AFR wastes another radio channel

[CW]

Before Rita, KHCB had a CP to construct a translator in the BPT area for 105.7 but Rita caused the tower they proposed to fall and then they decided off air reception would be impossible that far away. Well, they evidently sold the CP to AFR...and yes, its on the air at 40 watts on a tower in Port Neches....problem is 90.5 KZFT, their BPT affiliate already covers this area well within the city grade...what a waste of a channel (94.7) and now folks trying to listen to Buzz or KSMB in LFT will have some problems....at least KHCB showed some sense .

Just another reason for me to not listen to AFR...(again).

 

[DJboutit3]

Just sad

 

[Mediafrog+]

Perusing AFR's website, it appears they have multiple program streams. Perhaps the translator will have separate programming from KZFT, similar to what EMF does with their "K-Love" and "Air-1" formats, both of which air on different stations in a number of markets.

 

[stan]

This is ridiculous. How do we get this revoked and stop crap like this in the future?

 

[CW]

Perusing AFR's website, it appears they have multiple program streams. Perhaps the translator will have separate programming from KZFT, similar to what EMF does with their "K-Love" and "Air-1" formats, both of which air on different stations in a number of markets.

It cannot. It is a commercial band xlator signal thus it cannot take audio directly off a sat. It MUST repeat an on air signal in the non comm end...and AFR's local signals (90.5 Fannett and 90.3 in LA) are the same program feed.

 

[jd]

It is a commercial band xlator signal thus it cannot take audio directly off a sat. It MUST repeat an on air signal in the non comm end...and AFR's local signals (90.5 Fannett and 90.3 in LA) are the same program feed.

Right, CW, and it exposes the way these folks get around the rules. Since those other stations are in the NCE (non-commercial educational) band, 88.1-91.9 mHz, they're allowed to get their programming via satellite under FCC rules. The new translator, by getting its programming from 90.5 really is getting it via satellite, albeit second-generation, since they're not airing programs produced locally by KZFT. That's just wrong, but it won't change until the FCC closes the loophole, something that you and I will never see. Religious broadcasters wouldn't let it happen.

 

[War Of Attrition]

This is ridiculous. How do we get this revoked and stop crap like this in the future?

So you don't like AFR? Here's your solution: DON'T LISTEN TO IT!

Their are obviously (maybe not to you) people who don't think their programming and operations are "crap". Otherwise they wouldn't have the network growth (in terms of both number of stations and listeners) that they have experienced over the last decade.

AFR has the signals they have either because they filed for an open frequency or bought and existing one from another group. Either way they acquired these signals by the letter of the law. This country provides the ability for private groups to program radio stations the way they see fit within some very broad guidelines. AFR follows the guidelines. What's your problem?

 

[stan]

Drove around Port Neches Saturday. While I was able to pick up the AFR pirate quite well, in my Beaumont neighborhood I'm hearing what sounds like a rock station, probably from someone's Ipod. :

 

[CW]

AND they have done it again...another translator of 90.5 Fannett is on 98.1 licensed to Beaumont but on the American tower in Vidor...100watts at 500ft.....this makes TWO translators for AFR that are well within the city grade of their 90.5 signal....what a waste...you could not expect commercial ops to do this, but non-comms get away with it (and this kind of operation is ridiculous...they already cover the areas that the translators cover...YET a LPFM could not be licensed in the same locations!)
Thanks FCC and AFR for really showing what a mess you can make.