NCSA/PEP
NCSA Program
General Information
NCSA stands for Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcement. It is an old Federal Communications Commission logging term indicating radio or television stations receiving no revenue for the announcement. Instead, the revenues from an NCSA program help to fund the broadcasters’ statewide trade association, the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. The program defrays the costs of conventions, seminars and communications programs of the WBA.
NCSA Funding
Government agencies and non-profit organizations that normally approach broadcasters for Public Service Time request a NCSA program. These organizations, which operate in the public interest, make a grant of funds to the WBA. WBA then requests its members to run NCSA announcements voluntarily at no charge for the benefit of WBA and its programs. Announcements supplied by the NCSA client are distributed by WBA to participating stations. Stations run the NCSA announcements on an as available basis and send a monthly on charge, exact time performance affidavit to WBA. Stations are requested to value the time provided based on their regular rates charged to advertisers buying the same time periods for cash. The Association uses these figures to demonstrate to the NCSA client the cash value of the spots delivered across the entire state by both radio and television participants. An NCSA program provides a win-win result for participating WBA members whose Association grows stronger and for the NCSA client whose message is seen and heard statewide in all time periods and formats, reaching all demographic groups.
If you would like specific instructions on any schedule, contact the WBA Office at 1-800-236-1922 and ask to speak with Liz Boyd NCSA/PEP Coordinator, or e-mail her at lboyd@wi-broadcasters.org
NCSA/PEP Update
NCSA/PEP programs have flourished because of three factors:
1) the belief by all participants, including the state broadcasting associations, their members and NCSA/PEP sponsors, that the program is fully lawful, proper and mutually beneficent;
2) the belief by each NCSA/PEP sponsor that the benefit of participating is clear and substantial for both the sponsoring organization and the people it serves;
3) the belief by the broadcasters donating air time that their participation is helping to make their state broadcasting association and the broadcast industry within their states stronger and that they are better off as a result.
The NCSA/PEP program is not a substi-tute for a licensee’s general obligation to be responsible to the local needs and interests of the service area, and neither the association nor any broadcast station favors or intends to favor a state or local agency or nonprofit organization that participates in an NCSA/PEP program over any agency or nonprofit organization that does not participate. Stations always are encouraged to continue their strong commitment to airing PSAs free of charge.
NCSA/PEP announcements should not be logged as commercial or PSA, but should simply be logged as NCSA. This characterization promotes consistency throughout each state asm well as among all stations and gives each station the broadcast flexibility to characterize, for accounting or other purposes, the NCSA/PEP transaction in the most appropriate way. A standard definition for an NCSA/PEP announcement is this:
A non-commercial sustaining announcement (NCSA/PEP) is an announcement that is sponsored by a nontraditional advertiser whose
resources are not sufficient to ensure the placement and frequency of a normal commercial buy, but whose unique broadcast coverage needs cannot be met by the normal placement of public service announcements. The announcement is broadcast using air time donated by stations under the NCSA/PEP program of a state broadcasting association.
As you will note, there is no reference to federal, state or local agencies or to noncommercial organizations to reduce the risk that an NCSA/ PEP will be confused with a PSA.
An FCC-related issue involves political time. In 1988, a ruling from the commission said that NCSA/PEP programs and the announcements carried by stations under them do not have an effect either on the station’s lowest unit charge or its comparable rate.
The NCSA/PEP program coordinated by the WBA is substantially related to the association’s purpose. The monies received are broadly used to strengthen the association in terms of member benefits and administration as well as to promote and enhance the reputation of broadcasting generally and the business and regulatory environment for the entire broadcast industry within the state.
