Detroit's Oasis Endangered Already?

[DToTheJ]

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/91806/could-detroit-s-104-7-the-oasis-be-shut-down

"Following an on air and online plea for affected WIOT listeners, CLEAR CHANNEL attached a list of 13 listeners that claimed THE OASIS interfered with their reception of WIOT, not in TOLEDO or even close to TOLEDO, but in the DETROIT metro area," says Oasis owner Tim Martz.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

This is similar to the situation with NYC's W292DV 106.3 translator getting shut down recently by interference complaints by WKMK in New Jersey. Ironically, Clear Channel was the one trying to program the translator from an HD2 feed in NYC just like Martz is in Detroit.

Unfortunately for Tim Martz, the FCC rules appear to favor WIOT if that station can demonstrate the translator is causing interference in an area where it has listeners, even outside of its primary coverage area:

§ 74.1203 Interference.

(a) An authorized FM translator or booster station will not be permitted to continue to operate if it causes any actual interference to:

(3) The direct reception by the public of the off-the-air signals of any authorized broadcast station... Interference will be considered to occur whenever reception of a regularly used signal is impaired by the signals radiated by the FM translator or booster station, regardless of the quality of such reception, the strength of the signal so used, or the channel on which the protected signal is transmitted.

 

[DToTheJ]

Bingo. CC's got a classic case of "translator envy".

 

[the marv]

I would not suprised if more companies started complaining about radio translators. Going on road trips is becoming a pain since these new translators were put on since alot of big market radio stations that had a good distance from their city are now cut down due to these translators.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

Better look for a different frequency, or directionalize it away from the south, and be located north of the Wayne County line. This case is just too close for a translator to be on the same freq of a full powered station 50 miles away - not that there aren't many other such cases (mostly national religious translator stations squeezing out NPR affiliates on the edge of their protected contours). Why not try 87.7, since channel 6 opened it up? Anyone else on it in Motown?

 

[xmusicmatt]

Can't fault Clear Channel..

this smooth jazz translator is the same broadcaster who is trashing 89X due to their cancon regs and trashing a Rhy CHR in Pittsburgh making fun of ryan seacrest and other things... as he recently got a translator in Pitts to rebroadcast a Rhy top40 format on one of his AM stations.

 

[tomservo]

Interference will be considered to occur whenever reception of a regularly used signal is impaired by the signals radiated by the FM translator or booster station, regardless of the quality of such reception, the strength of the signal so used, or the channel on which the protected signal is transmitted.

I learn something new every day. I was under the impression that even with a second class station like a translator, the interference still had to be within the 54/60 dBu contour. Guess now.

This seems wide-open to interpretation. So if I complain about a local translator interfering with a station from 150 miles away that only comes in via skip, but does so 6 days a week regularly, then I could have a case with the FCC? That seems to be taking things way too far. (But it's entirely plausible down here on the Gulf Coast where I live and skip is as common as high gas prices.)

 

[Howard Dean]

Why?? WIOT is a piece of crap anyway. Actually, in Toledo Cumulus had to move there Translator back to 100.7 from 100.9 due to people not being able to pull in WRIF.

 

[danikayser84]

Here in Albany, a regional Christian broadcaster, Sound of Life, has a translator on 94.9 here, but I haven't heard it on the air for a while now... could someone have complained about interference on WKLL (94.9 in Utica) or was the translator just having technical difficulties? Of course, it could have just been tropo blocking out the translator...

 

[umfan]

The Oasis web site said a deal with Clear Channel was imminent. I hope something can be worked out. I like having Smooth Jazz back.

 

[Barry]

The website for The Oasis now indicates that owner Martz Communications and Clear Channel are once again at odds, over complaints of interference to WIOT. Martz alleges that CC reneged on an agreement to mutually seek a solution and is asking the F.C.C. to shut down the translator, which is apparently still on the air.
They are asking listeners to sign an online petition to keep The Oasis on the air. I doubt that would have much sway over the F.C.C.

104.7 The Oasis: http://www.1047theoasis.com/

 

[umfan]

I understand that the Oasis cut power in response to Clear Channel's complaint. The signal was already somewhat marginal, but prior to the decrease it came in well on the whole of I-696 and even northward to Auburn Hills. Now it's unlistenable in those areas. It'll be a short life for this station if they can't return the power to the prior level.

