-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Mutual Radio News
- Thread starter MarcB
- Start date
I hadn't heard of Mutual Radio News, but it looks like they are run by a hobbyist. And probably using the Mutual Radio name without permission of Westwood One who now owns the Mutual trademark.
More: After someone mentioned this network on the other message board I googled it and found out Mutual Radio News launched in April 2015. It says the are not affiliated with the old Mutual Broadcasting System and they make their newscasts available to both commercial and non-commercial stations. They don't list them all (WXCT 990/1490 is not listed), but it says they're on 75 stations. Some other affiliates include: WPKN 89.5 Bridgeport CT, WQJJ-LP Jasper Alabama, KSET 1300 in Texas, and a couple Part 15 Stations in Shirley, Mass. http://mutualradionews.com/affiliates/
I believe you have to take steps to protect a copyright. If you don't use it after a period of time, it should be fair game.
Copyright and trademark (or service mark) are two different things.
This is a trademark. The trademarked name is Mutual Broadcasting System, and they're careful to avoid any connection to that trademark.
K
K.M. Richards
Guest
And I would opine that the statement on their website about not being affiliated with the former MBS would strengthen any defense if challenged by Cumulus/Westwood One.
The "new" Mutual Radio News network is making Art Bell's new program available live and free of charge to LPFM (low power FM ) stations. As I understand it LPFM stations are supposed to be non-commercial, so I don't know how this is supposed to work economically.
http://us11.campaign-archive1.com/?u=05ec4a46f2bb16de397461835&id=c5396e6d1c
http://us11.campaign-archive1.com/?u=05ec4a46f2bb16de397461835&id=c5396e6d1c
As I understand it, LPFM stations are not allowed to air nationally distributed programming either. They're licensed to provide hyper-local service.
Have you listened to their newscast samples? They're awful! It's rip and read (badly) with no "on the spot" correspondents. And the pronunciations! "Eye-ran" might be a judgment call, but "Camp Lagoon" (Camp Lejeune) is hilarious and "rhino-saurus" is just plain embarrassing. (Though I think Fred Flintstone might have kept one as a pet...)
And what's with this electronic "dweedle-eedle-eedle" between stories, anyway? Is it necessary now to "dumb down" radio so the listeners have to be told where one story ends and the next begins?
And what's with this electronic "dweedle-eedle-eedle" between stories, anyway? Is it necessary now to "dumb down" radio so the listeners have to be told where one story ends and the next begins?
That may be a production element because the newscasts are pieced together from several story pods recorded at different times.
We have two LPFMs, owned by different ham radio organizations(in separate areas of town)that run ham radio news for a couple of minutes an hour. The rest of the programming is local.
Actually LPFM stations can run National programming and most do. The majority of LPFM stations are a satellite feed. There are many Catholic and 7th Day Adventist stations running a feed 24/7. Calvary Chapel stations tend to be mostly national ministries from the 'Calvary' library with a little locally originated music on computer. Many of the LPFM stations that are more community based rely somewhat on syndicated programs. Democracy Now with Amy Goodman is such an example. FSN and Mutual are two news services heard on many LPFMs.
LPFM was established to be a local service but since the FCC does not dictate programming, hooking up to a satellite is fine.
The exception seems to be the 'point system' used to decide between competing applicants. In such an instance the FCC offers a point to applicants that will originate at least 8 hours of local programming a day and the FCC has clarified that is not a computer in a closet playing 8 hours of non-stop music.
The question seems to be if an applicant promises this, must they hold to the promise if there are no other applicants for the frequency. This has never been challenged. Since the point system is never considered for a lone LPFM candidate is it in force or does it become a requirement only if there are two or more applicants?
I have spoken to LPFM stations that had the intention of upholding the local programming promise only to find they over-estimated volunteer participation and revenue. Since many LPFM applicants are first time broadcasters, they lack a real world knowledge of radio. When an applicant in a 6,000 population coverage area believes they can do 10 hours a day of local talk shows with local government and community leaders it is easy to tell they haven't a clue (ie: 2 hour daily talk call-in show with doctors from the local hospital). My point, in ignorance they make well intended promises until reality slaps them in the face. For this reason, I suspect the FCC has chosen not to force the issue.
