Public Interest, Convenience and Necessity

[KeyTimes950]

Yes, we're talking Legal IDs and Community Service!

Would more of it to a given community, say the supposed city of license and/or its hinterland, help the bottom line of a station?

In some cases, no. I doubt anyone from EMF/K-Love has ever been to Duquesne (WPKV), never mind the previous Keymarket management (Froggy 98).

In some cases, perhaps. WMNY gives McKeesport one hour a week (a Saturday public affairs show produced by the American Entrepreneur) and now it will have Friday night high school football for the first time in several years.

Thoughts, please?

 

[PGHsalesguy]

You don't have to give time to anyone. All you have to do is air PSA's or do a general informative piece to meet the guideline like all major radio groups do nowadays. Sporting events are not considered public service, they hurt your listenership on many levels for certain formats. MSA Sports is buying time on many area stations to cover these games and make some money at it. I think they have bought time on that station for the last few years actually as I have tried listening to my kids games on that or 730, I forget.

Even if you sold time to a local town or village (the same guy who buys time to rant about how he's god's gift to the world) that doesn't mean anyone is listening or cares, hence his own show's ratings never appearing in PPM. Times have changed, and over the air media is not going to be beneficial to announce a library cookie sale to buy a new rocking chair.

People no longer view aural media outlets as this and are accustomed to professional put together products in markets like the Pittsburgh Metro. This may work in places like Oil City or even Reynoldsville but the population could really care less.

 

[fromtheinsideout]

WMNY/WPTT/WIXZ did carry solely McKeesport football many years ago and it did okay for them from a financial standpoint, a decent number of local businesses would buy into the games, but then MSA became the major player in high school sports and they jumped on board. The plus was that they no longer had to worry about paying anyone, everyone from the announcers to the board op back in the studio are paid by MSA and not the station, the downside is that they are at MSA's mercy as to what game they will be offered any given week, so there is no guarantee that it will be a McKeesport game.

 

[Boss Radio]

It's a quaint notion that became obsolete with deregulation.

 

[Parttimer]

Yes, we're talking Legal IDs and Community Service!

Would more of it to a given community, say the supposed city of license and/or its hinterland, help the bottom line of a station?

In some cases, no.

For full power signals, you have to get bigger to survive, not more local. For those who want neighborhood radio from 50 years ago, there are now LPFM licenses.

 

[KeyTimes950]

For full power signals, you have to get bigger to survive, not more local. For those who want neighborhood radio from 50 years ago, there are now LPFM licenses.

Under current FCC rules, LPFM does not allow commercials. Ergo, the mom-and-pop businesses that might seek out the option of advertising on a truly local, low-power station would have to go the route of "enhanced underwriting" of programming.

On another board, there was a discussion of local full-service operations. I submit that local can go beyond "neighborhood" and cover an entire set of communities, even entire counties as might be the case. WHJB advertises as a Westmoreland station. WJPA clearly focuses on Washington. Fifty years ago, a WESA could do just fine on a region that still is fairly concise, covering parts of four counties but still reasonably one unit.

WKHB/WKFB both want to be "Pittsburgh" but 'KFB has become dependent on a North Versailles Township businessman who seeks contributions but also sells time to other businesses that, like his, I would call "mom-and-pop." WLSW's "Pittsburgh oldies" programs have a similar philosophy.

Also, note, please, something else from 50 years ago, when a KDKA would include stringer reports from throughout the Tri-State area on its newscasts. How often do you hear stringer reports on KDKA or KQV? How often do you see stringer film (tape) on Channels 2, 4 or 11?

So, I believe "bigger" and "local" can be put in the same sentence -- and only with some very creative sales (and I DO mean "sales") will LPFMs work should any get on the air amid the translators utilized by the WAMO100s and 'KHBs of the world.

 

[kenhawk1160]

This was taken from the FCC's stated obligations of a licensee...to serve those three elements. Nowhere does it say 'free' in those obligations.

Radio stations can offer 'free' time for PSAs in however manner they see fit. Say as a blurb in a 60-second PSA vignette. If a group or organization wants more than that, then they pay for it. That's not out of line. Nothing made me madder than a non-profit crying the blues about not having money, I gave away some free time, and then I see a full-page newspaper ad from the same group the next day.

Paid PSAs are becoming a way of life. No one is giving away anything anymore. We can't afford to. Period. Yet some 'community leaders' believe that making radio stations 'public access' is serving the community. I don't think so.

Stations licensed to an outlying suburb but openly serving the bigger city don't even have to dedicate programming exclusive to the COL. They can successfully prove their case with a coverage map, if they have that kind of coverage.

 

[Boss Radio]

For full power signals, you have to get bigger to survive, not more local. For those who want neighborhood radio from 50 years ago, there are now LPFM licenses.

How often do you see stringer film (tape) on Channels 2, 4 or 11?

Stringer tape has been replaced by amateur pictures and video from viewers' smartphones. Free!

 

[fromtheinsideout]

For full power signals, you have to get bigger to survive, not more local. For those who want neighborhood radio from 50 years ago, there are now LPFM licenses.

How often do you see stringer film (tape) on Channels 2, 4 or 11?

Stringer tape has been replaced by amateur pictures and video from viewers' smartphones. Free!

And don't forget the fine astute commentary that can be found on the station's Facebook page, that is now being passed off as news.

 

[FreddyE1977]

For full power signals, you have to get bigger to survive, not more local. For those who want neighborhood radio from 50 years ago, there are now LPFM licenses.

How often do you see stringer film (tape) on Channels 2, 4 or 11?

Stringer tape has been replaced by amateur pictures and video from viewers' smartphones. Free!

And don't forget the fine astute commentary that can be found on the station's Facebook page, that is now being passed off as news.

That's the same feeling I got the first time I saw Tosh.0 on Comedy Central and a similar show on VH-1 that uses clips
pulled off of YouTube and elsewhere on the web.

"My God, they've done it. They've actually done it. Come up with a show that has zero production cost!"