Following are the stations that have participated so far this year in airing the NCSA/PEP announcements:
TELEVISION
WYOW-TV Eagle River
WEAU-TV Eau Claire
WEUX-TV Eau Claire
WQOW-TV Eau Claire
WACY-TV Green Bay
WBAY-TV Green Bay
WFRV-TV Green Bay
WGBA-TV Green Bay
WWIB-TV Green Bay
WLUK-TV Green Bay
KQEG-TV La Crosse
WKBT-TV La Crosse
WXOW-TV La Crosse
WLAX-TV La Crosse
TVW Madison
WBUW-TV Madison
WISC-TV Madison
WKOW-TV Madison
WMSN-TV Madison
WMTV-TV Madison
WCGV-TV Milwaukee
WDJT-TV Milwaukee
WISN-TV Milwaukee
WITI-TV Milwaukee
WTMJ-TV Milwaukee
WMLW-TV Milwaukee
WVCY-TV Milwaukee
WVTV-TV Milwaukee
WJFW-TV Rhinelander
WAOW-TV Wausau
WSAW-TV Wausau
WFXS-TV Wausau
RADIO
WDKM-FM Adams/Friendship
WATK-AM Antigo
WACD-FM Antigo
WRLO-FM Antigo
WAPL-FM Appleton
WECB-FM Appleton
WEMI-FM Appleton
WHBY-AM Appleton
WSCO-AM Appleton
WOZZ-FM Appleton
WATW-AM Ashland
WBSZ-FM Ashland
WJJH-FM Ashland
WNXR-FM Ashland
WBDL-FM Baraboo
WBEV-AM Beaver Dam
WXRO-FM Beaver Dam
WTJK-AM Beloit
WISS-AM Berlin
WAUH-FM Berlin
WWIS-AM Black River Falls
WWIS-FM Black River Falls
WOGO-AM Chippewa Falls
WWIB-FM Chippewa Falls
WOTE-AM Clintonville
WJMQ-FM Clintonville
WDMP-AM Dodgeville
WDMP-FM Dodgeville
WRJO-FM Eagle River
WERL-AM Eagle River
WAXX-FM Eau Claire
WAYY-AM Eau Claire
WBIZ-AM Eau Claire
WBIZ-FM Eau Claire
WDRK-FM Eau Claire
WEAQ-FM Eau Claire
WECL-FM Eau Claire
WHEM-FM Eau Claire
WIAL-FM Eau Claire
KFIZ-AM Fond du Lac
WFDL-AM Fond du Lac
WFDL-FM Fond du Lac
WTCX-FM Fond du Lac
WFAW-AM Fort Atkinson
WDUZ-FM Green Bay
WEMY-FM Green Bay
WIXX-FM Green Bay
WKSZ-FM Green Bay
WNCY-FM Green Bay
WNFL-AM Green Bay
WOGB-FM Green Bay
WOVM-FM Green Bay
WPCK-FM Green Bay
WQLH-FM Green Bay
WROE-FM Green Bay
WTAQ-AM Green Bay
WZNN-FM Green Bay
WZOR-FM Green Bay
WTKM-AM Hartford
WTKM-FM Hartford
WCLO-AM Janesville
WJVL-FM Janesville
WSJY-FM Janesville
WWHG-FM Janesville
WIIL-FM Kenosha
WLIP-AM Kenosha
WAUN-FM Kewaunee
WKBH-FM La Crosse
WLFN-AM La Crosse
WLXR-FM La Crosse
WQCC-FM La Crosse
WJBL-FM Ladysmith
WLDY-AM Ladysmith
WLKG-FM Lake Geneva
WGLR-AM Lancaster
WGLR-FM Lancaster
WCHY-FM Madison
WHIT-AM Madison
WIBA-AM Madison
WIBA-AM (stream) Madison
WJJO-FM Madison
WJQM-FM Madison
WLMV-AM Madison
WMGN-FM Madison
