I want an LPFM license in Madison, Mississippi

[Greg Goodfellow]

Bill, I never knew that the original LPFM concept was to be commercial at 1,000 watts max. Thank you for sharing that.

 

[b-turner]

The idea was to allow new small business entries in the business to counter the corporate groups. The idea was a small business with their first station could provide a purely local service without the excessive entry cost. Rightfully those who paid the enormous cost of entry (most of whom were not big company owned) were furious at the idea the FCC might allow competition without a level playing field. After all the air settled the LPFM concept became a 100 watt at 30 meters non-commercial affair. In fact, it was not until the first window that non-operators of LPFM stations told the FCC the only way to allow ample new entries was to limit ownership to one station (Prometheus and Michi at RECNET, neither hold a LPFM license but have the FCC's ear). In metros, LPFM has many in the coverage area but very few listeners. In small towns where a full power station would be cost prohibitive, a LPFM can do pretty well, akin to that small market AM back in the day. The biggest enemy of most LPFM stations is a lack of understanding of radio. To cite an example of what I'm saying is many LPFMs think they need to be very niche. They might hit 25,000 and choose a format that maybe 1 in 200 might like. The universe of listeners is too low to sustain the station. I always advise trying for as many listeners in your coverage area with as much local information as you can offer (even a community announcement and the forecast every half hour can accomplish this). If you can get 10% or 15% of the people in the 60 dbu tuning in, you have a product attractive to Underwriters and a base of listeners that come to you for local info. Naturally, you don't do a heavy metal format in a little farm town but if you choose a mass appeal format you can do well.

 

[R.D.P.]

I had plans for this LPFM radio station but that didn't work out. One idea was to do CCM by day and Harder Christian tunes by night but many factors stoped me cold. Glad those things stepped in and changed my plans. Doing this CCM, SG and Local Preacher block thing is actually working for me, after five years. When you're doing the Lord's Work, it's best to listen to His voice and obey it. He used many people and His own voice to lead me away from the original CCM/Hardcore idea. Thanks to Him and those voices, I've found my place and it's working very well. After all, I can't claim 100% ownership of this radio station. It was God that made it all happen. To this day, I still see Him as the ultimate founder, owner and operator and continue to give Him Praise for allowing this slightly handicapped person to help spread His Word to mankind, through it. I also continue to thank Him for every blessing He has bestowed on Jesus Radio, so far. My future plans are to stay in it, till He tells me to retire and leave. Not ready to throw in the towel yet. I've come too far with this LPFM station, to quit now.

Dan <><

P.S. Just because you might want do something, with your LPFM radio station, watch out. Your plans may not work out for you. People may come along and talk you out of it and give you ideas that might be even better. I believe that some of these posters and my new post, are fine examples of that.

In closing: If you do something that has mass appeal, many people will brag on your radio station, thank you for bringing it to the airwaves, tell you how much the broadcast means to them, how it helped changed their lives and encourage others to listen as well. I'm a living witness to those things.

I wish you all the best, if you do pursue a LPFM radio station. Hope you'll have success with it. ​

 

[davideduardo]

P.S. Just because you might want do something, with your LPFM radio station, watch out. Your plans may not work out for you. People may come along and talk you out of it and give you ideas that might be even better.​

When I read statements like this, I am reminded of Garth Brook's song about unanswered prayers.

Or even the Rolling Stones singing about not always getting what you want.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

When I read statements like this, I am reminded of Garth Brook's song about unanswered prayers.

Or even the Rolling Stones singing about not always getting what you want.

I've wanted to do things.. or thought about not doing things with the station (not an LPFM) that i manage and im pretty open minded... so when people explained to me otherwise, i listened and made it happen or not happen based upon what they told me. It's not about you, its about the listeners.

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

Madison is so close to Jackson that the commercial dial is clogged. No open frequency for an LPFM there under current rules.
I wonder if anyone went for 91.7 in your area in the latest NCE filing window. Perhaps the FCC will open an LPFM window for applications next year? Best of luck!

