What if: No more dinky AMs

[amfmxm]

Allow me to clean this post up:

And, ideally, LPFM gives the average citizen--the non-corporate citizen--an avenue to communicate.

However, that's not the purpose of mass media. And LPFM, even in its limited state, is still a mass medium.

Back in the 1920s, the feds were trying to figure out how to deal with all the amateurs who were jamming up the airwaves, making it difficult for the professionals to run their business. They relegated the amateurs to their own band. Today, we call them hams. I've often joked that there will come a time when we'll have 350 million radio stations, each with an audience of one.

Oh, I didn't say "personal communication," nor did I mean it. Even LPFM can be a "mass comm" vehicle*, depending on the market, the programming, et cetera. And I would venture that an awful lot of us who work professionally in broadcasting are motivated, at least in part, by the desire to communicate with thousands or millions of people.

* Not a perfect analogy, but pretty close: CBS's purchase & upgrade of an FM translator within Baltimore city limits to simulcast an HD-2 channel marketed as Alt-rock "HFS" playing-off erstwhile popular nineties Alternative WHFS/Annapolis.

As translators are rough technical equivalents to LPFMs, this one kinda shows what can be. With 250 watts from a thousand foot TV stick on Baltimore's "TV Hill," this "translator" is as good or better than a Class A FM, providing competitive coverage to the 600,000+ residents within the city limits and 60 dBu reception for a good chunk of the 2 million+ folks in the burbs (okay, maybe only 1.5 million of them).

That's "mass communication." But, for what it's worth, it is also probably the absolute last thing the FCC ever envisioned for FM translator use. In effect, CBS just launched a new FM in a Top 25 market--for next to nothing.

 

[bossbill]

What about my friend that plays oldies 24/7 from a computer, while programming it from his mom's house 500 miles away, is able to tell the FCC that he is an educational institution who therefore is entitled to multiple FM translators that extend his range to cover hundreds of thousands across two counties. No religion here, just blatant disregard for the intent of the LPFM regulations.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

What about my friend that plays oldies 24/7 from a computer, while programming it from his mom's house 500 miles away, is able to tell the FCC that he is an educational institution who therefore is entitled to multiple FM translators that extend his range to cover hundreds of thousands across two counties. No religion here, just blatant disregard for the intent of the LPFM regulations.

I'm not sure I fully digested all the facets of your friends operation, but if you will read the FCC rules on LPFM, you will find that your friend will need a not-for-profit corporation... if and application gets into a competitive situation then also having IRS 501(c)3 may be the winning issue, and he will need to live within 10 miles of his transmitter. You may be theoretically correct about "multiple FM translators" but as a practical matter, there will not be available frequencies for multiple translators in two adjacent counties.... unless the counties are somewhere in Montana or Idaho.... in which case the potential audience covered will be slightly less than "hundreds of thousands". ;D

I know this whole concept of LPFM is viewed as "one big Pain-In-The-Butt" by traditional commercial broadcasters. But the limitations both in law and regulations, and in available frequencies make the whole concepet about as painful as a "Pimple on an elephants rear end".

Granted there will be a few small town broadcasters who will view a newcomer to the dial in their community as more than a pimple.

 

[TVradioguru]

But that's my point. In an age with increasing level of competition for ears, why is it okay to clog up the medium with poorly run clutter? Apart of what you might think, one could easily argue that allowing LPFM doesn't add competition or a threat to professional broadcast or well run public broadcasters such as NPR stations, but in fact dilutes the overall quality of the medium.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

..... why is it okay to clog up the medium with poorly run clutter? Apart of what you might think, one could easily argue that allowing LPFM doesn't add competition or a threat to professional broadcast or well run public broadcasters such as NPR stations, but in fact dilutes the overall quality of the medium.

On the the engineering side, we are dealing with objective issues. Does the frequencies interfere with one another? Engineering types can measure and quantify that.

But when you state that LPFM "dilutes the overall quality of the medium"... you have moved over into the subjective realm. I have yet to meet an engineering consultant who has a meter that can measure the "quality" of the medium... which I assume to be the programming content.

If we are going to suggest to the FCC that maybe they clean to clean up the overall quality of the medium, there are tons of fully licensed traditional stations that "dilute the overall quality of the medium". How do we measure that? How do we fix that?

