Starting a radio station

[Sheriff John Stone]

For the last couple of years, I've been thinking about starting a radio station. There are basically two alternatives:

First is a low-powered FM station (LPFM). The FCC does have a lot of conditions which makes it difficult to get a license. You have to form a company, be non-profit, have a mission statement, board of directors, and, hardest of all, there has to be a frequency/channel available in your area. You have to hire an engineer to do a survey; it's very costly, and it's not certain the engineer will find a frequency.

The second alternative is a low powered AM station (LPAM). This is much easier to accomplish. You aren't licensed by the FCC, but there are some conditions to adhere to. You don't have to be non-profit, a frequency is easy to find/get, and it's a lot cheaper to start and maintain than an FM station.

Here's the drawback(s). Yes, it's AM radio. The sound obviously is not as good as FM. Also, for a LPAM station, the antenna/transmitter only puts out a signal that travels bout 1-2 miles. That doesn't cover much area. Now, you can install as many antennas around town as you wish, at a cost of about $1,000 per unit. And lastly, does anybody listen to AM anymore; will they FIND me on the AM band?

Actually, I am leaning toward the AM station. You can buy the equipment, install it, and be on the air in a month. It's more of a "hobby" thing, and it would be a "community" station, but many LPAM stations around the country state that they do make money, obviously selling ads at a very inexpensive rate. Also, you can put your station on the internet, and everyone around the country can listen to your station. I have a large finished basement and could put a nice studio down there.

What do you guys think? Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

[Jonas]

Can I work for you? I work for cheeseburgers and beer.

This sounds like one of the coolest ideas ever, I hope it works out for you!

[lance]

If you had a cool enough radio station, and advertised it enough, you might capture a small audience. In Denver a few years ago, I remember hearing about an alternative radio station that was 'really cool', playing a lot of modern 'hipster' rock. It was AM. I could never get it to come in, unfortunately. The buzz must've done some good, because after awhile I started seeing stickers on cars advertising the station and so on. I guess it's possible. Still, I reckon you would need a lot of start up investment.

[SG7]

I have two shows on campus radio. We run on FM but we get a lot of slack because we are a college radio station. Good luck with your efforts!

[Alex]

Sounds like an awesome idea! Good luck with it.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Thanks for the feedback!

Jonas, I know you were joking about working for cheeseburgers and beer, but that is a concern - getting people to help out. You don't make enough money to hire people, so you depend on friends, relatives, and aquaintances to assist you. Who will write the advertising copy? Who will do the voice work on commercials. Who mans the station if you go on vacation or into the hospital for a week or so? Who can help out with all the computer and electrical gliches? And then there's the actual door to door sales, billing, accounting, etc. I'm not complaining, but it's a lot more than programming songs; that's the fun part.

Lance, you're right, the start up costs can get a bit steep. It's funny, it didn't start out that way, but then you think of all the things that you need, all the radio accessories/stuff, and it starts to add up. Luckily, I can put the studio in my basement, so that eliminates renting a place/overhead. I guess I'll just charge the rest, and then pay it back very slooooowly. Maybe I'll get an eccentric philanthropist who likes the music to sponsor the station!

SurferGirl7, you work at the kind of radio station I originally wanted to start - it's probably a low-powered FM station. However, LPFM sations can't be owned by individuals, it has to be a non-profit organization, and, most importantly, it has to be for educational purposes. Most LPFM stations are run by schools, churches, or medical/police/safety type organizations. Someone like me could try to beat the system by starting XYZ Company, calling the company non-profit, writing an educational mission statement, and submitting the application to the FCC. And some people do that - and get away with it. I just don't think I want to play games with the FCC.

ascrodin, thanks for the encouragement. I think a low powered AM station might be the best fit for me, a hobbyist. That's why the FCC wrote PART 15, for nuts like me that just want to play music for people to listen to! I would probably go with a format that plays oldies or a variety of "older" music from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. Many stations like that go by the tag Variety 1610 AM - or something like that. Then I can educate everybody about all of the great Beach Boys' music!

[the captain]

Have you considered doing an online radio station instead of traditional? Broader reach, to say the least. But it has its own expenses. Also, not to be pessimistic, but I assume you've looked into your fees for playing music. I know a lot of independent stations struggle with that (both traditional radio and online).

[Sheriff John Stone]

Yes, Luther, I looked into broadcasting online. It's becoming very popular. My goal is to broadcast over the radio in the local community, and then piggyback on that with internet broadcasting. I checked into the costs, it's somewhere around $130 - $150 a month. But that is definitely the way to go. Then you could listen to my station and critique it!

