April Fools Pranks North Dakota GALLERY

April Fools Day used to be ruled by radio! Our stations would relentlessly barrage our listeners with BS all day long! Some pranks were elaborate, others were as simple as a little playful deception. You know who doesn't like anything playful?

The Federal Communications Committee.

You know who doesn't want to rock the boat with the FCC? Every Radio Company on the planet! Including mine. So, when the FCC grew tired of our Fools Day shenanigans they issued one of their party pooper proclamations

The FCC’s rule against broadcast hoaxes, Section 73.1217, prevents stations from running any information about a “crime or catastrophe” on the air, if the broadcaster (1) knows the information to be false, (2) it is reasonably foreseeable that the broadcast of the material will cause substantial public harm and (3) public harm is in fact caused. Public harm is defined as “direct and actual damage to property or to the health or safety of the general public, or diversion of law enforcement or other public health and safety authorities from their duties.” If you air a program that fits within this definition and causes a public harm, you should expect to be fined by the FCC.

It is critical that the FCC ends any statement issued with the word "fined". Because the last place a broadcaster wants to be is in the bosses office explaining why inciting an April Fools Day riot cost the station $25,000 in fines and cost you your job. Honestly it doesn't have to be a riot, could just be a client with hurt feelings.

So you might not hear me pranking you on the air...but, I may have already saran wrapped your toilet bowl. Let's celebrate classic radio pranks and after the gallery, I'll share some harmless pranks you can do yourself!