I have been on a search to see if there are a few LPFM stations that can be pointed to as models to emulate.... "poster children" of the LPFM world if you please. One of them has to be KFOK in Georgetown, CA. Listen on line for a day or two and tell me that they dilute the overall quality of the medium". No... don't tell ME.... tell the people of Georgetown, CA.

 

[TVradioguru]

The fact that you have to search to find a single success story regarding LPFM, speaks volumes.

A consulting engineer friend of mine sent a link to a list of silent FM stations. Many of those on the list are LPFM stations. Why do we need more when so many of those charter members have failed?

Regarding LPFM (as I would include high school or college stations) diluting the medium, it isn't a subjective comment at all. I've seen paid-for reseach market data that backs up the claim. For competitive reasons, I can't reveal the markets; but research data with listening focus groups reveal comments from respondents that DO find educational, religious and other non-commercial stations "annoying", "obnoxious" or "unlistenable", to quote some of the comments. Similar comments come about when some listeners talk about scanning the dial.. Where the scan starts at the top of the FM dial where educational or religious stations start, the scan stops and the listener switches to CD, IPod, etc. After skimming through five or ten 'not popular' stations, some listeners give up the scan. Adding more non-popular or not mass-appeal stations, only hurts the benefits of being the mass appeal medium of radio.

Now with streaming and Podcasting, there is no need for the limited reach of LPFM or high school stations. As even BigA reluctantly agreed, the idea is about 15 or more years too late.

 

[Chuck]

A consulting engineer friend of mine sent a link to a list of silent FM stations. Many of those on the list are LPFM stations. Why do we need more when so many of those charter members have failed?

As I recall there were about 3200 applications, about 900 or so got Construction Permits. Out of that about 850 are still on the air. That is a lower failure rate than many other ventures. Open a restaurant and you have a 60% chance of failure.

Adding more non-popular or not mass-appeal stations, only hurts the benefits of being the mass appeal medium of radio.

Got any statistics to support that claim? In my case, we had countless people tell us that they came back to radio because of the LPFM station. The LPFM gave them something to listen to that was not being offered by any other station in the area. Many people outside of radio's popular 18-35 demographic had simply given up on radio and hadn't listened in years. If a small station can make a few people return to radio, then it is good for everyone.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

......but research data with listening focus groups reveal comments from respondents that DO find educational, religious and other non-commercial stations "annoying", "obnoxious" or "unlistenable", to quote some of the comments.

And that proves what when it comes to passing out broadcast licenses to a variety of licensees. I find hip-hop and rock-and-roll to be annoying, obnoxious and unlistenable. I find most "talk radio" of the day annoying, obnoxious or unlistenable. I used to enjoy country music radio but today's version is annoying, obnoxious and unlistenable.

If we are going to deny licenses to LPFM because some people when surveyed find them annoying, obnoxious or unlistenable, shall we also deny licenses to people who program hip-hop, rock-and-roll, news-talk, along with modern country music? After all, some of us if surveyed will tell you they are annoying, obnoxious and unlistenable.

I have a longer list of LPFM stations that I offer as "role models" for possible directions to take an LPFM.

I also survey the list of silent stations now and then and dig up what information I can find on the dark LPFMs. They tend to be the 'godcaster' stations that are silent... not the truly community-involved, community-focused stations like KFOK.

I have been a radio "geek" all my life and got to spend a few of those years working in the industry. I live under the "umbrella" of Atlanta. I can walk out to my car and turn on the best radio I own and probably pick up 70 different stations. 69 out of 70 are, for me, annoying, obnoxious and unlistenable. If the industry was under your control, you would likely shut down the ONE station out of 70 that is of interest to me. You would think there would be five or six I could warm up to.

I am, however, grateful that you are looking after my best interest as you help us figure out who should and should not be on the air. ;D

 

[TVradioguru]

I have been a radio "geek" all my life and got to spend a few of those years working in the industry. I live under the "umbrella" of Atlanta. I can walk out to my car and turn on the best radio I own and probably pick up 70 different stations. 69 out of 70 are, for me, annoying, obnoxious and unlistenable. If the industry was under your control, you would likely shut down the ONE station out of 70 that is of interest to me. You would think there would be five or six I could warm up to

Yes but radio is a business and a business is all about making money. I make money for my stations and clients by helping them get the most listeners of the desired demo. I am not a radio geek, although I have been in the business for upwards of twenty years making ample money doing radio and TV. None of those desired demos include radio hobbyists who are typically over 45, which is probably why you don't like any of the popular modern formats. Nor would someone as yourself be chosen to be in one of our panels. No offense intended, just the truth.

