There actually is one example in this market of a commercial AM music station successfully converting to a non-profit, the incredibly unique KBRD. Of course there's a huge difference between a class D daytimer doing this and a major station like KPTR or KIXI.
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What's going on with the KJR trimulcast?
- Thread starter ZantennaG1
- Start date
They even received enough funds to add an FM translator, so K-BIRD is now flying 24/7.
So are you suggesting that Hubbard change their status to a non-profit corporation to accommodate just one of their stations, KIXI?
It's not a matter of "Oh this station does it so everyone has to do it", because that sounds like the old cliff adage, rather, it's an option for a music station on AM that's been struggling, or needs that little extra oomph.
But a for-profit corporation that owns commercial stations nationwide isn't able to just change a single station to run as a non-profit just because times are tough.
I agree with that, and I don't think @installLSC was pointing the finger directly at KIXI. Interestingly, it appears the reverse is true: Non-profit entitles can apply for a commercial station?
For an FM, that depends on the station frequency. Let's say ZantennaG1 Corporation was a non-profit who wants to buy an AM station. That's not an issue, because there is no non-commercial AM band. If you ran your corporation as a not for profit, you would just need to abide by the state and federal rules accordingly.
Because Christa's station is a non-profit operating in the commercial band. It means they can sell spots. Christa Ministries is a non-profit corporation. Most of whatever income goes to running their assisted living facilities.
Yeah I never suggested Hubbard become a nonprofit or run a radio station as such. Some posts above said they doubted AM non-profits could work and that music can't work on AM radio, so I pointed out a station in very unique circumstances that does.
By the way, why does Hubbard keep KIXI instead of sell/donate/shut it down? In the tight-ship world of corporate radio, any of those options makes more sense than keeping a steady money loser operating.
I can't speak for Hubbard, but likely any debt accrued purchasing a group of stations which included AM's therein needs to get paid off. Most groups with laggard AM stations are in the same boat; your audience is drying-up but operational expenses are the same or higher. Technically the AM's were part of the purchase price/debt, so you don't go back to your Board or financing group and recommend shutting down something that still carries over potentially a million dollars of debt. That doesn't go over so well. So, you keep slogging it out in an effort to justify keeping the station at least earning it's own keep at the lowest possible expense. In the meantime, concentrating on your profitable FM stations and any digital properties.
The bail-out many groups are doing; is list the AM site property with a commercial real estate broker. That's assuming you've reached the point where justifying shutting down the station is more than made up by selling the land under it. KIXI is built on unusable swampland next to Lake Washington, so that option is off the table. Vashon property is slightly better, but the transmitter land wouldn't be sought after for a typical shopping center, business park, or high end housing development willing to pay that kind of money.
There's a hardcore steampunk music underground around Evergreen (Stovepipe hats are a giveaway. I even once saw a guy riding a Penny-Farthing bicycle.) So I can imagine one there tends to relax with a kettle on their coal burning stove and tune in 441 meters on their 1922 Atwater-Kent Three Dialers (with that delightful big horn speaker) in the parlor for some Edison-grade merriment whilst reinventing the 1850 French dirigible between adjustments to their radios on their drawing boards 9 inches away.
Once existing only in the shadows of the science fiction community, the steampunks have united to become a small, but diverse and even influential pop culture clique of their own. Mostly involved in retrofuturism art and experiments.
And since many in the steampunk community do not have the space for a Victrola and a collection of 78s (or even an Atwater-Kent), KBRD serves the function well. Which is why it's web stream is also nationally popular with this niche. It also helps that KBRD is the only station of it's kind that can actually sustain itself completely automated with just Public Domain recordings.
You might also think "The Internet Archive is a veritable Create Your Own KBRD/KRAB. Why listen to this one station?" Ahhh, but that's the purpose of radio. To introduce you to sounds you might have missed (and considering the average median age of an average modern steampunk is 25-55 and this music is from the early 20th century, that's quite a lot.) And the Internet Archive 78s collection is literally their Spotify.
And just because you have to know, there's even vaporwave on Edison cylinders. So there is some hybridization going on. If that leads to revolt, watch out Alternative
.Wow. Hitting that bong pretty hard Larry? Must have the supercharger connected.You might also think "The Internet Archive is a veritable Create Your Own KBRD/KRAB. Why listen to this one station?" Ahhh, but that's the purpose of radio. To introduce you to sounds you might have missed (and considering the average median age of an average modern steampunk is 25-55 and this music is from the early 20th century, that's quite a lot.) And the Internet Archive 78s collection is literally their Spotify.
And just because you have to know, there's even vaporwave on Edison cylinders. So there is some hybridization going on. If that leads to revolt, watch out Alternative
Makes sense. AM radio, after all, goes back 100 years, only twenty years removed from the steampunk target era (which seems to be from the 1890s-1910s).You might also think "The Internet Archive is a veritable Create Your Own KBRD/KRAB. Why listen to this one station?" Ahhh, but that's the purpose of radio. To introduce you to sounds you might have missed (and considering the average median age of an average modern steampunk is 25-55 and this music is from the early 20th century, that's quite a lot.) And the Internet Archive 78s collection is literally their Spotify.
And just because you have to know, there's even vaporwave on Edison cylinders. So there is some hybridization going on. If that leads to revolt, watch out Alternative
I was trying to describe steampunk to a friend, finally found an easy way by saying it's like watching an episode of "The Wild, Wild West". The old 60's TV series with Robert Conrad.There's a hardcore steampunk music underground around Evergreen (Stovepipe hats are a giveaway. I even once saw a guy riding a Penny-Farthing bicycle.) So I can imagine one there tends to relax with a kettle on their coal burning stove and tune in 441 meters on their 1922 Atwater-Kent Three Dialers (with that delightful big horn speaker) in the parlor for some Edison-grade merriment whilst reinventing the 1850 French dirigible between adjustments to their radios on their drawing boards 9 inches away.
Once existing only in the shadows of the science fiction community, the steampunks have united to become a small, but diverse and even influential pop culture clique of their own. Mostly involved in retrofuturism art and experiments.
And since many in the steampunk community do not have the space for a Victrola and a collection of 78s (or even an Atwater-Kent), KBRD serves the function well. Which is why it's web stream is also nationally popular with this niche. It also helps that KBRD is the only station of it's kind that can actually sustain itself completely automated with just Public Domain recordings.
You might also think "The Internet Archive is a veritable Create Your Own KBRD/KRAB. Why listen to this one station?" Ahhh, but that's the purpose of radio. To introduce you to sounds you might have missed (and considering the average median age of an average modern steampunk is 25-55 and this music is from the early 20th century, that's quite a lot.) And the Internet Archive 78s collection is literally their Spotify.
And just because you have to know, there's even vaporwave on Edison cylinders. So there is some hybridization going on. If that leads to revolt, watch out Alternative
I would think 1090 is still on 96.5 HD3. As for what's running on 95.7 HD2, I have no idea as I'm not in the market and even if I was, I don't have an HD radio, though I think our car has one. That car probably won't be in the market until August. Last I heard, the programming on 93.3 was also being heard on 95.7 HD2, but I would think the plan would be to switch that to 950's programming.
KPTR 1090 is simulcast on KJAQ 96.5-HD3 and KJR 950 is simulcast on KJEB 95.7-HD2. I caught both stations at Snoqualmie Pass today; 93.3 and 95.7-HD2 sounded different.
Apparently they just want to tell you a story about a guy named.....
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