 

[simonsez]

Oasis pulled a 0.6 in June PPMs with a cume of 98,000.

 

[umfan]

That is not half bad considering it just started and the signal issues. That proves there is a viable market for Smooth Jazz/Easy Listening in Detroit. Good for Martz Communications for doing what it can to fulfill this niche.

 

[jt1120]

Can't fault Clear Channel..

this smooth jazz translator is the same broadcaster who is trashing 89X due to their cancon regs.

Gee, is there a problem with competition? Rule number one: if you're the new dog, point out the faults of your competitor. It's worked for radio stations for years.

 

[uncamark]

Can't fault Clear Channel..

this smooth jazz translator is the same broadcaster who is trashing 89X due to their cancon regs.

Gee, is there a problem with competition? Rule number one: if you're the new dog, point out the faults of your competitor. It's worked for radio stations for years.

The problem is that the Bone claims to be alternative/modern, but sounds in music and imaging more like an active rocker, even down to the "Bone Babes" on the web site.

 

[Barry]

The Oasis website has a link to a letter from the F.C.C. dated 7/27/11. It states that the Oasis' translator, W284BQ has thirty days to resolve all of the (28) individual interference complaints from listeners of WIOT. The note indicates that if this is not done, the agency may require the translator to shut down, in accordance with the relevant rules.
The home page of the Oasis website is trying to portray this letter as favorable to the Oasis by indicating it requires them to address the issues raised by WIOT's listeners, not owner Clear Channel.

F.C.C. Letter: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.savetheoasis.com/filings/W284BQ-WIOT.pdf

 

[Media_Maven]

Can someone please explain to me the justification for why the interests of 98,000 Metro-Detroiters -- who are trying to listen to a Metro-Detroit radio station (ok, "translator" - whatever) offering a format that is NOT offered anywhere else within 100+ miles of either Detroit or Toledo -- should be TRUMPED by 28 people complaining they can't hear a station located 50+ miles away in an entirely different market, which is broadcasting a format readily available within Metro-Detroit? This makes no sense to me!

MM

 

[syntheticexctasy]

Can someone please explain to me the justification for why the interests of 98,000 Metro-Detroiters -- who are trying to listen to a Metro-Detroit radio station (ok, "translator" - whatever) offering a format that is NOT offered anywhere else within 100+ miles of either Detroit or Toledo -- should be TRUMPED by 28 people complaining they can't hear a station located 50+ miles away in an entirely different market, which is broadcasting a format readily available within Metro-Detroit? This makes no sense to me!

MM

It's relatively simple. WIOT has been around since there was dirt. WIOT, whether it is documented or not, has a following in southeast Michigan. There may only be 28 documented bona fide cases of interference (of which I am one), but who says that there aren't 28,000 cases? Not everyone who has experienced the interference has made a claim, I'm absolutely sure.

Personally, I don't do smooth jazz, but clearly there is a need for it in Detroit. The Cume proves that. The obvious easiest answer to this problem would be a different frequency. There are plenty of others to choose from.

I actually like Martz's other translator, 94.3 the bone, but I also like WIOT and WRIF, and I'm sure other folks feel the same way.

I believe the whole "David and Goliath" thing is a little blown out of proportion. Clear channel is not "bullying the little guy", it is simply getting the most bang for it's buck, which is how any business is run.

What if Martz had signed on at 101.5, 99.9, or 107.9, all at about the same distance from the translator? I'm pretty sure some people would be just as unhappy about that.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

Turns out there's another translator that's just been approved for 99.9 FM in Detroit (you'll have to look it up in the FCC actions from the past week - I don't typically retain those e-mails). Gotta think that's gonna get some country fans in a rage, since the Toledo station has been top rated there for years, and probably gets some sizeable fringe listeners in the Detroit suburbs who will start having on-channel interference issues.

Seems like licensing "low wattage" translators, or even LPFM, on the same frequencies as Class B and C stations 50 miles away is not a good idea - especially when there's no mountains in the way. Is every station going to be treated like a "class A" (ie, 6 kw at 100 meters) now, with about 20 miles protected zone, and the rest is up for grabs?? If so, the FM dial is starting to sound as cluttered as AM in many areas, and it really messes up in-car listening. Nothing like paving the way for internet radio to replace terresterial radio, once the technology is perfected for in-car listening.