The Bronc Radio/TV Staff Handbook outlines the procedures, regulations and

organization of the Bronc Student Radio & Television program at the University of Texas-Pan American within the Department of Communication. The handbook is intended to assist the E-Board, station staff, and faculty in understanding the goals, function, roles, and procedures by which the Bronc Student Radio & TV  program will undertake.

“To give the University of Texas-Pan American an electronic medium by which to be informed, entertained, and enriched, through entirely student produced programming with advisement of key faculty and mentors.”

The Department of Mass Communication is an energetic multidisciplinary department made up of programs in Journalism, Communication Studies and Theatre/TV/Film. Within each program area are specialized career tracks.

The department teaches both the theoretical and practical applications of the various fields of communication by offering a variety of classes and special projects and activities where students can get hands-on experience.

The faculty of all three programs is student-centered professionals who are committed to helping student achieve their goals. The faculty prides itself on its open-door policy, accessibility to students and small classes, which help promote academic success. The faculty also maintains strong ties to businesses in the Rio Grande Valley community and works to help facilitate internships.

BRONC Radio & TV is operated as a division of Communication Department the advisors and overseer are Mr. Fred Mann and Mr. Nick Taylor.

BRONC Radio & TV will be overseen by the Advisors and Bronc Radio and TV Station Managers. However, it will be students and students only that will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the station. These duties will include: General management, the budget, underwriting, technical support, live-event coordination, programming, staff management, public and university relations, etc. All students are welcome to be a part of BRONC Radio & Television. No student regardless of college or major shall be denied participation in the BRONC Radio program as a member of programming or the Executive Board based on their educational pathway.

Bronc Radio & TV will be run by an Executive Board (E-Board) made entirely by students under the advisement of Fred Mann and Nick Taylor. All business regarding the station will be discussed and voted upon in democratic fashion at the meeting. All members of the E-Board will be given a vote towards any business that needs to be approved to include but not limited to, budgetary approvals for equipment and supply purchase, live even coordination, E-Board replacements, etc. The E-Board elections will take place during every Spring Semester. All positions on the E-Board are for one academic school year beginning with the fall semester. Any member of the Bronc Radio staff who has at least one full year’s experience at the station may apply for election to the E-Board (Exception: General Manager must have two years of staff experience and one year experience on the E-Board.) All members are elected democratically after an application and interview process with the outgoing E-Board.

The E-Board positions are General Manager, Program Director, Promotions Director, Production Director, News Director, Technical Director, Music Director, Sports Director, Public Relations Director, Underwriting Director, Station Administrator and Live Events Coordinator. Job descriptions for each position are available in the BRONC Radio & TV office. No member can hold more than one position at any time. The E-Board members are responsible for fulfilling the responsibilities detailed in their job descriptions and directing volunteer activities based on those duties. The E-Board will meet weekly to report all activity by themselves and volunteers working with them and to discuss station policy and concerns. The E-Board meeting is considered a staff meeting and is not open to the general membership of BRONC Radio and TV. Anyone may address the E-Board by arranging an appointment. The E-Board will report their recommendations to the general membership at regularly scheduled general meetings.

 Specific duties of student managers and directors.

1.     Assume ultimate responsibility for all station operations.

2.     Coordinate all aspects of the station operation.

3.     Insure that directors are supervising competently.

4.     Maintain communication with directors and supervisors.

5.     Provide sound, common sense leadership.

6.     Maintain accurate and complete financial records.

7.     Purchase needed supplies while staying within the budget.

8.     Keep and accurate and complete long distance telephone log.

9.     Delegate responsibility to the assistant station manager.

10.   Be familiar with FCC rules and regulations.

Station Managers (Bronc Radio and Television)

1. Responsible for alerting the entire on-air staff about meetings regular and special
2. Contact all staff members regarding any policy changes at BRONC Radio
3. Maintain mailing list and staff roster.
4. Handles any mailers to be sent out or flyers posted throughout campus
5.  Works closely with PR Director and General Manager
6. Write thank you letters to businesses that donated money to the station.
7. Be aware of all station events in order to better answer questions from callers, visitors and other station publics.
8. Document meeting minutes.
9. Log all new compact discs into the computer database.

Program Director (Bronc Radio and Television)

1.     Plan and arrange the programming day.

2.     Plan and arrange music formats and rotations.

3.     Assign DJ’s to air shifts in programming schedule.

4.     Make a list of approved substitute hosts to fill in for DJs/Announcers

5.     Listen to DJ’s and offer suggestions for improvement.

6.     Insure that announcers follow format and FCC regulations.

7.     Deal with the violation of rules fairly and objectively.

8.     Review program logs for accuracy and rule compliance.

9.     Ensure program log errors are corrected by DJ’s/Announcers

10.   Listen to all applicants for DJ/Reporter positions and select shows for the forthcoming semester.

11. Coordinate any pre-emption of programming with sports/ news departments

1.     Keep in constant contact with record companies.

2.     Insure the weekly reporting of the play list.

3.     Keep in touch with local bands and record stores.

4.     Interview artists performing at your college.

5.     Review CDs for rotation.

6.     Secure promotion merchandise for giveaways.

7.     Relay feedback from announcers to record labels.

8.     Organize all station records and compact discs.

9.     File all new Compact discs and records.

10.     Dispose of outdated and useless music in order to keep the library neat and organized.

1.    Oversees all radio & TV facilities.

2.    Works with University and TV/Radio Technical staff to learn all technical and engineering related to radio equipment.

3.    Works with Internet Personnel to keep the station on the air.

4.    Inventories all BRONC Radio & TV Equipment

5.    Responsible for ordering and installing any new equipment after its approval by the E-Board

1.     Organize and maintain a working news staff.

2.     Teach basic functions of a professional newsroom to staff, including police rounds, reporting, AP editing, creating a newscast, and announcing.

3.     Assign duties to students that incorporate the aforementioned skills.

4.     Create a schedule of duties for the staff.

5.     Incorporate the Sports Department into daily newscasts.

6.     Maintain upkeep of all equipment necessary to news department.

7.     Maintain relations with The Pan American newspaper and other campus offices in order to create campus stories for broadcasts.

8.     Be aware of top news events and know how to incorporate them into a news broadcast.

9.     Create new ways to incorporate professional news techniques into the college news department.

10. Organize the production of all News programming: Regular and Special.

1.     Work with the news department to broadcast daily sports news.

2.     Gather and edit the day’s sports news

3.     Broadcast UTPA sporting events in a professional manner.

4.     Interview UTPA athletes.

5.     Produce a weekly sports show highlighting sports on a national level and from UTPA.

6.     Maintain contact with the UTPA sports information director.

7.     Organize and mobilize a sports staff.

8.     Hold meetings specific for the sports staff

1.     Produce station identification, liners, Grant Service Announcements, music beds, and sweepers.

2.     Train department members in the proper use of production equipment.

3.     Experiment and practice to improve efficiency and skills.

4.     Produce introductions for prerecorded programs.

5.     Assist other departments with production work.

6.     Assist announcers with production of show promos.

7.    Write original promos and liners for the production department.

8.     Creatively write local PSA’s.

9.     Proof read all type written announcements.

1.       Organize Bronc Radio promotional events throughout the school year.

2.       Establish and maintain strong contacts with public businesses for promotional merchandise.

3.       Oversee annual Bronc Radio Events EX: Concerts, Charity Events etc..

1.       Sell grant service announcements to local businesses.

2.       Maintain records of past and present Bronc Radio sponsors.

3.       Pursue potential new clients.