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Status of Asheville pirate station?

K

Keith_Lake

Guest
Remember that pirate station in Asheville that sparked a lively discussion on this board a couple of months ago? Is it still on the air?

KL

<a href="http://home.nc.rr.com/gttyson/lastradio.html">The Last Radio Station<a><P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
Yup, they are still breaking the law, and seem to be quite proud of it. I'd almost pay for room, board and gas for an FCC inspector to come shut them down.

There's a CP for a translator here on their frequency...so now they are officially interfering with another legitemate broadcaster. My bet is, they'll change frequencies soon, and continue their illegal activity.

...why do I get so angry when we talk about them??
 
> Yup, they are still breaking the law, and seem to be quite
> proud of it. I'd almost pay for room, board and gas for an
> FCC inspector to come shut them down.
>
> There's a CP for a translator here on their frequency...so
> now they are officially interfering with another legitemate
> broadcaster. My bet is, they'll change frequencies soon, and
> continue their illegal activity.
>
> ...why do I get so angry when we talk about them??
>

So, it's conceivable we could again hear a "two-stations-on-the-same-frequency" fiasco as was heard with WZLS several years ago.
 
I'd rather hear locally originated programming there than another translator. Those pirate folk can't apply for a license, because the protection and power rules are more stringent (thanks to NAB lobbying) than they need to be.

And as we all know, buying an existing station there is insanely over-priced.

Those pirate folks are ILLEGAL - but have taken the mantle of "the spirit of local broadcasting" that left with 'ZLS.

Since Zeb Lee lost his station I kinda got a bad taste in my mouth in that market... <P ID="signature">______________
-Todd Jenkins
The best things in life aren't things.</P>
 
The translator CP is actually licensed to WNC Public Radio, so it in fact would offer a great deal of locally originated programming.

Argue that the rules are too stringent if you want, but the bottom line is that they are breaking the law. And, even if they wanted to apply for a license, they couldn't, because they are documented pirates, and therefore ineligible to be licensees.

There's plenty of locally-originated programming in Asheville. Just because Free Radio Asheville doesn't like what they hear doesn't give them the right to steal bandwidth just so they can hear their brand of radio on the air.

It's expensive to buy a radio station anywhere. That's just reality, and the result of supply and demand. I still contend that you do not hear the Free Radio format on the air legally simply because it sucks to most folks, and therefore could never be financially successful.

Free Radio Asheville is the radio business's equivalent of the Yugo. No one will back it financially simply because it will never pay off as an investment. This has nothing to do with government regulation, but instead is a result of good business sense.

And since private investors would never touch Free Radio, some will argue that the government should give them bandwidth and pay for their operation, all in the name of "freedom of speech". However, I certainly don't want my hard-earned tax dollars paying for their crap, and I'm quite sure most of the folks who participate in this forum would agree.
 
> I'd rather hear locally originated programming there than
> another translator. Those pirate folk can't apply for a
> license, because the protection and power rules are more
> stringent (thanks to NAB lobbying) than they need to be.
>
> And as we all know, buying an existing station there is
> insanely over-priced.
>
> Those pirate folks are ILLEGAL - but have taken the mantle
> of "the spirit of local broadcasting" that left with 'ZLS.
>
> Since Zeb Lee lost his station I kinda got a bad taste in my
> mouth in that market...
>
The power of the listeners is in the on-off button. If you don't like what you hear you can turn the radio off. That is within your right. For some station owners that are operating under the law paying all the fees etc, is unfare this type of "competition". I'll pay for the breakfast of the inspector too.
 
The issue of fairness is very important here. Broadcasters work hard for the money they invest in their stations, and pay very hefty fees to the FCC, SESAC, BMI, ASCAP, and others. Why on earth is it fair for a pirate to plug in a transmitter and get for free what others have risked their livelihoods and life's savings to pay for?

I also neglected to address earlier the alleged overpricedness of stations here in Asheville. I've brokered quite a few of them, and while they aren't within reach of the average Joe, they aren't necessarily overpriced. You have to weigh risk vs. reward, and the reward is most certainly there in a market like Asheville. Expensive, yes. Overpriced, no. And, it's also unfair to assume that someone who can afford to buy a station here won't serve the local community. I can give at least a few great examples of owners in Asheville who serve the community well, and deliver plenty of local content.
 
Well said.

I looked up the translator app before I posted. Hopefully the FCC will let translator owners in the future operate with more than 30 seconds per hour of locally originated programming. Asheville deserves it.

Right now I actually have a bigger problem with some translator operators than I do with pirates. In many places they cause interference, bring in programming from afar, and keep LP100's out of places that could use a couple. However, translators are legal. And a worthwhile service in places like Boone, where the mountains clobber stations that should be city grade there.

But I completely agree with both of you - pirates, especially blatant pirates, have no place on the dial. They can lease time on local stations, go to the internet, do a podcast, etc. Otherwise the FM dial will fill up with the sounds of interference and profanity.

But I won't buy the inspectors dinner, however. That pirate should have been gone within a week after signing on. And Willis should give legal ID's and power down at sunset. And WZLS should still be on the air. And Old Fort should REALLY have a radio station. And my 30 second ad shouldn't be buried in the middle of 12 minutes of spots. And radio stations should air PSAs hourly not just for 30 minutes on Sunday morning. And WOWO would still be a 24 hour flamethrower. And WWNC should be playing country & western music for my father-in-law. And...

Well I guess you get my point. I'm only 38 years old, but I already long for radio the way it was before consolidation. Back when a little 1kw daytimer in the mountains could make money. I bet the FCC would have had the folks at RFA in handcuffs back in the 70s.

I guess the reason for my rambling is that I'm just saddened with the state of my former industry. At least RFA is something to get fired up about. And you’re both right. Why is it still on the air?
<P ID="signature">______________
-Todd Jenkins
The best things in life aren't things.</P>
 
You know, I've said often that I am saddened by the fact that my children will never be able to hear the brand of radio that caused me to fall in love with the business as a kid. They'll probably never hear a real 'morning man' with the talent of Scotty Rhodarmer or Uncle Jimmy Childress. Thankfully, though, there are still some good broadcasters out there, although they are few and far between.

FRA has already received notice to cease operations...in 2001! Someone must be asleep at the switch at the FCC since they haven't bothered to follow up. And, they must know these criminals are still on the air, because I've personally filed two complaints in the past six months. I'm actually very tempted to have my FCC counsel file a formal complaint on my behalf.

I also agree that many translator licensees are irresponsible. How on earth is it within the spirit of the rules to allow K-Love, or any of the other similar broadcasters, to program a translator with content originated thousands of miles away? These translators are legal only because the Commission grants exceptions to the rules.

Perhaps it's because I'm still facinated by the technical end of the business, but I love the big flamethrower signals. I can't imagine a dial where every signal is a local peashooter, as has been proposed by many groups similar to FRA. Personally, I like being able to hear my favorite stations for miles and miles. Who wants to change the station every four blocks? And, how does this truly serve a community as large as Asheville or Greenville?

So, there's my soapbox for the day...
 
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