1320 KXYZ is playing Spice Girls?.....and KGBC rappin'?

[johndavis]

I just think their plan is to find the right group to lease most or all of the time. I do not want that, THEY do not want that, but their website even lists a contact for interested parties that wish to do that very thing. I wish them luck, and long live GOOD local radio. KGBC and Galveston would benefit from a little local love.

I'd love to see someone give the island some love, but let's face it - you're going to need to be prepared to lose money for several years on AM or FM trying to do a station for the locals. The businesses there are either still getting back on their feet or not open yet. The bike rally's attendance was down and Dickens on the Strand was a bust this year - the last time I was on the island the vibe was everyone was just hanging on. If you're counting on local business, there's not that much of it to count on. Small market radio is tough enough without a major metro putting 30+ signals on top of you.

Which begs the question: once the town is thriving again, is a locally targeted station a good play? Are the residents happy with getting all of their media other than the Daily News out of Houston? Has anyone bothered to ask since all but KGBC was moved into Houston?

 

[poops]

From this morning's Galveston County News regarding KGBC. Pretty much sux seawater

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=4e313341cbf9d47c

poops

 

[Mediafrog+]

From this morning's Galveston County News regarding KGBC. Pretty much sux seawater
http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=4e313341cbf9d47c

China Radio International has been greatly expanding its reach during the past decade. They've improved their shortwave coverage with a large number of new transmitters in China, as well as leasing time (or time exchanges) on various worldwide shortwave sites. The Chinese have also supplied numerous new transmitters in Cuba, which are used by Radio Havana Cuba, Radio Nacional de Venezuela, as well as CRI.

There was some rumbling some months back that CRI was reevaluating its shortwave presence in regard to its English language broadcasts to the developed world, and was looking for arrangements with local broadcasters. Apparently Salem is leasing one of their Honolulu AM's to CRI (Chuck Tiller, anything you can add about this?) KGBC is another step in CRI's revised broadcast model.

While not an editorially free or unbiased broadcaster, CRI's production values are pretty slick as far as international broadcasters go. For those of us who remember the bad old days of political harangue on the then Radio Peking in the 1960's ("We begin our transmission with a quotation from Chairman Mao Zedong!!!") the difference is astonishing.

 

[johndavis]

From this morning's Galveston County News regarding KGBC. Pretty much sux seawater
http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=4e313341cbf9d47c

China Radio International has been greatly expanding its reach during the past decade. They've improved their shortwave coverage with a large number of new transmitters in China, as well as leasing time (or time exchanges) on various worldwide shortwave sites. The Chinese have also supplied numerous new transmitters in Cuba, which are used by Radio Havana Cuba, Radio Nacional de Venezuela, as well as CRI.

There was some rumbling some months back that CRI was reevaluating its shortwave presence in regard to its English language broadcasts to the developed world, and was looking for arrangements with local broadcasters. Apparently Salem is leasing one of their Honolulu AM's to CRI (Chuck Tiller, anything you can add about this?) KGBC is another step in CRI's revised broadcast model.

While not an editorially free or unbiased broadcaster, CRI's production values are pretty slick as far as international broadcasters go. For those of us who remember the bad old days of political harangue on the then Radio Peking in the 1960's ("We begin our transmission with a quotation from Chairman Mao Zedong!!!") the difference is astonishing.

Let's face it, if they want a chance at being heard by the general public, they'll reach more people by leasing out AM stations and streaming online than blasting in on shortwave. If AM is Ancient Modulation, shortwave is in the grave.