92.7 Rev

[davideduardo]

But with respect, that's something you believe that isn't shared by all. A person should have a choice whether or not to abort based on their own beliefs and whether it's medically safe.

Within what our lawmakers hopefully determine to be the start of life.

If I believed (and I don't) that having children was terrible for the planet because human overpopulation causes climate change, I may choose not to have a child myself. But would I go around telling others not to have children? Or push for legislation that bans having children? Of course not, because I don't have the right to force others to live by my values.

That is prevention on of pregnancy, not the termination of what may be... at some time in the future... be agreed on to be the start of life.

To take things back to radio, I think we need a lot more listening, a lot more conversation and a lot less preaching - whether that's religious preaching over the airwaves, or conservative or liberal talk hosts talking past one another to their own audiences. It's the only way to fix a divided society.

I've lived much of my life in nations where there were more than two significant political parties, and in those cases things are always decided by the joining of two or more parties on a particular subject to reach a majority agreement. What we are seeing now is the need for sub-groups to unite to consider issues, not the particular flag their party flies.

 

[MarioMania]

Can we stop going Off Topic Here

 

[davideduardo]

Can we stop going Off Topic Here

The topic has evolved into a discussion of formats... in this case talk radio formats and the underlying subjects. And that is an offshoot of the discussion of non-commercial or community stations. So the progression of the thread is logical.

The moderators here don't generally close or censure a thread if it wanders in a new direction. In most cases, we encourage "out of the box thinking".

Since none of us have any involvement with the fighting "owner", receiver or the FCC, this is sort of an open topic on what should be or would be or could be the use of this little signal.

 

[K.M. Richards]

To me, humanity begins shortly after a fetus has a heartbeat... to others, it begins when a fetus can survive outside the womb.

And in Judaism, life does not begin until the actual birth.

It is because of those differing beliefs that all these laws about abortion are little more than forcing one set of values onto those who do not agree with their underlying principles.

Margaret Atwood was on "Firing Line" yesterday and made the observation that denying abortion and therefore forcing a woman to give birth essentially is the government taking ownership of her body, and that if the government wants to do so, they should be forced to pay the living expenses, medical costs, etc. during the pregnancy and provide support for both mother and child afterwards. Of course, we all know what the likelihood of that happening is.

(For those who do not know, Atwood authored the 1985 novel "The Handmaid's Tale" which has recently been made into a television series on Hulu. She thus is very qualified to make the above observation.)

 

[JeremyAndrews]

I grew up hearing VCY. I knew people who listened because their flagship was the only FM Christian station aside from Family Radio in Milwaukee.

They are very modest. They don’t buy anything they don’t need. Their TV station often looks like a Public Access station of the 80s. The flagship does not have RDS. They came from a very modest background. Basically a youth organization leasing time on FM signals that needed programming in the 1960s.

They got a nice amount in the spectrum auction for their TV bandwidth. I can’t say for sure, but I believe they have been using some of that money to add stations.

Their views are that of warning people about what they believe to be bad on some shows, while preaching and playing mostly out of print music during other shows. I believe they did want to reach people in that area as stated above, and the amount of money was enough to not break their bank.

EMF operates a little different. They want coverage everywhere possible, so they buy all the time. Unlike VCY, they intentionally avoid controversial topics and mostly just play music. They have a more approachable way of reaching people who are not Christian or might have fallen away. The music is how they do it.

 

[TheBigA]

I believe they did want to reach people in that area as stated above, and the amount of money was enough to not break their bank.

Some people, including Ed Stolz, felt they got a bargain when they were able to buy three stations for about $6 million. Same with EMF's deal to buy some legendary signals from Cumulus. My view is that radio stations are a bargain, and those bargains could be had for anyone...not just those with a religious agenda.

 

[JeremyAndrews]

I believe they could. I think you just see Religious broadcasters buying more often because they have the money set aside for such things. EMF always had a new station fund. Around 2008 they slowed buying for awhile because donations were slowing. If non-religious non profits and commercial broadcasters had money set aside for the purpose of buying stations, I believe we'd see more of them.

 

[Hole in your radio]

Slightly off topic, but how does EMF make enough money to cover their operating expenses?
I've heard some concert spots that wobble on the edge of "commercial" but those are rare.
I wonder if individual donations and grants can really be enough to keep it going.
I realize my knowledge is slim to none on this topic. Is anyone here close enough to EMF to provide a clue?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

EMF prints money via listener donations. They had about $209 million in donations in 2020, and expenses of only $129 million.

 

[Hole in your radio]

EMF prints money via listener donations. They had about $209 million in donations in 2020, and expenses of only $129 million.

