[BC] SBE & state licensure

[Phil Alexander]

On 19 May 2005 at 16:00, Barry Mishkind wrote:

> At 03:47 PM 5/19/2005, Mario Hieb, P.E. wrote
> >To survive, state licensure may be something SBE needs to do.
> 
>          I'll accept your comment, but ...
> 
>          ... to what end?
> 
>          A state license would only work of the state
>          were to do something to back it up.
>          The FCC would pre-empt anything a
>          state could do.
> 
>          The only thing I see that a license from the
>          state would accomplish is to enforce an
>          apprentice program which would
>          promptly and efficiently be undermined
>          and abused by stations who want cheap
>          labor
> 
>          Now  ... what does the SBE do in that case?

What difference does it make if states choose to "license" broadcast
engineers? The FCC has ruled the licensee is solely responsible for
determining the technical qualifications of those to whom they
delegate their responsibility for technical compliance with the 
rules. Never forget that the licensee is held responsible for all
violations.

In the old days when the FCC determined who could technically 
operate a station by granting licenses, they also regulated those
who were licensed and could sanction fines against them.

The Act of 1934 clearly makes the FCC solely responsible for
governance of stations, and the FCC has made their determination
of the method of qualification (as above). Unless someone first
modifies these rules (over the NAB's dead body) nothing can change
regardless of what some state may think it wants to do.

The only thing a state might do is collect a "license" fee from
each of us and that would open a rather large can of worms.

IMHO the most valuable thing the SBE can do that it is not yet
doing is missionary work with station management at state 
broadcaster's conventions, presenting the value of SBE 
certification and specialties to those who make selections so 
they understand the value of qualified people doing their 
technical work.

There is no question that competent technical work and sound
equipment decisions are less expensive in the long run. If properly
presented and SOLD to management, a significant number would see
the value. No, all would not, but enough would get it to begin
to change the trend, and that would be more valuable to the
industry than any sort of state licensing IMHO.

Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMD
Broadcast Engineering Services and Technology 
(a Div. of Advanced Parts Corporation) 
Ph. (317) 335-2065   FAX (317) 335-9037





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