 

[TexasTom]

There were competing visions of what LPFM would be when the proposals were being developed. One of the proposals (Community Radio Coalition, which I was involved with) would have allowed 1 kw operation at 60 meters and commercial operation. I believe that the other proposals were lower power and non-commercial only.

It's been a long time, but I believe that all the proposals limited ownership to a single station. This was (and is) necessary to avoid turning LPFM into just a satellator service or (if commercial operation had been allowed) part of the big groups that were then buying up stations left and right.

 

[b-turner]

Here are some questions:

Do you know the frequency you will apply for?

Do you have a tower site (are you building or leasing)? Do you have site assurance? Have the city and/or county okayed the tower? Can the land be used for this?

Do you know the brand of transmitter you will buy? Do you know the LPFM requirements on certifications?

Is your non-profit formed, registered and you have a mission that the FCC sees as educational? Are your board members within the required area?

Do you have an engineer to take care of frequency selection and filing. In heavily radioed areas, it is important to have the best potential frequency (quiet floor, pancaked between two primary frequencies meaning you are less likely to be forced to find another signal)?

Do you have an idea of the money needed to operate the station for a month? How many months can you go without income? Can you subsidize the operation for a couple of years (at least a small percent of the needed cash)?

Do you have some real life experience in programming? I'm not talking an expert but just a general understanding of what is involved. You'd be amazed how many people don't get that an hour-length talk show has hours of prep.

Will you be focused on generating income or in providing content to the station? Time and time again you see stations fail because they get just enough cash to keep going. Then a lightning strike or something breaks and there is no money. I read of a college station that lost the college's funding (student activity fund dollars) and had not taken a stance to be independent, if needed. They have now gone dark. The license is for sale or will be turned in to the FCC. If they had focused on building some savings just in case, they'd likely still be around,

Are you getting out there and meeting everyone you can to talk about building the station? Building awareness brings volunteers and awareness. You'd be amazed the number of LPFMs in towns that din't even know there is a station in their town.

 

[Miss Tuned]

Thisi: you are receiving what is, let's face it, hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of advice for free from people with decades of radio industry knowledge who've been there and done what you're planning to do, advise others on it, and charge. And yet your responses - which are few and far between - when they do come, they're inane one-liners like "oh well if nobody likes it we'll try variety". You aren't even saying "thank you", so I doubt you have the social skills to build a community of volunteers and supporters around your project, which is a thing you need to do. You and your station are going nowhere fast.

What's with the poor website? There's "under construction" and then there's a Wix default template called "My Site" with boilerplate text like "click here to edit me". Did you not think to come to the forum with something more than this, some fleshed-out ideas, something that can be constructively criticized? @b-turner and @fybush have been immensely patient with you, but you yourself are bringing nothing at all to the table.

Let's take this back to square one, to the very basics. Who are you; why do you want to run a radio station in Madison, MS; and why are you the person to run it? Answer those three, and you might be getting somewhere. But more likely, you'll realize you've got nothin'. The title of your thread - I want an LPFM license - suggests you don't get the idea of community radio. It's not about me, me, me.

 

[R.D.P.]

...And a current LPFM radio station owner is giving him free advice too. Well sir, it pains me to say this but breakdowns do and will happen. Just recently replaced the bad transmission line, with new one. The broadcast Computer died and went to motherboard Heaven. That took me off for around a week, while I was getting another one. Thank God that a local Underwriter/Preacher, who speaks on here, helped me replace it. Now working on replacing the transmitter too, due to a power supply issue, in this current one. It has served me well for the past five years, of my very existence. These breakdowns aren't any fun at all. They're very costly to fix and replace and if you don't have the money saved in your coffer, then you can kiss your radio station goodbye. Glad I had the money saved to replace the transmitter. If there were none, the station would've been forced off again, till the power supply issue was resolved and this shut down would've lasted longer than the last one, I just went through. To make this story short, sweet and simple sir, you need to have money and a plan in place to fix breakdowns, when they happen. If you experience any, they will cost you to fix and more than likely, force you off the air for a period of time. The amount of time, will depend on the breakdown and how fast you can fix it. If you can fix it quickly, then you'll be back within a matter of days. If you can't, then you'll have to report this to the FCC and tell them why you're being forced to leave. If you're unable to return within a year, then you'll have to report this again to the FCC or otherwise see your LPFM license deleted. Your biggest issue sir will be money. The more you have, the better off you'll be. Please take these words to heart and heed them out. Just giving you a heads up, on some real life events that go on with the average LPFM radio station that's already in existence. Hope this info will be very helpful to you and your stated intentions. If you're not prepared to deal with the breakdowns, then your radio station won't even survive.

