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Radio Free Birmingham from The Birmingham News

J

jaleo23

Guest
In the Birmingham News on 4/2, in the weekly column Bob Carlton discussing a group of frustrated radio listeners of the area's radio stations. The group met at Moonlight Music Cafe' discusing the lameness of the market's radio stations. Coincidentally, in attendance was also GM of Cox Birmingham, David Dubose . DuBose even offered the group assistance in filing the proper paperwork with the FCC to get a radio station <_<. There is suppose to be another meeting on 4/5 at Harrelson's in the Vestavia City Center.


I find it so strange that DuBose of all people would even attend, but then I don't. Of course as the saying goes talk is cheap, and in DuBose case its very cheap like a 5-and-dime store. Cox Birmingham mediocrity has been one of the main causes of frustration amongst radio listeners. WZZK, WBHJ are the prime examples of this market's most mediocre stations. Clear Channel has stepped up and made ZZK look like boo-boo the fool, but Citadel has yet to do that with any of its stations especially WUHT. <P ID="signature">______________
It is what it is.</P>
 
Peter Bart is an editor for Variety ... A longtime Hollywood rag that keeps tabs on the studios and stars... He does a show on sunday morning call the "shootout" on AMC. He said something about the entertainment industry on the program this moring... "The entertainment output in america is weak because corporations don't have a heart for the art. The only way to produce quality product is get away from a formula and let the artists create."
Sounds like old Bart has something. You can't produce art with a "formula"


It's all about sales. None of the groups care about the product... stations are like burger joints... each with a different type of (formula) "happy meal"


buy an i-pod and get on with your life.





> In the Birmingham News on 4/2, in the weekly column Bob
> Carlton discussing a group of frustrated radio listeners of
> the area's radio stations. The group met at Moonlight Music
> Cafe' discusing the lameness of the market's radio stations.
> Coincidentally, in attendance was also GM of Cox
> Birmingham, David Dubose . DuBose even offered the group
> assistance in filing the proper paperwork with the FCC to
> get a radio station
>
 
> Peter Bart is an editor for Variety ... A longtime Hollywood
> rag that keeps tabs on the studios and stars... He does a
> show on sunday morning call the "shootout" on AMC. He said
> something about the entertainment industry on the program
> this moring... "The entertainment output in america is weak
> because corporations don't have a heart for the art. The
> only way to produce quality product is get away from a
> formula and let the artists create."
> Sounds like old Bart has something. You can't produce art
> with a "formula"
>
>
> It's all about sales. None of the groups care about the
> product... stations are like burger joints... each with a
> different type of (formula) "happy meal"
>
>
> buy an i-pod and get on with your life.
>
Or they could play their CD's, like me and enjoy them.

RDP <><
 
> > buy an i-pod and get on with your life.
> >
> Or they could play their CD's, like me and enjoy them.
>


XM is another great alternative. Isn't choice GOOD?!
 
> In the Birmingham News on 4/2, in the weekly column Bob
> Carlton discussing a group of frustrated radio listeners of
> the area's radio stations. The group met at Moonlight Music
> Cafe' discusing the lameness of the market's radio stations.
> Coincidentally, in attendance was also GM of Cox
> Birmingham, David Dubose . DuBose even offered the group
> assistance in filing the proper paperwork with the FCC to
> get a radio station
>

http://www.al.com/movies/birmingham...ainment/114396986616060.xml&coll=2&thispage=2

The group met with the intention of starting a community-based radio station...and not to solely bitch about 95-7 Jamz.

I doubt there's an open FM frequency available near Birmingham, even for LPFM. But David Dubose and the group have little to lose from trying. As long as the process usually takes, there could be rule changes that allows an LPFM or the proposed LPAM service.<P ID="signature">______________
Let us live so that 100 years from now, someone may be proud of us.</P>
 
> > In the Birmingham News on 4/2, in the weekly column Bob
> > Carlton discussing a group of frustrated radio listeners
> of
> > the area's radio stations. The group met at Moonlight
> Music
> > Cafe' discusing the lameness of the market's radio
> stations.
> > Coincidentally, in attendance was also GM of Cox
> > Birmingham, David Dubose . DuBose even offered the group
> > assistance in filing the proper paperwork with the FCC to
> > get a radio station
> >
>
http://www.al.com/movies/birminghamnews/bcarlton.s> sf?/base/entertainment/114396986616060.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
>
>
> The group met with the intention of starting a
> community-based radio station...and not to solely bitch
> about 95-7 Jamz.
>
> I doubt there's an open FM frequency available near
> Birmingham, even for LPFM. But David Dubose and the group
> have little to lose from trying. As long as the process
> usually takes, there could be rule changes that allows an
> LPFM or the proposed LPAM service.
>

According to REC and the FCC, there are no open frequencies anywhere near Birmingham. All the open frequencies near Tuscaloosa are taken already.

They could use 106.1 if they wanted to put their station at my house, though. Of course, the only thing they'd cover would be a bunch of cows.
 
> > In the Birmingham News on 4/2, in the weekly column Bob
> > Carlton discussing a group of frustrated radio listeners
> of
> > the area's radio stations. The group met at Moonlight
> Music
> > Cafe' discusing the lameness of the market's radio
> stations.
> > Coincidentally, in attendance was also GM of Cox
> > Birmingham, David Dubose . DuBose even offered the group
> > assistance in filing the proper paperwork with the FCC to
> > get a radio station
> >
>
http://www.al.com/movies/birminghamnews/bcarlton.s> sf?/base/entertainment/114396986616060.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
>
>
> The group met with the intention of starting a
> community-based radio station...and not to solely bitch
> about 95-7 Jamz.
>
> I doubt there's an open FM frequency available near
> Birmingham, even for LPFM. But David Dubose and the group
> have little to lose from trying. As long as the process
> usually takes, there could be rule changes that allows an
> LPFM or the proposed LPAM service.
>

That really is funny about David Dubose being there. When 97.3 was started by Homewood Broadcasting back in ?1998?, its intentions were to be a community focused radio station. They supposedly allowed Cox to operate it under an LMA. A year later it was sold for profit. I might remember this all wrong, feel free to correct me.