The concept of Low Power FM forces a station to be local in focus because of the coverage area. While programming may not be, listeners and support is almost entirely local. Poor programming choices and/or a lack of coordinated funding plans have essentially caused 1/3rd of LPFM stations from the first window to turn in their license.
So, regardless, taking a news service, carrying Art Bell and such is perfectly legal for LPFM stations. Interestingly, it is even legal for a LPFM to be rebroadcast on a full power station but not for a LPFM to rebroadcast a full power station.
LPFM was established to be a local service but since the FCC does not dictate programming, hooking up to a satellite is fine.
The exception seems to be the 'point system' used to decide between competing applicants. In such an instance the FCC offers a point to applicants that will originate at least 8 hours of local programming a day and the FCC has clarified that is not a computer in a closet playing 8 hours of non-stop music.
The question seems to be if an applicant promises this, must they hold to the promise if there are no other applicants for the frequency. This has never been challenged. Since the point system is never considered for a lone LPFM candidate is it in force or does it become a requirement only if there are two or more applicants?
I have spoken to LPFM stations that had the intention of upholding the local programming promise only to find they over-estimated volunteer participation and revenue. Since many LPFM applicants are first time broadcasters, they lack a real world knowledge of radio. When an applicant in a 6,000 population coverage area believes they can do 10 hours a day of local talk shows with local government and community leaders it is easy to tell they haven't a clue (ie: 2 hour daily talk call-in show with doctors from the local hospital). My point, in ignorance they make well intended promises until reality slaps them in the face. For this reason, I suspect the FCC has chosen not to force the issue.
The concept of Low Power FM forces a station to be local in focus because of the coverage area. While programming may not be, listeners and support is almost entirely local. Poor programming choices and/or a lack of coordinated funding plans have essentially caused 1/3rd of LPFM stations from the first window to turn in their license.
So, regardless, taking a news service, carrying Art Bell and such is perfectly legal for LPFM stations. Interestingly, it is even legal for a LPFM to be rebroadcast on a full power station but not for a LPFM to rebroadcast a full power station.
Last edited:
The FCC can and does dictate some general programming rules. The intent of LPFM was to create a local service. No surprise that some stations skirt the rules. It's one thing to carry a short non-commercial national newscast. It's quite another to become a satellite repeater.
I'm unable to find the rule that TheBigA is talking about. There's a rule that says LPFMs are not translators and may not rebroadcast other stations, but I don't see anything against airing nationally acquired programming. The FCC does use local programming plans as a tiebreaker in the LPFM licensing process. Reference Docket 99-25, 2012 edition.
That's what I mean. Perhaps these markets are so small that there are no competing applicants.
Programming is considered in the initial application for a LPFM. Applicants submit a generalized programming statement. If you do not submit one, the FCC will ask for one. Most are very generalized.
In the case of multiple applicants, there is a 'point system' used. Among the qualifying points is a promise to broadcast 8 hours of local programming. In one of the seminars conducted by the FCC the question was asked what qualified as local programming. The answer given was that a computer playing music and even a DJ spinning songs did not qualify. As is the case many times with the FCC, a specific answer was not as clear as what was not considered local origination.
While the format is never dictated (except under circumstances of 'obscene' programming), the FCC does expect the applicant to generally describe programming plans and has a way to elevate the applicant as 'better qualified' by adding at least 8 hours of local programming daily.
I can't say the satellite fed stations are skirting the rules. In almost every instance, regardless of origin, the programming is unduplicated and otherwise not available locally. In addition, in many cases the population that, especially in the religious broadcasters, subscribes to the beliefs presented on the station make up a sizable portion of the overall population in the coverage area. For example, a denomination making up 3% of America at large may be 30% in the LPFM coverage area.
With that said, the FCC has tried to lessen the number of applications that are from groups seeking to relegate local programming to a legal ID on a 24/7 satellite feed. I know one guy that did a number of LPFM applications being advised to be on the lookout for a large number of applications coming from any single specific group. By this I mean multiple applications for a specific group and/or denomination where engineering work is offered by the same engineer and the same programming statement.