Dan <><

P.S. From time to time, some of the listeners will give a donation to help keep me afloat but in most cases, it's the underwriters that do most of the heavy lifting. You better make sure you have enough of those, to help pay the bills and stay ahead of the breakdowns.​

 

[Mikey Radio]

Yeah, this isn't a situation where someone who has a dream of being in radio and might even "play DJ" using a home-brew setup in their basement, or someone who has a great love of music can just say "I want a station of my own, I'll just get a LPFM license and get on the air...And if my chosen format doesn't work or attract listeners, I'll just try something else". It's also definitely not a "hobby" or a case where you can just give it a go and if it proves too hard or complicated or costly or just doesn't work out for whatever reason, you just toss it aside and move on to the next thing.

Unfortunately, in some cases, at least starting out, it seems people get the idea that this is what LPFM is all about. If it were that simple, easy or that inexpensive to get started and operate, many more radio enthusiasts or radio "geeks" would be putting an antenna on their roof, a transmitter in their spare bedroom and doing it.

 

[R.D.P.]

More free advice from a current LPFM radio station owner and operator.

1. You must have an EAS Device in your studio and it must stay on at all times.

2. You will be required to keep up with all the info that comes through on it and write it down on a station log, as you get it. This will include any info you get for the IPAWS section. (Hey I'll even send him copies of the station log, if he's serious about pursuing this.) (This log will have a spot for the monthly tests, at the top and three for the weekly tests) (The first two will be for your local and NPR station listings.) (The third one will be for the IPAWS listings.) (By law, you must write down the name of the stations, you're keeping up with and the month, date and time of each test that comes through.) (All you have to with IPAWS is write down the month, date and time for each test conducted, since that name is already printed on the paper.) (Near the bottom, you must keep up with all your weekly tests that come through and write down the month, date and time of each test conducted.)
3. At the end of each month, you'll have to go to your EAS web site page and run off the info for that month and save it in your files.
4. By law, you must have two radios in your studio. One will have be tuned in to a local radio station and the other to your local NPR station. These two stations will also be included on the info that comes through on your EAS Web site page. By law, you must write down that info, as it comes through.
5. Your EAS device must be the most recent model and the software will always have to be updated.
6. Your transmitter must be compliant with the FCC. You can't just get the one you want. You must buy the one you're legally allowed to have by law.
7. Your radio station won't cover a big area, on a house styled radio. It'll reach out to a 5 mile radius on most days. Your vehicle radio might get you out to around 33 miles in certain directions.
8. It would be wise for you to have a freestanding tower. With this type, you won't have to worry getting lights or keeping it painted.
9. You must present something that'll have mass appeal and attract many listeners and donors to your broadcast.
10. Make sure you get a good engineer, that will help you every step of the way, from starting the station to keeping it on.
11. By law, your call letters must end with this -LP. My station is known on air as WPJB-LP, as a great example.
12. Listen to us experts. We know what all is involved with the running of a radio station. I may be a newcomer but I've learned so much over the past five years. The pros on here have been very helpful to me. Glad to see them as my friends.

Dan <><​

 

[R.D.P.]

In closing: With the monthly tests, you must write down all the tests that come through the local radio station, your EAS device is set to receive them from. By law, you must write down the name of the radio station, Month, Date and time of the test when they occur. I wanted to type this sooner but the edited thing had ended. I hope our new friend now understands all the ins and outs of running a LPFM radio station. If he's serious about this, I'll send him copies of blank station logs and an example of how he's to fill it out legally.​

Dan <><

P.S. When I say your weekly tests, I mean the ones that comes through on your LPFM radio station.

