Why Are Some FM Translators Nowhere Near Their City of License?

[radiofan2023]

Repeats of public affairs programs are not prohibited so long as the station concludes that they are still relevant and timely. In fact, there could be a good case made that the replays reach listeners who were not tuned in for previous broadcasts of same and are therefore "serving the public interest" by ensuring the program content is heard by as many interested members of the public as possible.

KRKE runs two national PA programs -- Radio Health Journal and Viewpoints Radio -- and the producers of same make the segments available as "mini podcasts" on their site. We also have a weekly two-minute program providing information to veterans on resources and programs and I'm on the third play of some of those individual shows.

Thanks for the info, I'd never heard of national PA programs before. Are those from a government agency or a private group?

 

[K.M. Richards]

Thanks for the info, I'd never heard of national PA programs before. Are those from a government agency or a private group?

They are produced (and have been for many years now) by a company called MediaTracks and distributed by American Urban Radio Network.

 

[secondchoice]

There was a 1975 program for college students to earn some bucks identifying (dirty names) Mollie's Nipple was one of them but now there are multiple places with that name

I don't see that as a "problem". His experience as a public officeholder qualifies him to comment on a lot of topics that would be in the local community's interest even as a private citizen.

Well when they start out saying "we have as a our guest today the Mayor". Just tell the truth "we are rerunning an interview recorded years ago." No wonder folks don't trust the "established media".

 

[K.M. Richards]

Well when they start out saying "we have as a our guest today the Mayor".

It is considered proper protocol to refer to those who have held public office by the title of the last held position.

For example, my former County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky is still introduced at events as "Supervisor Yaroslavsky" ... and he has been out of office for about a decade now.

 

[radiofan2023]

There was a 1975 program for college students to earn some bucks identifying (dirty names) Mollie's Nipple was one of them but now there are multiple places with that name

What are you talking about?

 

[davideduardo]

In a market I won't identify, a station found a local podcaster who did a regular show where he called several community voices or leaders about a current topical subject and got a short dialogue from each. He assembled them and made a 30 minute podcast. The station contacted the guy and asked if he would give them the exclusive radio rights in exchange for promotion of his radio show. So every week they run the latest podcasts along with the previous week's one and they have a rather interesting to listen to Public Affairs show.

Management had to overcome a resistance to promoting podcasts. It was explained that, when TV began, stations refused to talk about television but finally everyone realized that radio shares with other media. Trying to sweep podcasting under the rug doe not make it go away; better to sound like the station is with all the new audio options.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

There is an LPFM in the 2023 window that put their community of license as "AARP Insurance", NJ. The application is still pending as its in a group of mutually exclusive applications.

@Michi .. what in good heavens.. how did that end up happening? lol

 

[secondchoice]

What are you talking about?

It was a Bicentennial commission thing to clean up some names that might offend visitors from another country. They also tried Kilometers on some road signs. I saw a list one time of the offending names. A few would have been
comical for a COL.

 

[ftballfan]

92.9 W225BL is licensed to Grand Haven, but broadcasts from downtown Grand Rapids. Its fringe signal does reach almost to Grand Haven and the translator was originally in Grand Haven before stairstepping toward Grand Rapids in the early 2010s.

 

[K.M. Richards]

92.9 W225BL is licensed to Grand Haven, but broadcasts from downtown Grand Rapids. Its fringe signal does reach almost to Grand Haven and the translator was originally in Grand Haven before stairstepping toward Grand Rapids in the early 2010s.

Good example. Thanks.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

another useless translator fact

they arent limited to 250 watts in Alaska.

We have one or two running over 1kw here and quite a few run 300 to 600 watts

One AM has had several translators dating back to the 80s.

And many translators have alternate program delivery method waivers. In the lower 48, translators 92 to 108 have to be fed over the air if they are not fill in translators... we have several 92 to 108 translators here fed by satellite including one down the road from me

 

[K.M. Richards]

I don't think that's "useless" information, Paul.

A lot of people could use the education on how things have to be engineered in the 49th state.

 

[radiofan2023]

another useless translator fact

they arent limited to 250 watts in Alaska.

We have one or two running over 1kw here and quite a few run 300 to 600 watts

One AM has had several translators dating back to the 80s.

And many translators have alternate program delivery method waivers. In the lower 48, translators 92 to 108 have to be fed over the air if they are not fill in translators... we have several 92 to 108 translators here fed by satellite including one down the road from me

Do they use starlink or another kind of satellite?

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Do they use starlink or another kind of satellite?

all of the above .. the alternate program delivery method waiver can allow anything other than how it would typically be legal to do it

 

[Xale57]

Translators have a maximum power of 250 watts. You'd think they would be required to have their transmitters in their cities of license so local people there can hear them. But that doesn't seem to be the case for several translators I know of.

1) WMCA New York, a Salem religious station, has a translator on 102.3 FM. It's also licensed to New York. But it is on one of the towers for 930 WPAT in Clifton NJ. That's about 25 miles west of Manhattan.

2) 1570 WLRS New Albany IN has made news as the first station to switch to all Christmas music. In January, it will debut a new format. New Albany is across the Ohio River from Louisville KY. Its translator is licensed to Louisville. But it's really about 15 miles northeast of Louisville in Charlestown IN.

There's a rule that a radio station's signal must provide good coverage in its city of license. If you are somewhat near a large city, you can't just move your tower near that city and forsake listeners you are supposed to be serving. No matter how lucrative the move might be you can't do it if your hometown isn't also getting a good signal. But I guess that rule doesn't apply to translators?

It is not 25 miles from the city. It's more like 12.