I think we sometime want to associate programming with the intent of LPFM which was to put some radio frequencies in the hands of local organizations to serve their local communities. Granted, if you do fully local origination, you would certainly be the poster child for LPFM. In the scheme of things, the average LPFM likely has about 20,000 in their 50 dbu, more in more urban settings and much less in some more rural locations. In commercial radio, if a small market station opted for Conservative Talk, for example, they might assemble a group of satellite fed national talk shows to make up their schedule or opt, say for country music, hooking up to a satellite service for programming. They might only have a national network for news, doing no local news whatsoever.
The dividing line can be a bit elusive. One LPFM group contracted with a group owner that offers programming/formats to other clients. The LPFM is voice tracked and fed from a distant location. There are local announcements and weather and high school sports are covered with this station that is in a community that lost their local station in prior years. In fact, they're pretty well loved in the community yet they would not qualify to take that point of the application. Then again, this isn't much different than a commercial station opting for the Jack format or hooking up to satellite for programming.
Consider that most LPFM radio station have very little revenue. $5,000 to $6,000 a YEAR is very common. Typically this is because of a lack of sales knowledge or a non-profit having a different primary agenda where the LPFM is one of several tools they utilize. Many LPFM stations offer Underwriting for pennies per mention because many operators are less than confident about their reach. For many stations underwriting runs about $5 to $10 a week for businesses 'buying' underwriting, akin to the rates charged by the local cable TV system to buy a frame on the Community Channel.
In the case of multiple applicants, there is a 'point system' used. Among the qualifying points is a promise to broadcast 8 hours of local programming. In one of the seminars conducted by the FCC the question was asked what qualified as local programming. The answer given was that a computer playing music and even a DJ spinning songs did not qualify. As is the case many times with the FCC, a specific answer was not as clear as what was not considered local origination.
While the format is never dictated (except under circumstances of 'obscene' programming), the FCC does expect the applicant to generally describe programming plans and has a way to elevate the applicant as 'better qualified' by adding at least 8 hours of local programming daily.
I can't say the satellite fed stations are skirting the rules. In almost every instance, regardless of origin, the programming is unduplicated and otherwise not available locally. In addition, in many cases the population that, especially in the religious broadcasters, subscribes to the beliefs presented on the station make up a sizable portion of the overall population in the coverage area. For example, a denomination making up 3% of America at large may be 30% in the LPFM coverage area.
With that said, the FCC has tried to lessen the number of applications that are from groups seeking to relegate local programming to a legal ID on a 24/7 satellite feed. I know one guy that did a number of LPFM applications being advised to be on the lookout for a large number of applications coming from any single specific group. By this I mean multiple applications for a specific group and/or denomination where engineering work is offered by the same engineer and the same programming statement.
I think we sometime want to associate programming with the intent of LPFM which was to put some radio frequencies in the hands of local organizations to serve their local communities. Granted, if you do fully local origination, you would certainly be the poster child for LPFM. In the scheme of things, the average LPFM likely has about 20,000 in their 50 dbu, more in more urban settings and much less in some more rural locations. In commercial radio, if a small market station opted for Conservative Talk, for example, they might assemble a group of satellite fed national talk shows to make up their schedule or opt, say for country music, hooking up to a satellite service for programming. They might only have a national network for news, doing no local news whatsoever.
The dividing line can be a bit elusive. One LPFM group contracted with a group owner that offers programming/formats to other clients. The LPFM is voice tracked and fed from a distant location. There are local announcements and weather and high school sports are covered with this station that is in a community that lost their local station in prior years. In fact, they're pretty well loved in the community yet they would not qualify to take that point of the application. Then again, this isn't much different than a commercial station opting for the Jack format or hooking up to satellite for programming.
Consider that most LPFM radio station have very little revenue. $5,000 to $6,000 a YEAR is very common. Typically this is because of a lack of sales knowledge or a non-profit having a different primary agenda where the LPFM is one of several tools they utilize. Many LPFM stations offer Underwriting for pennies per mention because many operators are less than confident about their reach. For many stations underwriting runs about $5 to $10 a week for businesses 'buying' underwriting, akin to the rates charged by the local cable TV system to buy a frame on the Community Channel.