Also...In the upper right hand corner, you must write down the name of your station, month and year on this log. As an example, you must say, Station WPJB-LP and Month/Year 11-21.​

And...If I do send him some logs, I'll have all this explained to him on a sample copy.

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

Well let's look at Madison. Madison FM DIAL I find an FM frequency for an FM NCE translator. 91.7.

Now let's look at LPFM rules. LPFM SPACING Now a closer look at 91.7 WSQH FM STATIONS ON 91.7

WSQH IS NOT A FULLY BUILT C2 BUT YOU MUST PROTECT THEM AS IF THEY ARE. THEREFORE AN NCE TRANSLATOR COULD GO THERE BUT NOT AN LPFM.

 

[Harvey_Dogg]

As for the history of low power FM, the FCC was licensing noncommercial low power FM's when I was in Junior High School more than 50 years ago. What changed? In the 1970's the FCC decided no new station below 100 Watts.

In the 1980's I filed a petition for rulemaking to bring back non commercial low power FM. That was the first docket entertained by the FCC. It was shot down by the NAB. Later another petition was filed for homemade transmitters on FM. The NAB was horrified and stringent type certification of LPFM transmitters came to be.

The FCC finally passed LPFM along the lines of what I had proposed. But, as I said, the FCC had been doing it when I was just a kid. It was not my idea either.

 

[R.D.P.]

In closing again: Every year I have to pay ASCAP, BMI and SESAC to keep my own music playing. Every song I have and play is copyrighted, by one of those three firms. Unless I pay those bills, I'll have to cease from playing the music and go for a spoken word only format. Just a heads up.

Dan <><​

 

[Thisi]

Thisi: you are receiving what is, let's face it, hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of advice for free from people with decades of radio industry knowledge who've been there and done what you're planning to do, advise others on it, and charge. And yet your responses - which are few and far between - when they do come, they're inane one-liners like "oh well if nobody likes it we'll try variety". You aren't even saying "thank you", so I doubt you have the social skills to build a community of volunteers and supporters around your project, which is a thing you need to do. You and your station are going nowhere fast.

What's with the poor website? There's "under construction" and then there's a Wix default template called "My Site" with boilerplate text like "click here to edit me". Did you not think to come to the forum with something more than this, some fleshed-out ideas, something that can be constructively criticized? @b-turner and @fybush have been immensely patient with you, but you yourself are bringing nothing at all to the table.

Let's take this back to square one, to the very basics. Who are you; why do you want to run a radio station in Madison, MS; and why are you the person to run it? Answer those three, and you might be getting somewhere. But more likely, you'll realize you've got nothin'. The title of your thread - I want an LPFM license - suggests you don't get the idea of community radio. It's not about me, me, me.

I meant, "We want", not "I want"

 

[Thisi]

I meant, "We want", not "I want"

And I also know how community radio works.

 

[Thisi]

Thisi: you are receiving what is, let's face it, hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of advice for free from people with decades of radio industry knowledge who've been there and done what you're planning to do, advise others on it, and charge. And yet your responses - which are few and far between - when they do come, they're inane one-liners like "oh well if nobody likes it we'll try variety". You aren't even saying "thank you", so I doubt you have the social skills to build a community of volunteers and supporters around your project, which is a thing you need to do. You and your station are going nowhere fast.

What's with the poor website? There's "under construction" and then there's a Wix default template called "My Site" with boilerplate text like "click here to edit me". Did you not think to come to the forum with something more than this, some fleshed-out ideas, something that can be constructively criticized? @b-turner and @fybush have been immensely patient with you, but you yourself are bringing nothing at all to the table.

Let's take this back to square one, to the very basics. Who are you; why do you want to run a radio station in Madison, MS; and why are you the person to run it? Answer those three, and you might be getting somewhere. But more likely, you'll realize you've got nothin'. The title of your thread - I want an LPFM license - suggests you don't get the idea of community radio. It's not about me, me, me.

Obviously you're just trying to talk me out of getting an Lpfm license. Go back under your rock.

 

[frankberry]

Obviously you're just trying to talk me out of getting an Lpfm license. Go back under your rock.

I have banned Thisi for a seven day period.