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I have An Idea

CTListener said:
Both my brother and I were involved with such stations in college, 10 years apart, me as an occasional music librarian at Syracuse's WJPZ (which eventually became a licensed FM), he as a sportscaster at Ithaca College's WVIC (which was forced to call itself simply VIC after getting a cease-and-desist letter from the real WVIC, in Michigan). VIC's carrier-current days ended in 1997, when it started streaming.
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I'm not sure the carrier current station I mentioned was authorized to use their letters. An alumnus who worked there wanted them for his station and made sure to do everything legally. The carrier current station was off the air by that time.
 
I've been reading about the recent collaboration between R. Sausalito and the CHRS, and it got me to thinking about my idea, and I've decided to pare it down and forget about trying to have a network with affiliates and stuff. It's too big and unwieldy an idea, and doomed to financial failure.

Instead, I want to concentrate on doing something similar to what R. Sausalito is doing, which is to be a sort of micro network of legal Part 15 transmitters serving one community (now two, with the new CHRS transmitter Alameda broadcasting on 1570) very well.

It would take a bit of effort to get going, but R. Sausalito did it, and they seem to be reasonably successful, so why can't I do the same?

I think I would want mine to be primarily a music-oriented station with a sort of classic Top 40-like sound, but with a super wide variety of music, including local artists and groups who might want to enjoy some small-time "radio airplay" for fun.

And it would stream, too, of course.

Thoughts?

c
 
I suppose the question is if Radio Sausalito is successful enough to gain enough in donations, underwriting and grants to fund itself and leave spare cash for rainy days. It would be interesting to learn how well connected the core group is in the community and an idea of how many listen.

As for the on air side, sounds fun. I get this is not for commercial success. Even so, you've got to cover the bills and emergencies and you need enough audience to get underwriters.

Might I caution you that the main guy does almost all the work. People come out of the woodwork when you start but 3 months later only a very few stay with it.

One station I know of is entirely listener supported but it took years before the cash was there: KOTO Radio - The Sound of Telluride since 1975 You might call them for advice.
 


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