starting an FM radio station in Louisville area.

[Bengalsfan]

Fine and good but if you buy a station in Shelbyville to play the cool music off your iPod, you'll be in for a rude awakening.

Keep it relevant to Shelbyville and Shelby County, and you might be surprised at the results.

Power 93.3 seems to be doing well for itself as an LPFM. A properly executed AC could do well in Shelby County, since most of the office listening defaults to 100.5 or 106.9.

Just wish he'd do something with his processing. I swear I hear square waves in some of his audio.

 

[Creighton Sanders]

Somewhere between $4 million and $20 million should fetch you an existing stick.

And if you don't have enough exposure to the business to already know that, keep a little extra cash in the bank to pay the bills while every other stick in town "cleans your plow" until you finally figure out how the business works.

***********

Well gee, thanks Goatboy. Now go rope Ned Beatty!

I know a bit about radio programming. It's not exactly rocket science. When you don't have incompetent PD's or consultants it seems like it would be easy to take on any competition in the market.

There is a radio station in Mount Shasta, CA that is for sale for $1.5. California is a bit more expensive than Kentucky.

like a previous poster said, "It can be done".

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I know a bit about radio programming. It's not exactly rocket science. When you don't have incompetent PD's or consultants it seems like it would be easy to take on any competition in the market.

There is a radio station in Mount Shasta, CA that is for sale for $1.5. California is a bit more expensive than Kentucky.

Louisville is a metro area. They may be beautiful, charming boonies, but Mt. Shasta is out in the "boonies". Check the prices to "buy a stick" in Princeton or Prestonburg, KY. Then check to see what a stick will cost in Sacramento, Los Angeles or San Diego.

Metro = High Dollar. Boonies = A whole lot less dollars.

I know a bit about radio programming. It's not exactly rocket science. When you don't have incompetent PD's or consultants it seems like it would be easy to take on any competition in the market.

Programming is the "tip of the iceberg" that is open to plain view... or is that plain listening. We cannot fully keep our programming hidden away like a government secret.

What is not so visible, and what may be radio's version of "rocket science" is the sales philosophy, the marketing to clients (not talking about marketing to audience as in handing out t-shirts at a concert) and personnel management. It is possible for stations to keep this part of their operation pretty much clandestine if they like.

You may know programming better than anyone else in this thread, this conversation. Do you know sales, accounting, personnel management and engineering management? These issues if not handled very well can sink the beautiful, gleaming tip of the iceberg known as programming.

 

[romer979fm]

There is a radio station in Mount Shasta, CA that is for sale for $1.5. California is a bit more expensive than Kentucky.

Mt. Shasta is a nice LITTLE town...a large portion if its economy is tourism-based (skiing).
really tough to recoup your $1.5 mil...unless you can get the tourists to listen to your station
AND actually purchase from your advertisers. It CAN be done...but it's very difficult...and could take a
very long time to establish.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I know a bit about radio programming. It's not exactly rocket science.

How much do you know about sales? Bolt of lightning strikes your tower, can you fix it? What' the most effective way to get the word out that you are here? Programming is only one piece to the puzzle.

 

[WildcatGuy]

Anymore, it's difficult for a standalone, without other stations to share the overhead costs. Economies of scale make a big difference.

 

[Sgt Preston]

Anybody with radio knowledge have an opinion about this? Why can't a small group of radio people start a cool, local rock radio station that is unique and irreverant to the market. A thorn in the side of the big boys. A radio station that kicks up the dust. I just wonder, how much to start it up? A small stick. Thanks for any input!

What kinda FORMAT are we thinking?

 

[WildcatGuy]

Another thought: one of the big guys can try a new format on one of their sticks, fail, and try something else. An independent standalone operator may not live to see another day.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

Anybody with radio knowledge have an opinion about this? Why can't a small group of radio people start a cool, local rock radio station that is unique and irreverant to the market. A thorn in the side of the big boys. A radio station that kicks up the dust. I just wonder, how much to start it up? A small stick. Thanks for any input!

What kinda FORMAT are we thinking?

He said from reading his post again a Cool Local Rock Radio station that is Unique and irreverant to the market.

 

[Creighton Sanders]

Okay. How about E-town???



Gather some radio people together. They all have a stake in the radio station. An engineer, a salesguy or two, a radio personality who just inherited money from his Grandpa Zeke..... And of course...an attorney. There would also need to be a guy who would wear the radio station mascot costume. A Bear? A Walrus?


As for the Mt Shasta station. We always hear it when we vacation in Dunsmuir. It's a cool little station.

 

[Bengalsfan]

Gather some radio people together. They all have a stake in the radio station. An engineer, a salesguy or two, a radio personality who just inherited money from his Grandpa Zeke..... And of course...an attorney. There would also need to be a guy who would wear the radio station mascot costume. A Bear? A Walrus?

I'm a contract engineer. Been an engineer over 20 years. I don't know too many of my fellow engineers that do "steaks" in a radio station. If I want to lose money in a radio station, I'll go buy one myself. I doubt that business plan is going to work very well for you, dude.

 

[Sgt Preston]

He said from reading his post again a Cool Local Rock Radio station that is Unique and irreverant to the market.


AMERICANA ???

PROGRESSIVE??

A.O.R. ?

 

[Creighton Sanders]

I love steak!

And good luck to you, too. We'll pay the engineer minimum wage, then.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I love steak!

And good luck to you, too. We'll pay the engineer minimum wage, then.

Expect to be off the air a lot.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

Just do a Net radio station,, you can do it affordably, and my 128k ACC stream sounds great.. Loud city can get you on for like 35 bucks a month.

 

[Creighton Sanders]

When I did Mornings in Louisville the station was off the air a lot. We had TWO engineers!


One of them was nice. But the other guy was a complete moron.

Get ready E-town!

 

[radiorob2.0]

Just do a Net radio station,, you can do it affordably, and my 128k ACC stream sounds great.. Loud city can get you on for like 35 bucks a month.

Let us not forget about the PRO's when doing a net station, like the IRS they want their share.

 

[chuckyb]

Internet radio station I agree If you want to start a new radio station online and make it local, This is possible with todays tech. You can get this up and going in no time with very little cost and maybe even make cash at it. Basic costs to you is the PC unit, Automation to run playlists, HS Internet connection, Server to host the stream, And those nice Royalty fees for BMI and ASCAP "Cant forget that part of getting registered and paying the fees to play"

Make it local if you wish and eventually sell it if you can. This has potential to generate income also. Its what you make out of it.This online radio thing dont cost you millions of dollars like commercial radio on FM plus you can do whatever you want online. The format, creative, and promotion part is all you. Plus you continue to be in the business you love to do. Ive been in it a long while now with a buisiness partner and its been very rewarding to us both on a world wide level. We have listners tapping in from all over we communicate with daily and have been able to advance and expand on one online network. I have a love for both commercial and internet radio. To me though it seems that internet radio is on the increase with todays tech. More stations are being born plus people can download and listen to your live stream from the cell phone or laptop in most places.

Good luck to you and best wishes friend

 

[Bengalsfan]

When I did Mornings in Louisville the station was off the air a lot. We had TWO engineers!

Perhaps there was a nut loose on the console.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

You can use Loudcity for 35 bucks a month...