LPFM isn't a deal breaker, but I still maintain it is a waste of airwaves within a particular market.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Yes but radio is a business and a business is all about making money. I make money for my stations and clients by helping them get the most listeners of the desired demo. I am not a radio geek, although I have been in the business for upwards of twenty years making ample money doing radio and TV. None of those desired demos include radio hobbyists who are typically over 45, which is probably why you don't like any of the popular modern formats. Nor would someone as yourself be chosen to be in one of our panels.

You have sized-up and described "reality" in this country and this industry quite well.

When I moved to the south end of Appalachia a decade ago, I set about to dig into genealogy and family history. I wanted know why the family made a multi-stop journey over a couple of centuries from revolutionary era in the colonies, through here and eventually on to the Southwest. That led to a study of the political pressures leading up to the "Trail of Tears" event with the Native Americans and then the soon-to-follow War Between the States.

The most prominent piece of geography in my community is a free-standing, jagged little mountain named after Chief Sawnee. Legend has it that when the old chief reached a certain age where infirmity began to show up in his life, he dutifully followed the tradition of his people. He went up on the mountain, found a cave, wandered in, laid down, and waited to die. (By the way, best scholarship is not supportive of this story.... as far as this particular mountain goes.)

Another bit of Cherokee folklore tells of the white man arriving here and offering to buy the land. This was an unknown, inconceivable concept. No one "owns" the land. So the legend is that the Cherokee responded: "Next, I guess you will want to buy the sky?"

Those two stories seem to describe the radio industry today. Licensees have determined that they have bought the sky, and when people get past age 45, they need to turn in their radio, go up on some craggy mountain, find a cave, kick the sleeping bear in the butt and tell him to move over, I've been sent here to die... for that is my duty.

Is it really unreasonable that some of us are so revolutionary that they might expect one out of every 20 radio stations to program as thought a few people actually live to be 60, 65 or heaven forbid even 70 years old? And some of them can still hear well enough that they think they can listen to radio... which they invented, which they grew up on.

TVradioguru... I hope you live long enough to experience your own industry telling you to go climb the mountain and find your cave. And I hope it disappoints you at least half as much as it does me. There are times when I wonder.... who sold my little tiny share of the sky?

 

[Chuck]

That is a great post Goat!

Don't forget the FCC does not try to get involved in format choices. How could they? I’m sure even my Guru friend wouldn’t like it if they did. What some folks call "unlistenable," others would call "great radio." There is no accounting for taste, so the FCC, wisely, leaves that up to market conditions. After you get a license, what you put on it is more or less your own business. That’s true in commercial as well as noncommercial radio.

Most commercial stations program to the 18-35 demographic. That is understandable, even if you don’t like it. Putting yourself in their shoes, if you had millions of dollars invested in a station, it’s a simple business decision. You are probably going to try to appeal to the biggest money-making audience you can find, unless you have a financial death wish.

The advantage a LPFM or other small station have, is it can target listeners outside of that demographic and not be as worried about return on investment. The money involved is simply not that great. It is more a labor of love. From what I've seen, the stations that do that in a competent manner are survivors, and even doing well in a less than wonderful economy. They have a loyal following from people who would never in a million years listen to a station that programs to that 18-35 demo. If you grew up in the 40's 50's or 60's you are probably not a big fan of rap or hip-hop. You may listen to talk radio a lot, but every now and then, some music can be soothing to the soul. LPFM’s and other small stations can satisfy a need that many commercial stations are unable to fullfil.

Even though I have high expectations for the future of streaming, it just isn’t here yet. It certainly isn’t 99.9% reliable. That is especially true in a mobile environment, where a lot of radio listening takes place. It may get there some day, but right now it simply isn’t a substitute for over the air radio which has high reliability and low operating costs. Better yet for the listener, it is free. I predict it will be with us for quite a long time.

 

[radioboy]

This has been an interesting thread to follow.

