I noticed a report in my Inside Radio newsletter today that indicated that the state of Arkansas leads the country in the approval of LPFM stations. Apparently 65% of the applications that have been submitted have gotten a thumbs up. This is almost disturbing to me as a broadcaster because outside of localities that have no commercial service, I feel like this is only paving the way for the Calvary Chapels and the other religious broadcasters to expand their network of repeaters.
Where I am doing most of my business in NW Arkansas, there is literally a low power FM popping up on every frequency. Within thirty miles of my office in Fayetteville, I've counted seven low power FMs that have been granted licenses, and with the exception of one, these are all operated by some type of religous entity. The only one I can tolerate is the LPFM in Prairie Grove... they do some community things like high school football.
My point is, these religious entities have the entire non-comm side of the dial to put their 24/7 preaching on, and their low power repeaters that are currently polluting our second and third adjacent frequencies. When they finally decide to let FM translators repeat AM signals, operators in areas like NW Arkansas are going to have a hard time finding a place to put them with all these stations popping up.
I don't have that big of a voice in this industry, but if you agree with me that this is becoming a problem, maybe those who sit on the NAB and our state associations of broadcasters need to be encouraged to lobby the FCC not to sign off on every application that comes across the table. Our FM side of the dial is polluted enough as it is.
Rant over. Carry on my friends.
Where I am doing most of my business in NW Arkansas, there is literally a low power FM popping up on every frequency. Within thirty miles of my office in Fayetteville, I've counted seven low power FMs that have been granted licenses, and with the exception of one, these are all operated by some type of religous entity. The only one I can tolerate is the LPFM in Prairie Grove... they do some community things like high school football.
My point is, these religious entities have the entire non-comm side of the dial to put their 24/7 preaching on, and their low power repeaters that are currently polluting our second and third adjacent frequencies. When they finally decide to let FM translators repeat AM signals, operators in areas like NW Arkansas are going to have a hard time finding a place to put them with all these stations popping up.
I don't have that big of a voice in this industry, but if you agree with me that this is becoming a problem, maybe those who sit on the NAB and our state associations of broadcasters need to be encouraged to lobby the FCC not to sign off on every application that comes across the table. Our FM side of the dial is polluted enough as it is.
Rant over. Carry on my friends.