check if field is not empy

Is there a way to check if the editor textarea [iframe] is filled with text...

normally I'll check so:

$oFCKeditor = new FCKeditor ;
$oFCKeditor->ToolbarSet = 'Globus' ;
$oFCKeditor->Value = $reply ;
$oFCKeditor->CreateFCKeditor( 'i_reply', '80%', 250 ) ;

<script language="JavaScript">
var frmvalidator = new Validator("new_reply");
frmvalidator.addValidation("i_reply","req", "Please fill in reply.");
</script>

But now if i make a new page I can't see if the area is empty...