I've been seriously considering applying for an LPFM station if/when the new filing window opens.
I guess now it begs the question: "Can one more dinky station make a difference?"

My background is in commercial radio. The first station I worked at was an AM on 1450 that played a hybrid lite AC/cross-country/oldies format that, at that time, ranked in eighth place in the market with a 4.1 share. I learned a lot of programming at that station, becoming an assistant to the station manager by helping with the music selection. This was in 1979. Most of the music was on 45-rpm records, which were played 18 hours a day. (We went through a lot of styli on those two QRK turntables.)

I later worked at a commercial AM Christian-formatted station. I ended up doing every job there was, working three separate stints over 13 years, including operations manager and later, local station manager. So I understand when a station has to bring in enough revenue to cover payroll, utilities, the mortgage, etc. That station's break-even point was about $5k a month.

The average American can no longer afford to own a station, or even try to. Some of us have the know-how and the knowledge of how to make a station work, but the entry level costs are simply too high. Back in 1997, when I was still single and had more resources, I did consider purchasing a local AM station. It had too many hidden liens and other "scary" items that turned up during due diligence, so I did not pursue it. I have not pursued a licensed station since.

In 2001, I began the first streaming station in Tallahassee. It was "just a fad," people told me. They gave me about six months. On July 9, that stream (now known as Big D Country) turned 10 years old. But as Chuck said, streaming is still not quite there, yet.

When the job at the Christian station was nearing its end, I tried to explore other local radio options. At that time, I had nearly 20 years of radio and media experience.

I got a tour of Cumulus. Five studios lined up in a row. Four were empty and running on computers. Friendly engineer who proudly showed off the rack room, facilities, and such. It was nice, but seemed cold and sterile, somehow. Not much fun. I never heard back from them, anyway.

Because I have 20/400 vision, I retired on disability. I'm still on it but do odd jobs around my parents' farm and make a little every month from the Internet station. The Internet station is
doing a little over break-even at this point. I've spent the last five years helping raise two step-grandsons, now 6 and 7. They will be home with their Mom this coming year, being home-schooled.

GRC's analogy about going to the cave struck a chord, because I'm in a similar boat: At 53, do I want to go to the rocking chair, or do I want to do something else? With the boys getting older and not being with us full-time, I find I'm searching for a new purpose.

I've had jobs in and out of radio, but somehow always had a passion for radio. I still have it, apparently.

I'm aware of at least three format "holes" in the local radio market. And, there are several smaller communities nearby that have no real "local" radio service.

And, as for the licensed broadcasters, they are not necessarily the "enemy." Several have
donated equipment, music, and engineering advice and assistance through the years. In return, I have walked countless people and station owners through the basics of Internet radio and answered "how can I stream?" questions for years now.

So, I'm hoping the Lord and the FCC will see fit to work in "one more LPFM" because I see this service for what it was originally envisioned to be - an alternative for people who are not being "serviced" by commercial radio stations.

Connecting with listeners, one at a time, is what I believe, could make LPFM a shining star.

 

[TheBigA]

I've had jobs in and out of radio, but somehow always had a passion for radio. I still have it, apparently.

They question you need to ask is: Is your passion strong enough to make up for the lack of income. Because under the best of circumstances, an LPFM is break even. There's a reason Cumulus runs its stations that way. To them, radio is a business. You want to run it for fun? I hope you have another source of income.

 

[TVradioguru]

TVradioguru... I hope you live long enough to experience your own industry telling you to go climb the mountain and find your cave. And I hope it disappoints you at least half as much as it does me. There are times when I wonder.... who sold my little tiny share of the sky?

Oh believe me, the media business has treated me well over the years. If I choose to go find a cave in the mountains, it will be one very comfy cave thanks to the masses that have listened/watched over the years, and of course the advertisers who have realized and been able to capitalize on the intrinsic value of the mediums.

In my view, nobody owes you or I anything we haven't worked hard for. Many years ago, my grandfather (one of the giants in the radio business while still in it's infancy) was one of the people in my life who instilled in me the opportunity to make money off the medium. Even though there are some who wax poetically about radio being some art form, in reality the only real art from the beginning was always "reaching the most people with popular news or entertainment programming and then profiting when listener and advertiser do business." In my grandfather's case, he not only profited from advertising, but from the sale of radios and phonographs.