My point is though that this group might talk a good game about their own radio station, filing with the FCC etc.. But soon as one of the corporations opens its check book to buy their little station, they'll all be running to the bank to cash the check. <P ID="signature">______________
Brian
</P>
 
> > > In the Birmingham News on 4/2, in the weekly column Bob
> > > Carlton discussing a group of frustrated radio listeners
>
> > of
> > > the area's radio stations. The group met at Moonlight
> > Music
> > > Cafe' discusing the lameness of the market's radio
> > stations.
> > > Coincidentally, in attendance was also GM of Cox
> > > Birmingham, David Dubose . DuBose even offered the
> group
> > > assistance in filing the proper paperwork with the FCC
> to
> > > get a radio station
> > >
> >
> http://www.al.com/movies/birminghamnews/bcarlton.s>
> sf?/base/entertainment/114396986616060.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
>
> >
> >
> > The group met with the intention of starting a
> > community-based radio station...and not to solely bitch
> > about 95-7 Jamz.
> >
> > I doubt there's an open FM frequency available near
> > Birmingham, even for LPFM. But David Dubose and the group
>
> > have little to lose from trying. As long as the process
> > usually takes, there could be rule changes that allows an
> > LPFM or the proposed LPAM service.
> >
>
> That really is funny about David Dubose being there. When
> 97.3 was started by Homewood Broadcasting back in ?1998?,
> its intentions were to be a community focused radio station.
> They supposedly allowed Cox to operate it under an LMA. A
> year later it was sold for profit. I might remember this
> all wrong, feel free to correct me.
>
> My point is though that this group might talk a good game
> about their own radio station, filing with the FCC etc..
> But soon as one of the corporations opens its check book to
> buy their little station, they'll all be running to the bank
> to cash the check.
>

That's why I find DuBose being there is so funny. Because at the end of the day, all he is worried about is if this station is going to be a threat. Cox knows that anybody that is more concerned about quality than the all mighty dollar is a threat to their monopoly of this market.
<P ID="signature">______________
It is what it is.</P>
 
> > In the Birmingham News on 4/2, in the weekly column Bob
> > Carlton discussing a group of frustrated radio listeners
> of
> > the area's radio stations. The group met at Moonlight
> Music
> > Cafe' discusing the lameness of the market's radio
> stations.
> > Coincidentally, in attendance was also GM of Cox
> > Birmingham, David Dubose . DuBose even offered the group
> > assistance in filing the proper paperwork with the FCC to
> > get a radio station
> >
>
http://www.al.com/movies/birminghamnews/bcarlton.s> sf?/base/entertainment/114396986616060.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
>
>
> The group met with the intention of starting a
> community-based radio station...and not to solely bitch
> about 95-7 Jamz.

No, but I bet there were one or two comments that complained about 95.7 Jamz.<P ID="signature">______________
It is what it is.</P>
 
>
> According to REC and the FCC, there are no open frequencies
> anywhere near Birmingham. All the open frequencies near
> Tuscaloosa are taken already.
>
> They could use 106.1 if they wanted to put their station at
> my house, though. Of course, the only thing they'd cover
> would be a bunch of cows.
>

You're probably right about no open frequencies anywhere...even after any adjustment to rulemaking. Amongst some community radio sites, there's belief/hope that the 3rd adjacent protection that LPFMs must adhere to might someday be repealed after studies had shown that interference fears of full-power stations have proven to be exaggerated.

Playing with REC's LPFM channel finder, a 101.9 could possibly work towards Fairfield/Bessemer or Mountain Brook/Irondale...but as a 10 watter without the 3rd adjacency rule (the MITRE proposal, IIRC). <P ID="signature">______________
Let us live so that 100 years from now, someone may be proud of us.</P>
 
> You're probably right about no open frequencies
> anywhere...even after any adjustment to rulemaking. Amongst
> some community radio sites, there's belief/hope that the 3rd
> adjacent protection that LPFMs must adhere to might someday
> be repealed after studies had shown that interference fears
> of full-power stations have proven to be exaggerated.
>
> Playing with REC's LPFM channel finder, a 101.9 could
> possibly work towards Fairfield/Bessemer or Mountain
> Brook/Irondale...but as a 10 watter without the 3rd
> adjacency rule (the MITRE proposal, IIRC).


The REC site is a nice toy but, it makes absolutely no allowances for what is actually possible given terrain shielding, etc.

As an example, take a look at WQJJ-LP in Jasper. Now, add a translator to repeat WQJJ-LP in downtown Birmingham and what have you got? Anny decent FM allocations study software in the hands of a skilled consulting engineer (not REC, no insult intended) will almost always be able to help locate something useable.

I always say those who are to "penny-tight" to hire a competent engineer don't deserve to find a frequency, anyway. REC does indeed serve it's purpose in keeping those cheapo operators out by convincing them there's nothing available when a few dollars tossed to a good engineer would've turned up a perfectly useable spot on the dial!<P ID="signature">______________
Radio Owner</P>
 
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