Oh yeah, I checked into the fees. You have to pay three separate organizations (like ASCAP) to play music. It comes to around $500 a year. But I'm still checking into that. I read that some of these low powered AM stations aren't paying the fees because A) they are not licensed by the FCC, and B) the low powered AM stations are so small that not a lot of people can hear them, find them, or care about them. It's like the mobile DJ (which I am); I've been playing music at wedding receptions, dances, and parties for years, and never paid a dime. But I'm definitely doing my homework. Like I said earlier, I don't need any fines!

[the captain]

I don't need any fines!

That's all I'm after. Nothing worse than a warning letter that you owe $x, or else.

[Alex]

I sometimes play a bit of lesser-known Beach Boys stuff on my shows on my college's radio station...

But, yeah, running any type of broadcast facility is EXPENSIVE!! FCC license fees, buying/maintaining the equipment, ASCAP/BMI fees, staff salaries, potential FCC fines ("indecency", logs out of order, forgetting to say/play legal ID on the hour, on the air for less than 4 hours, etc.), etc. etc. If worse comes to worse, there's always podcasting.

[BJL]

Don't know how legal this is, but when my college radio station broadcast AM back in the forties and fifties, they hooked into the municipal water supply, and used it as a sort of giant antennae.  This allowed us to reach all sorts of random places--possibly a less conventional option for extending the reach of an AM station without forking out for a bunch of antenaes...just use the pipes!

[RangeRoverA1]

Any updates, Sheriff John? Building studio in a 'large basement' sounded awesome. To me, AM station is where it's at. I used to record the songs straight from the tape recorder channels to an empty or a cassette with bad music. Called 'Phillips' (made in Holland ), it only had AM radio. but boy, was it the best quality radio I ever heard! Nothing could compare, before or after. I still have those cassettes, they are excellent!

captain, while you're thinking well mentioning online radio, the thing is, there are way too many stations that a brand new one would get mixed with them. Esp. if we speak of the kind of staish for a certain age/genre audience (if I got it right, hence the BBs ref. earlier). Marketing on the Inet is okay, but I don't think launching new AM radio there can draw more people. I know a few ones myself that never actually been listened. But of course, it doesn't hurt to try. Just offering my 2c.

[MaryUSA]

Hi all,

Good luck with starting the radio station!!

[Lee Marshall]

I kind of stayed out of this as SJS started this almost 6 1/2 years ago and hasn't posted about it since Oct. 24, 2008.  Is that because he went on and started something up?  Lost interest?  Found out it was too much work and too expensive?  I don't know.

But a PM suggested that I weigh-in so... ... ...

If it's just for your own amusement...the least expensive way is to do it on-line.  AM is considered by many to be the talk option for traditional radio.  Want to play music?  If an established station in the listening area is already doing what you're considering they'll be hard to beat out of the gate as they are, in fact, established.  The cost to advertise that YOU are now a player will be huge..  IF the competition is broadcasting on FM and you're on AM...you haven't got a chance of competing.  [at least not siccessfully]  People generally only listen to music on AM if it's not vailable anywhere else...and that includes sirius/XM via satellite.

If you want to 'do' radio...I mean a real radio station with a staff...go FM.  1 tower.  1 electric bill.  I tried to get a license to start a brand new FM radio station in Canada.  I worked on the application, hired the technical engineer to do the reports necessary for the CRTC and Industry Canada.  I hired a consultant to help with the actual application to the CRTC [Canada's FCC]  The whole process took  about 3 1/2 years, cost 10s of thousands of dollars and even with the overwhelming support of the community...it was turned down last April 2014.

Good thing too.  6 months later I discovered that I was very sick and that THAT kind of stress would not have been good for me at all.  Probably, in fact, would have been the death of me.

I 'did' on-line radio back in 2000 to 2005.  I had 3 stations going.  It was costing me a ton in order to do it with enough bandwidth to run a quality sound and to allow enough listeners to tune in simultaneously.  Costs were about to double due to American legislation so I stopped.

I now work part time at a tiny little locally owned and operated radio station in a little town.  I just wanted something FUN to do.  Let somebody pay ME a little tiny bit of money so that I could continue to do MY hobby.  Things worked out perfectly.

Another month and I'll be golfing almost every day.  S'all good.  [AND I quit smoking...that'll help some.]