I find hobbyists and self proclaimed "radio geeks" frequently find my comments to be offensive mainly because they are based on reality. That is nothing new on these boards. Unlike what some want to believe that all things regarding radio have changed over the years, from the 1930s when Westinghouse put the original licensed radio stations on the air, the goal has been to make money.

To the person who is thinking about starting their own LPFM station.. Another piece of wisdom passed along from my grandfather may be in order.."Son, if you want to make a dollar in radio, be prepared to spend ten thousand." He said that to me in the late 60's so do the math of what $10,000 would be worth today.

 

[amfmxm]

TVradioguru, we share a certain amount of history--as do GRC, Big A and a number of others on this thread. In my case, 45+ years in radio and television--both commercial & public--so, yeah, we've all made some money in this. I don't disagree that most broadcasting as originally conceived was indeed entrusted to private enterprise--the business community--and, with the caveat that licensees would operate in "the public interest, convenience & necessity," has always been mostly dedicated to making money. But not entirely.

Some of the earliest radio licensees were universities, many of which still hold those original licenses, and from their early "educational broadcasting" efforts evenually came public broadcasting in 1967. Other outfits, like NYC's WQXR and DC's WGMS--and many others--were always more focused on music than money.

And today there are thousands of religious broadcasters, many of whom are sincerely driven by evangelistic zeal. No, not all, that's for sure. But many aren't in it for the bucks. They're in it to save souls.

Education (in whatever form)... music (in whatever form)... saving souls (in whatever form). And I'm sure there are other motivations, as well, to be a broadcaster.

Sometimes it's really not about the money.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Oh believe me, the media business has treated me well over the years. If I choose to go find a cave in the mountains, it will be one very comfy cave thanks to the masses that have listened/watched over the years, and of course the advertisers who have realized and been able to capitalize on the intrinsic value of the mediums.

In some ways you are indeed a fortunate man. I have worked for men who share some of your traits. For a while in my life I set out to be "one of you".

But, alas, I am NOT "one of you".

I don't know whether part of it is our genes, but I perceive that it is. I was once told by a genealogist in my family that I was the must aggressive person he had ever come across in the study of our family and he has us going back through The Alamo in Texas and on back to The Norris Brothers on The Mayflower. I don't have "the taste for blood" built into my soul that men who can do what you do often have.

In some ways you are indeed an unfortunate man. Chances are you are like many of the men for whom I have worked... who can never understand or appreciate people like me. You can blame my disinterest in radio on my perceived age if you like, but when I was 28 and 38 and 48 I found that men like yourself were not interested in, maybe not capable of programming radio stations that really interested me and a lot of people I knew at the time. This isn't totally an issue of age. All through the years people that I knew socially shared with me why they didn't listen to radio, what disappointed them about radio. Some have probably tried to tell you also but like the men I have worked for, you may have dynamically blew them off rather than slow down and listen to them.

In any era I can remember, radio could have had considerably more audience if we had been able to sit and listen to people who wanted to tell us what we didn't want to hear.

It matters not whether one ends up in a desolate, bat infested cave on Sawnee Mountain down at the south end of Appalachia, or a plush cave several stories up in Las Vegas or Houston as did Howard Hughes. In the end, if you find yourself banished to a cave, it's still a damned cave.

 

[TVradioguru]

In any era I can remember, radio could have had considerably more audience if we had been able to sit and listen to people who wanted to tell us what we didn't want to hear.

Yes I'm very familiar with the concept. It's called research. And I do millions of dollars of research for my clients and stations every year. The purpose of research is listening to as large of a cross section who listen to radio within the demographic the station is trying to reach. Research is why radio listening today is up, WAY up (other than AM stations of course)

It matters not whether one ends up in a desolate, bat infested cave on Sawnee Mountain down at the south end of Appalachia, or a plush cave several stories up in Las Vegas or Houston as did Howard Hughes. In the end, if you find yourself banished to a cave, it's still a damned cave.

I believe you were the one who was concerned about banishment to cavedom by a guy like me. Your paranoia is unwarranted.

I on the other hand, have no intention of living in a cave when I retire some day. Rest assured the LAST thing I'll be doing is starting an LPFM or dinky AM station when that time comes.