Saga has positioned themselves to make the lions share of potential advertising revenue in the Ithaca area, hurray for them... However, enjoy it while you can because once you begin to abuse the translator loop hole that's when it draws attention, opposition get louder and then change comes!
I've been talking to a few different people about this, and the vague consensus is that if there was going to be a massive "gold rush" to translators being used as "analog primaries" for HD channels and/or FM translators for AM stations...it would've happened by now. I think the concept, while distasteful to many and not very wise in the long run, is too limited to really make a huge dent. Even the biggest FM translator is still only 250 watts, and east of the Mississippi it's rarely anything but directional and even then it's often below 50 watts. These are pretty teeny-tiny signals. Too weak to penetrate buildings for at-work listening, and too small to work well for in-car listening.
But, you say, what about LPFM's? Well, same problem, really. That's why a lot of the non-religious and non-college LPFM's are struggling fiscally. Several have gone under entirely, most are skirting the edge on a daily basis.
Experience tells me "the Vine" (the new format on the new translator-AAA) makes more business and entertainment sense in the Ithaca area (Finger Lakes) than "Lite Rock" (on their way down...a slow nose dive).
Well, NPR's World Cafe is solidly Triple-A and it gets good listener response in Ithaca on our station (WEOS). We usually have underwriting spots during it...although a lot of it is trade for free tickets...which is a sign that it's got listener appeal.
It's "legal" for two reasons. One, I believe that translators don't count against a station group's market cap. So, in theory, Saga could acquire more translators to simulcast HD programming until or unless the regulations are changed. (snip) I'm just as outraged about this as the rest of you on here. For with the exceptions of WVBR and WFIZ, if you want to advertise on commercial radio in Ithaca, you WILL do business with Saga, or do without. And my guess is that's just how Saga wants it.
You are correct Jake: translators do not count towards a market cap. Also, Ithaca is part of the Syracuse market...so while Ithaca proper has relatively few non-translator signals, the overall Syracuse market has lots. So Saga is nowhere near the ownership cap. And while Saga owns four of the nine non-translator, commercial-band signals in Ithaca...it only takes one competing station to really keep ad rates in check. Saga will (presumably) always have WVBR to fill that spoiler role, and WFIZ just adds a multiplier to that effect.
Of course, I'm
FLAIM will file an objection anyways...despite being shot down at least once already by the FCC.