Last edited:
Maybe not the specific rules, but certainly the intent. These stations came about in part because of the growth of group ownership that was seen as diminishing the amount of local service and origination. The thought was that by getting more licenses in the hands of small, local non-profit groups, that might provide more local service. I think we agree on that. But if the end result is more satellite-fed content, even though the owner is small and local, what's the point? How does that help the community? OK, I agree that the programming might now be available locally, but so what? The rules allow for an LPFM to operate with fewer hours per day, so why stay on the air overnights with Art Bell, when you're not making money, and he's not local?
We do agree fully. In my book local is king because it is forces you to serve the coverage area and that is your only influence. I'd rather be a computer in a closet than a satellite outside a building if I could not afford more. In fact it has always bothered me when an owner of a station stops short at serving his community by saying that's enough. When the dollars aren't there or the reserve monies are slim, I understand. For example at one station when the Gulf War began, the station signed up to be a CNN affiliate and let go the local news director, doing no local news at that point. I didn't like that decision.
I visited KPAI LP in Paisley, Oregon years ago. They were a computer-driven station with local underwriting, local weather, PSAs, Birthdays and Anniversaries announced and some block music segments on weekends to reach as many as they could in their coverage that was under 400 people. They were the only station on the dial...not even distant signals except at night on AM. Although they were a computer, they were as local as they could be. Owned by a school, they did graduation live on the air and some sports broadcasts, as you might suspect for a school owned station. By the way, some kids were boarded at the school in this area of Oregon where they classify it as beyond rural, called 'frontier'. Literally parents were in touch with their kids and got important weather and road information thanks to the station. The station is in Lake County, about 80% the size of Massachusetts with fewer than 1 person per square mile.
As for more satellite fed content. We agree. The motivation of many is evangelism versus serving the community at large.
As for taking Art Bell when the dollars are slim, I suppose some feel the name itself positions the station as less of a red headed stepchild on the radio dial and maybe a business might want to underwrite it. I must stipulate, the station has to go out and talk to businesses cultivating a relationship to accomplish this, something many LPFM stations fail to do.
Sure a LPFM can operate part time but that makes it even harder to survive. You have to be there when people tune to your frequency. At 100 watts ERP, the electric bill isn't going to kill you by going 24/7. In fact, turning the transmitter on and off daily likely stresses it more than keeping it on 24/7.
Even so, local programming finely tuned to the local area beats everything, especially if you can sell it. There are few LPFM examples that pull this off and for them, their revenue is comparable to a small town station (say an only station in a county of 20,000).
I visited KPAI LP in Paisley, Oregon years ago. They were a computer-driven station with local underwriting, local weather, PSAs, Birthdays and Anniversaries announced and some block music segments on weekends to reach as many as they could in their coverage that was under 400 people. They were the only station on the dial...not even distant signals except at night on AM. Although they were a computer, they were as local as they could be. Owned by a school, they did graduation live on the air and some sports broadcasts, as you might suspect for a school owned station. By the way, some kids were boarded at the school in this area of Oregon where they classify it as beyond rural, called 'frontier'. Literally parents were in touch with their kids and got important weather and road information thanks to the station. The station is in Lake County, about 80% the size of Massachusetts with fewer than 1 person per square mile.
As for more satellite fed content. We agree. The motivation of many is evangelism versus serving the community at large.
As for taking Art Bell when the dollars are slim, I suppose some feel the name itself positions the station as less of a red headed stepchild on the radio dial and maybe a business might want to underwrite it. I must stipulate, the station has to go out and talk to businesses cultivating a relationship to accomplish this, something many LPFM stations fail to do.
Sure a LPFM can operate part time but that makes it even harder to survive. You have to be there when people tune to your frequency. At 100 watts ERP, the electric bill isn't going to kill you by going 24/7. In fact, turning the transmitter on and off daily likely stresses it more than keeping it on 24/7.
Even so, local programming finely tuned to the local area beats everything, especially if you can sell it. There are few LPFM examples that pull this off and for them, their revenue is comparable to a small town station (say an only station in a county of 20,000).
- Status