In Sunday's paper, there was a piece on a new "radio" station going online. Despite the fact it won't be over the air, it read as if they were looking to make it an actual something with operations people, "station" management, and perhaps an eye to an actual business plan. If the internet radio station gains any momentum, what would be the prospects of a bottom dwelling real radio station taking them on to provide content? If a station is already at the bottom of the ratings (WHNZ?) wouldn't they gain by having cheap on-air talent to fill in at least a portion of the broadcast day (evenings and weekends?) (WMMI during the evenings/overnights?). The buzz of a community station might put the bottom dweller on the map, and the prospect of students actually getting to truly BROADCAST might get them and others pumped about the industry. As has been mentioned on this and other boards, there is precious little in the way of a "farm system," and such a college station could serve to fill that need.
At what point do informercials lose their appeal for a station owner? Accepting the fact that many of these informercial signals are owned by corporate entities that are only motivated by whatever dollars they can pull in every nanosecond, would not some be interested in considering doing something more interesting with their property? And for the signals that are still locally or small business owned, at what point do low rated infomercials get boring for them as an owner (who presumably at one point had a passion for broadcasting)? How do those foreign language stations pay the bills otherwise? Would they be willing to turn over a piece of the broadcast day for advertising supported English Language rock-ola? Yes, it would be "breaking format," but if practically no one is listening otherwise, what is there to break, really?
WRUF is a university owned station that broadcasts with an eye to making money. I would not be surprised if the business manager at MYRA is there primarily to seek out grants and other free money, but what if they were charged with devising a broadcast lineup that actually attracted advertisers or sponsors of some kind?
What say radio professionals?
At what point do informercials lose their appeal for a station owner? Accepting the fact that many of these informercial signals are owned by corporate entities that are only motivated by whatever dollars they can pull in every nanosecond, would not some be interested in considering doing something more interesting with their property? And for the signals that are still locally or small business owned, at what point do low rated infomercials get boring for them as an owner (who presumably at one point had a passion for broadcasting)? How do those foreign language stations pay the bills otherwise? Would they be willing to turn over a piece of the broadcast day for advertising supported English Language rock-ola? Yes, it would be "breaking format," but if practically no one is listening otherwise, what is there to break, really?
WRUF is a university owned station that broadcasts with an eye to making money. I would not be surprised if the business manager at MYRA is there primarily to seek out grants and other free money, but what if they were charged with devising a broadcast lineup that actually attracted advertisers or sponsors of some kind?
What say radio professionals?