WMMM-FM Madison
WOLX-FM Madison
WTDY-AM Madison
WTLX-FM Madison
WTSO-AM Madison
WTSO-AM (stream) Madison
WXXM-FM Madison
WXXM-FM (stream) Madison
WCUB-AM Manitowoc
WLTU-FM Manitowoc
WOMT-AM Manitowoc
WQTC-FM Manitowoc
WDLB-AM Marshfield
WLJY-FM Marshfield
WOSQ-FM Marshfield
WLKL-FM Matoon, IL
WRJC-AM Mauston
WRJC-FM Mauston
WJMT-AM Merrill
WGNV-FM Milladore
WLWK-FM Milwaukee
WISN-AM Milwaukee
WKKV-FM Milwaukee
WLDB-FM Milwaukee
WLUM-FM Milwaukee
WMCS-AM Milwaukee
WMIL-FM Milwaukee
WMYX-FM Milwaukee
WOKY-AM Milwaukee
WQBW-FM Milwaukee
WRIT-FM Milwaukee
WSSP-AM Milwaukee
WTMJ-AM Milwaukee
WXSS-FM Milwaukee
WLKD-AM Minocqua
WMQA-FM Minocqua
WEKZ-AM Monroe
WEKZ-FM Monroe
WCCN-AM Neillsville
WCCN-FM Neillsville
WIXK-AM New Richmond
WOCO-AM Oconto
WOCO-FM Oconto
WNAM-AM Oshkosh
WOSH-AM Oshkosh
WPKR-FM Oshkosh
WVBO-FM Oshkosh
WWWX-FM Oshkosh
WCQM-FM Park Falls
WPFP-AM Park Falls
WPVL-FM Platteville
WBKY-FM Portage
WDDC-FM Portage
WPDR-AM Portage
WPRE-AM Prairie du Chien
WQPC-FM Prairie du Chien
WRJN-AM Racine
WEZY-FM Racine
WNFM-FM Reedsburg
WRDB-AM Reedsburg
WHDG-FM Rhinelander
WCYE-FM Rhinelander
WOBT-AM Rhinelander
WRHN-FM Rhinelander
WAQE-AM Rice Lake
WAQE-FM Rice Lake
WJMC-AM Rice Lake
WJMC-FM Rice Lake
WKFX-FM Rice Lake
WRCO-AM Richland Center
WRCO-FM Richland Center
WBJZ-FM Ripon
WOWN-FM Shawano
WTCH-AM Shawano
WGMO-FM Shell Lake
WCSW-AM Shell Lake
WFBZ-FM Sparta
WKLJ-AM Sparta
WCOW-FM Sparta
WPLT-FM Spooner
WYTE-FM Stevens Point
WSPT-AM Stevens Point
WSPT-FM Stevens Point
WBDK-FM Sturgeon Bay
WDOR-AM Sturgeon Bay
WDOR-FM Sturgeon Bay
WRKU-FM Sturgeon Bay
WRLU-FM Sturgeon Bay
WSBW-FM Sturgeon Bay
KDAL-AM Superior
KDAL-FM Superior
KHQG-FM Superior
KTCO-FM Superior
WDSM-AM Superior
WGEE-AM Superior
WRVM-FM Suring
WBOG-FM Tomah
WTMB-FM Tomah
WXYM-FM Tomah
WJJQ-AM Tomahawk
WJJQ-FM Tomahawk
WVRQ-AM Viroqua
WVRQ-FM Viroqua
WTTN-AM Watertown
WAUK-AM Waukesha
WDUX-AM Waupaca
WDUX-FM Waupaca
WBCV-FM Wausau
WDEZ-FM Wausau
WIFC-FM Wausau
WKQH-FM Wausau
WOFM-FM Wausau
WRIG-AM Wausau
WSAU-AM Wausau
WXCO-AM Wausau
WBKV-AM West Bend
WBWI-FM West Bend
WKCH-FM Whitewater
WSLD-FM Whitewater
WDLS-AM Wisconsin Dells
WNNO-FM Wisconsin Dells
WFHR-AM Wisconsin Rapids
WGLX-FM Wisconsin Rapids
WRCW-FM Wisconsin Rapids
