's clip boards, notebooks, and bulletin boards. KPSU announcers and volunteers are expected to read and be responsible for any posted changes in policy, procedures or regulations. Anything that is posted around, you will need to know.
There are many things happening at KPSU throughout the week, much more than can wait for one of the station meetings. DJs should check these locations before their shifts and whenever they're in the station. Anything found in the Broadcast Booth, on the Interview Room Door, or outside the Production Room are things you'll need to be aware of.
Posted information includes but is not limited to:
There are no special parking facilities provided to the KPSU staff, DJs, and volunteers. Passes may be obtained for important guests by arrangement with KPSU's Station Manager. On-street parking is free after 7pm Monday through Saturday, and all day Sunday.
The FCC requires that all stations correctly fill out a programming log, a written record of all on-air programming. KPSU DJs are required to maintain accurate logs of all KPSU programs, underwriting, promo spots and public service announcements.
The program logs must be filled out correctly and consistently. Program Logs are legal, public documents that must be transmitted to KBPS (and, thus, the FCC), AND must be kept on file for two years, on site, at the station it broadcasts from.
Things to remember when filling out the logs:
DJs must run the legal ID ("KBPS, Portland") every hour, as close to the top of the hour as possible. This is a legal, federal requirement, and you will lose your show if you repeatedly forget to do so.
If a DJ puts on a syndicated program of some kind, or pre-programmed material of any kind (including, but not limited to, the Automix), you must fill out the Program Logs for this hour too (or any following hours too). Failure to do so will result in a strike. Thus all hourly requirements (i.e. legal IDs, Underwriting spots, PSAs, Promos) must be played and logs filled out for the hour BEFORE syndicated, pre-programmed, or automix may begin.
Failure to fill out the Logs completely and consistently (as per the guidelines above) will result in a strike or removal from broadcasting at KPSU.
All DJs are required to play two PSAs and one promo for another KPSU per hour.
The promo can be of your choice, and can be for any KPSU broadcast show you feel is appropriate. Write the name and the number of the promo on the Program Log when you play it.
One of the PSAs must be a "generic" PSA, informing listeners of ongoing things. ("Smokey The Bear Says: Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires" and "Sisters Of The Road Cafe" come to mind.) If there is an organization or group, local or national, or a cause you feel needs to be represented with a "generic" PSA, then please contact the production director (production@kpsu.org) to get the ball rollin'.
The other PSA must be a time-sensitive spot, relating to an event happening in the future, that will expire when the event passes. The "timely" PSAs that are available for DJs to play are generally listed on a piece of paper hanging on the wall above the IRP machine. Please play one from the list that pertains to your show or that you want to support (or just randomly if you so choose).
Failure to play these spots and properly record them onto the program log during your show will result in strikes and could ultimately result in termination from KPSU.
Avoid using radio jargon on the air such as "PSA," "promo," "cue," "cart," "pot," "log," and so forth. Anything that requires the context of having gone through DJ training at KPSU puts the listeners off because they don't know what you're talking about. Use the gearhead rule of thumb: if you need to give more than two sentences of backstory to make an anecdote or reference comprehensible, let alone funny, then you probably should talk about something else. The word "break" is more than satisfactory when discussing stepping away from your normal show content in order to play PSAs or Promos.
DJs need to arrive 60 minutes before their show for a number of reasons.
Having a DJ in the station while the other is broadcasting helps cut down on suspicious activity and theft, and gives people passing by someone to talk to while the other DJ is occupied with their show. Having only one person at the station at any given time is not only a security risk, but can cause problems when emergencies arise.
DJs are also responsible for keeping the station clean, and tidying up, and this time allows the DJ that luxury.
During that hour, DJs should be preparing for their shows. Your broadcasts will always benefit from this time spent; your playlists will be well thought out, your transitions and talk breaks will be planned, and the over-all sound of your show will improve. Also, this hour will ensure that a DJ may preview unfamiliar music for any swears or inappropriate content.
If you are going to be unavoidably late, call the station on the request line (503-725-5945) at least 60 minutes before your show and inform the DJ preceding you. Being consistently late may result in a strike, and possibly being dismissed from your show.
Missing a shift without arranging for a substitute may result in immediate and permanent dismissal as a DJ on KPSU or at the very least a strike. Tardiness is unacceptable in any form.
There is only one way for a contracted DJ to gain access to the station during the hours of 8am-2am, 7 days a week (holidays included).
First, all contracted DJs must obtain an ID Badge. ID Badges can be purchased at Neuberger Hall at the "Student ID" window. Once a KPSU member has recieved their ID badge, they must let the Station Manager know immediately your name and badge number and he/she will get you on the station access list. Any questions about this need to be addressed to the Station Manager only.
As a contracted KPSU DJ, you are legally required to fill the time slot you are assigned. Nearly all times slots are at least a two hour a week time commitment: one hour before you go on the air, and one hour during your broadcast. Additional time might be necessary to help clean up after your broadcast, or before to help prepare for a particularly unusual show (conducting interviews, hosting live performances, etc).
In the event that you cannot make it to your show, you are still responsible for finding a replacement to fill the time. The primary means for finding a replacement is posting a message on the KPSU volunteer mailing list at the following address: KPSU-DJs@lists.pdx.edu. If someone writes you back offering to cover the show, you either forward the information to the Programming Director, or let the PD know who has agreed to cover your show. You will probably need to follow up with the DJ to make sure they understand their responsibilities, or any peculiarities that your show entails. If you had solicited the need for a sub on the KPSU email list serv, you must then announce that you've found a sub to prevent further confusion and/or emails from others wanting to sub for you.
Seeking out a sub for your show should be done with at least one week notice. If for some reason you are unable to find a sub, you MUST alert the Program Director of such. Failure to do so is grounds for a strike and may be considered a "no call, no show." Consider, that if you require multiple replacements on a regular basis, your slot will be reassigned until you can become a more consistent announcer.
A DJ may also pre-record their show and arrange with another DJ (most likely the DJ preceding your show) to play your pre-recorded show. Your pre-record should include the required legal IDs, PSAs, and Promos mixed in, but if they aren't, alert the DJ agreeing to start your show that they first need to satisfy these requirements.
As the last DJ on KPSU (generally a Midnight - 2 AM shift), it is your responsibility to close down the station at the end of your show. In addition to all the usual stuff you have to do for your show, only a few additional things are needed to be done before you can leave:
Failure to accomplish any of these tasks will result in a strike. If you have any questsions, please contact a staff member.
It is the responsibility of announcers to find volunteer activities and log their hours. KPSU will base who gets a show, and who keeps a show, based in part on volunteerism. All contracted DJs must earn a minimum ten (10) volunteer hours per term, and submit them online through the KPSU website. Failing to complete ten volunteer hours per term is a strike-worthy offense for the respective announcer.
Items that do not count as volunteer hours:
Items that count as volunteer hours, but are not limited to the following:
If you need help meeting your hours every term, please consult our Volunteer Director (volunteer@KPSU.org), or seek out a staff member and ask them for projects you can help with. Never accept, "I don't have anything for you right now." There is always something that needs to be done at the station. If a particular staff member is not helpful in helping you meet your volunteer hours, please contact the station manager immediately (manager@kpsu.org).
Additionally, there will be a 3-ring binder in the lobby (or obtained from the Volunteer Director) that will feature an updated list of possible volunteer activities and this list will maintained in a special section on KPSU.ORG