The FCC means it when it says stations cannot rely only on the Web to advertise new positions.
That topic could come up for discussion during an EEO best practices seminar the FCC plans to hold on Jan. 4.
The commission recently cited two licensees, Max Media and Clear Channel Radio, for what it says was failing to recruit widely to fill some job postings. The agency levied a total of $22,000 in penalties against the two licensees for failing to comply with its EEO recruitment and self-assessment rules.
In Virginia, Max Media owns WGH(AM/FM), Newport News, WVBW(FM), Suffolk, WVHT(FM), Norfolk and WVSP(FM), Yorktown. In its recent decision, the agency said Max Media filled 14 full-time vacancies at its stations and failed to properly recruit widely for five of them, instead relying solely on Internet Web sites to fill two vacancies, and Web sites, word-of-mouth referrals and vacancy postings on its employee board to fill three vacancies. Web postings, word-of-mouth and internal postings do not add up to enough public outreach, according to the commission, which doesn’t specify how many recruitment sources a station must use. The agency also found Max Media didn’t self-check its recruitment methods to make sure it was achieving broad outreach of job notices.
The agency found Max Media apparently liable for an $8,000 fine and imposed reporting conditions.
In South Carolina, Clear Channel Radio owns WSSL(FM) in Gray Court, WROO(FM) in Mauldin and WGVL(AM), WESC(FM) and WLFJ(AM) — all in Greenville. The broadcaster also owns WMYI(FM), in Hendersonville, N.C.
For the same reasons as Max Media, the agency found Clear Channel apparently liable for a $14,000 fine and also imposed reporting conditions.
In its decision, the FCC said Clear Channel filled 13 full-time vacancies at its stations and failed to recruit widely for eight vacancies, instead relying solely on Internet Web sites and word-of-mouth referrals to fill those vacancies. The agency also found Clear Channel, too, didn’t self-check its recruitment methods.
Both licensees have 30 days to appeal or pay the fines.
