Radio show's April Fools' joke angers students

By RACHEL HANSON
Collegian Staff Writer

Area residents were unpleasantly fooled yesterday when they responded to a WBHV-FM (103.1) on-air announcement saying listeners who came to the station would receive $50 bills.

However, station officials who handed out the prizes had a different idea -- a fake invoice saying the recipients owed the station $50.

As an April Fools' Day joke, disc jockeys announced the bills would be handed out. When listeners called to confirm that actual money would be handed out, they were told they would indeed get money.

The joke angered not only those who had come to the station, but also students who heard about the event second hand.

Vijay Hariharan (senior-biochemistry and music composition), who works at a local radio station, believes B-103 was in violation of Federal Communications Commission rules concerning the conduct of radio stations.

Clay Calvert, professor of communications and law at Penn State, agreed there are strict FCC rules designed to protect the public from these types of events. Broadcasters are required to act on behalf of public interest, Calvert said, adding stations who do not conform to rules may be fined or face a license revocation.

A 1992 FCC rule prohibits the broadcast of hoaxes that would be harmful to the public. Calvert said one harmful hoax was Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" broadcast in the 1930s, which stated martians were invading earth.

However, Calvert is less clear as to the severity of B-103's prank.

"Whether or not this is a hoax, I'm not clear," Calvert said.

Hariharan said another FCC code that governs contest rules for radio stations should hold B-103 responsible for its misleading actions. The code states "no contest description shall be false, misleading or deceptive with respect to any material item." Hariharan said because so many people responded to the contest, it obviously was misleading.

"I urge students to call the station or write the FCC about this," Hariharan said. He added those who had questions about contacting the FCC could contact him at vxh3@psu.edu.

Carol Logan, president of Forever of PA Inc., of which B-103 is an affiliate, said the station did not violate the FCC's hoax rule. Logan added the advertisement of $50 bills was a literal statement -- although the bills handed out were not what the public expected.

"It was all done in the spirit of fun," Logan said.

But for students who heard the announcement yesterday morning and spent time waiting at the station, the prank wasn't very humorous.

Al Charpentier (sophomore-electrical engineering) said while he didn't have much hope he would get the $50, he still went to the station with his friends. He added he would like to see the station suffer some consequence for its actions, whether fines from the FCC or a taste of their own medicine.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they had eggs all over their (station) building tomorrow," Charpentier said.