Stunning! People, I tell ya... Thanks.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Slightly off topic, but how does EMF make enough money to cover their operating expenses?

Part of the answer is how they operate their stations in the first place.

When EMF closes on a station purchase, the local studios and office also close. They put a high-speed broadband connection in at the transmitter site (used to be the installation of a satellite dish) and the national programming feed comes in directly, with a computer handling what local content -- such as the legal station identification -- needs to be inserted.

Basically, their "operating expenses" at the local level are just the electric and internet bills. Their higher expenses are centralized at the national offices and studios and those are easily covered by a fraction of what they take in as donations from their "grateful" audience.

 

[JeremyAndrews]

They also have regional facilities in some areas. Local Public Affairs and Promotions originate from those facilities. They currently have job openings at some of them.

The national facilities include the airstaff and programming and technical operations. They also have a 24/7 Listener Care department. You can call and talk to someone 24/7. In addition, they also have a Pastoral Care department where you can also call and talk to a pastor 24/7. That’s one thing I believe they do correctly. They’re available for their listeners 24/7. It’s a lot larger than it seems.

They now also have a podcast platform (Accessmore) with all original podcasts. They also now do book publishing and movies (Basically lowish budget Christian movies). Their most recent movie Family Camp was released this month. I believe when Bill Reeves (WTA) became their CEO replacing Mike Novak, they basically merged with his film company. I think Mike is doing middays on 940 KYNO in Fresno now…

 

[Delete My Account]

So.. why do secular non profits not do this?

My theory is because the ones that are most successful are strongly tied to local organizations and culture. The Current is heavily connected to Minnesota music, KCRW to a certain LA set of tastes, and WXPN to Philadelphia. They can't nationalize a format in the way EMF can and be as true to their organizational purpose and values.

 

[MarioMania]

Why would EMF want 92.7?

The Signal doesn't go far anyways

 

[K.M. Richards]

Why would EMF want 92.7?

I think you got lost in the side discussion, Mario. We were originally discussing VCY's apparent desire to buy KREV.

OTOH, before EMF purchased 100.3 in Los Angeles in the wake of the Entercom/CBS merger, they bought the trimulcasting 92.7 signals in Thousand Oaks (eastern Ventura County), Fountain Valley (western Orange County) and Adelanto (Victor Valley), none of which went all that far either ... (I guess they were more desperate then.)

 

[MarioMania]

I guess I did

Do you think VCY going to get KREV?

How much does Mister Ed is asking

 

[K.M. Richards]

Do you think VCY going to get KREV?

Well, they were going to buy all three for $6 million under the deal Patrick made, so it probably depends on what they think KREV is worth on its own. (The sale Patrick brokered has been called a "fire sale" by a lot of people, so I'm sure Alameda could be priced at more than $2 million on its own.)

It is worth noting that Stolz wants to keep the other two (KRCK Pam Springs and KFRH Las Vegas). Also, Patrick has come out in favor of all three being sold at auction if the deal he brokered is indeed out of the picture now, and such an auction would likely ramp up the price. VCY paid $9.2 million for 103.3 in Dallas last December so I suspect they would go higher than other (secular) bidders to get what they want.

How much does Mister Ed is asking

Ignoring that garbled syntax, he hasn't said. Inside Radio, in that article TheBigA linked to post #225 (which was just last Wednesday, for those who haven't noticed that we're on the third page of discussion just since then) and which I am relinking for convenience said Stolz has engaged a broker but that would mean that his asking price is only known to said broker.

 

[TheBigA]

The sale Patrick brokered has been called a "fire sale" by a lot of people, so I'm sure Alameda could be priced at more than $2 million on its own.

In his bankruptcy filing, Stolz says KREV is worth itself could command "tens of millions of dollars." Methinks Mr. Stolz still lives in the 90s. My guess for KREV alone would be a bit less than 103.3 in Dallas. Maybe $7 million. iHeart just got the 107.9 frequency alone in Sacramento for $6.1 million. So the frequency & facilities in Alameda might be worth $7 million.

 

[seattlesarchiebunker]

I’d probably compare it more to the recent KRTY sale. Both are class A’s, both will be sold sans offices/studios (as mentioned before), both lease tower space, and both cover roughly the same amount of people in different parts of the market.

I’m saying $3-5 million, tops.

 

[TheBigA]

I’d probably compare it more to the recent KRTY sale.

Keep in mind KRTY was an estate sale. How does that compare to a bankruptcy sale? I think KRTY was undervalued. Ed Stolz wants to sell property and other assets to maximize his value.

The upper end of your spectrum may be closer. That assumes Stotz gets his way at the hearing.