WUNC-FM acted appropriately when it recently changed the wording in an on-air announcement of contributions by Ipas, a Chapel Hill-based international women's rights and health organization.
The local National Public Radio affiliate told Ipas representatives that the words "reproductive rights" had to be modified to avoid any potential conflict involving the Federal Communications Commission.
Federal regulations prevent public stations from endorsing any particular political or social view. WUNC's management was right to change the wording, because a person potentially could tie "reproductive rights" to abortion.
The dilemma for public radio stations is that the FCC does not specify what constitutes advocacy language - Ipas should consider the station's delicate position before thinking of withdrawing its support.
Understandably, Anu Kumar, Ipas' executive vice president, said she disagrees with WUNC's interpretation of what "reproductive rights" implies. She stated on Ipas' Web site that the phrase is not a euphemism for abortion but includes "the right to infertility treatments, the right to contraception, the right to information, the right to live free of rape and violence."
But there's little doubt that the language could have been interpreted by some to mean that WUNC endorsed women's ability to have abortions.
Joan Rose, WUNC's general manager, told The (Raleigh) News & Observer that the situation with Ipas was unusual only because it drew so much attention. She said that she has a responsibility to maintain the station's FCC license, and that the altering of language is almost always necessary.
The bottom line is that WUNC shouldn't be forced to face potential fines that could have been averted with the change of a single word. For the risks that were entailed in WUNC's use of the term "reproductive rights," the benefits simply weren't worth it.
"Reproductive health" might not describe the mission of the organization in the most effective manner, but the organization's general purposes are still clear enough for anyone that chooses to listen.
