RADIO MALL TV LIST DOCUMENTATION

This file contains about 3240 U.S. commercial and non-commercial stations.  There are 2809 records in the file and about 431 simulcasts. We guarantee this list can be run on your system.  If you have any difficulties installing it, call us at 800-759-4561 or 763-522-6256 and for technical support.  Most major database programs will have no trouble importing this information.  This file is NOT a self-contained program.  Here's what you need to know:           

BEFORE YOU BEGIN!!!

We suggest you download this file to your My Documents folder. We strongly suggest you make a copy of the file on disc BEFORE trying to import the file.  If you're using Excel, skip this paragraph and simply open the file. Each database uses a different method for importing data, so the following instructions are generalizations. For most applications you'll begin by downloading the file to your hard drive,  then opening your database program.  If you have a menu, it probably has a choice marked something like:  "CREATE A NEW FILE" or "OPEN A NEW FILE," or "RETRIEVE A FILE."  If so, select this option.  At some point, there may be an option asking for the SOURCE of the new file, or allowing you to IMPORT data from an ASCII or DBase file.  Usually you'll have to enter the number of fields in each record (17.)  The ASCII file is COMMA-DELIMITED.  That means there's a comma inserted after each field to let your program know where a new field begins.   If you are using fixed field lengths, we've made a notation in brackets [ ] to show you how many characters to allow per field.  Depending on your database, you may need to structure ZIP and ZIP+4 as character fields so the database doesn't delete any zeros at the beginning of an entry.  The field lengths are in brackets [].
    
There are 17 fields for each record.  They are:              [size]type

COMPANY   (the station's call letters)                                [15]C
ADDRESS   (street address or P.O. Box)                           [40]C
CITY                                                                                [21]C
STATE                                                                             [2]C
ZIP (includes Plus 4 code)                                                [10]C
FORMAT  (network affiliation - see below)                           [21]C
NOTES  (includes info on duplicates)                                  [27]C
SIZE  (ranked by 210 DMA market sizes)                            [6]N
POWER   (power output in kilowatts)                                   [8]N
FREQ   (channel)                                                              [11]C
PHONE                                                                            [25]C
FAX                                                                                  [13]C
CDATE:  The date anything other than the address was changed. [8]D
CHANGE:  Type of change.  F=format C=call letters               [13]C
NUMBER: (An unchanging serial number)                               [5]N 
DPBC  Delivery Point for Bar Coding                                       [2]C
MARKET The actual name of the market i.e. Chicago              [42]C

     There is a possibility that the change date information will not conform to your database's method for managing dates. 

     We welcome your suggestions to help us improve this list.  Please tell us about any problems you have with the list and let us know what kinds of information you'd like to see included in the future.

    Here's additional information on the data:

THE NOTES CATEGORY

     In the case of many public TV stations and some UHF/VHF combos, there is more than one station operating or managed at a single address.  In any case where there is more than one station at a single address, "DUPE" (for duplicate) appears in the notes category. We also keep various notes here, including info on format and call letter changes.   We will also be keeping a station's previous call letters here.  If you're having trouble finding a certain set of call letters, you might want to direct your search to this category. 

FORMAT (or NETWORK AFFILIATION)
Here's the legend:
ABC                 
AS - AMERICA'S STORE                
CBS                                
CW - NEW NETWORK FORMED BY CBS & FORMER WB NETWORK                
EDU - EDUCATIONAL                
ETH - MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMMING               
ETH/PUB - MULTICULTURAL NON-COMMERCIAL PROGRAMMING            
FAM - FAMILY NET NETWORK               
FOX                 
HSN - HOME SHOPPING NETWORK                
IND - INDEPENDENT                
ION - FORMERLY PAX             
MNT - MY NETWORK TELEVISION
NBC                 
PBS                 
PUB - PUBLIC NON-COMMERCIAL                
REL - INDEPENDENT CHRISTIAN PROGRAMMING
RTN - RETRO TELEVISION NETWORK                 
SHOPAMERICA         
SHOPNBC             
SPAN (AZTECA)    The SPAN designation means Spanish)   
SPAN (HTV)          
SPAN (TELEFUTURA)   
SPAN (TELEMUNDO)    
SPAN (TELEVISIA)    
SPAN (UNIVISION)    
TBN - TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK - CHRISTIAN PROGRAMMING
TBS - TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM
WX - WEATHER

UPDATES

     Here at our headquarters, this database is a living, breathing thing.  Like a small baby, it needs to be changed and fed quite often.  We make regular changes on an on-going basis.   The accuracy of this data deteriorates rapidly over time.  We've priced our updates so they will usually cost you less than the wasted postage, printing and address correction fees you will pay for using the wrong addresses.  And you'll save hours of data entry time, too.  We suggest you obtain an update at least once a year.  If you plan on updating the info yourself, be sure every piece you mail contains a "CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED" endorsement.  The fine folks at the postal service's mailing requirements department will be glad to explain the different needs for First Class and Standard mailings (formerly known as bulk or third class). For example, if you mail by standard class without this endorsement, and the address is wrong, they will throw your piece in the garbage.  We mail regularly to all of our lists.  We spend hundreds of dollars on address corrections, and it keeps our lists accurate.  In summary, whether you purchase our updates, or do it yourself, it really must be done.


LIMITATIONS OF USE:

     This list is (C) copyright 2008, The Radio Mall.  Your company and its legal subsidiaries may have unlimited in-house use of this list.  It is not copy-protected and you may duplicate it for your company's own use.  You may not sell, rent, loan, or otherwise furnish it to other entities or use it on their behalf.  IT MAY NOT BE POSTED TO A WEB SITE OR FTP SITE. It may NOT be used to mail or FAX other companies' material. In the event of personnel changes, the rights to use this list will be restricted to the individual or company that originally made payment for the list, unless a company provides proof that they reimbursed a former employee for the list. The data may not be reproduced for resale in any form.  This data is "seeded" with the addresses of Radio Mall agents to ensure that the list is not being illegally reproduced.  If you have any questions about these restrictions, please write us at:  2412 Unity Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN  55422 or email info@radio-mall.com.

ALSO AVAILABLE: Commercial and Noncommercial U.S. Radio & Canadian Radio.  Call us at 763-522-6256 or 800-759-4561 for details or go to: www.radiomall.com