[filledeplage]

I kind of stayed out of this as SJS started this almost 6 1/2 years ago and hasn't posted about it since Oct. 24, 2008.  Is that because he went on and started something up?  Lost interest?  Found out it was too much work and too expensive?  I don't know.

But a PM suggested that I weigh-in so... ... ...

If it's just for your own amusement...the least expensive way is to do it on-line.  AM is considered by many to be the talk option for traditional radio.  Want to play music?  If an established station in the listening area is already doing what you're considering they'll be hard to beat out of the gate as they are, in fact, established.  The cost to advertise that YOU are now a player will be huge..  IF the competition is broadcasting on FM and you're on AM...you haven't got a chance of competing.  [at least not siccessfully]  People generally only listen to music on AM if it's not vailable anywhere else...and that includes sirius/XM via satellite.

If you want to 'do' radio...I mean a real radio station with a staff...go FM.  1 tower.  1 electric bill.  I tried to get a license to start a brand new FM radio station in Canada.  I worked on the application, hired the technical engineer to do the reports necessary for the CRTC and Industry Canada.  I hired a consultant to help with the actual application to the CRTC [Canada's FCC]  The whole process took  about 3 1/2 years, cost 10s of thousands of dollars and even with the overwhelming support of the community...it was turned down last April 2014.

Good thing too.  6 months later I discovered that I was very sick and that THAT kind of stress would not have been good for me at all.  Probably, in fact, would have been the death of me.

I 'did' on-line radio back in 2000 to 2005.  I had 3 stations going.  It was costing me a ton in order to do it with enough bandwidth to run a quality sound and to allow enough listeners to tune in simultaneously.  Costs were about to double due to American legislation so I stopped.

I now work part time at a tiny little locally owned and operated radio station in a little town.  I just wanted something FUN to do.  Let somebody pay ME a little tiny bit of money so that I could continue to do MY hobby.  Things worked out perfectly.

Another month and I'll be golfing almost every day.  S'all good.  [AND I quit smoking...that'll help some.]

Thanks! Add Some -

Great story, and radio station set up! Clearly, you're an expert!

And for keeping your BB passion alive, it will help keep you alive and help you get well! Music heals...

It is early but you deserve this!  

[Lee Marshall]

Thanks 'filled'.  That DOES look like a rum and COKE...so I'm all over that.     I know it 'says' beer...but it ain't...at least not this time.  42 years of being PAID to do radio and TV [voice-work only on the 'idiot box' as I have a face for radio exclusively]  And what do I need more than anything in order to be able to 'do' my thing?  I need to be able to breathe.  I HEAR that with the performances of some of the Beach Boys.  Breathing is an issue.  At 70 + and aging quickly...lungs start to wear out for a LOT of folks...even if they don't [and didn't] smoke.   Get down to 30% lung capacity and you won't be getting enough oxygen to live without assistance...let alone perform.

Anyway I'm going to keep on keepin' on.  45 years is pretty much doable.  50?  We'll see.  Once I am forced to jam plastic tubes up my nostrils and carry an oxygen tank...I'm guessin' I'll be pretty much broadcasting history.  At least these last years are going to be ALL fun.

I'll tell you this...all the while that I was doing the TV gig...16 years...I kept my hand 'in' with radio.  I did part-time stuff for 7 of those years and another 5 with the on-line stations I created.  TV?  It was nice.  A good job.  Best employers by an elongated country mile...'til now.  But my passion is for radio.  Missed it BIG TIME whenever I wasn't doing it.  Why?  I have always enjoyed playing tunes for people.  Mind you...they've gotta be GOOD tunes.  From when I was 11 I knew that THAT is what I wanted to do...ie:  Add some music to peoples' days.  That's it in a nutshell.

[filledeplage]

Thanks 'filled'.  That DOES look like a rum and COKE...so I'm all over that.     I know it 'says' beer...but it ain't...at least not this time.  42 years of being PAID to do radio and TV [voice-work only on the 'idiot box' as I have a face for radio exclusively]  And what do I need more than anything in order to be able to 'do' my thing?  I need to be able to breathe.  I HEAR that with the performances of some of the Beach Boys.  Breathing is an issue.  At 70 + and aging quickly...lungs start to wear out for a LOT of folks...even if they don't [and didn't] smoke.   Get down to 30% lung capacity and you won't be getting enough oxygen to live without assistance...let alone perform.

Anyway I'm going to keep on keepin' on.  45 years is pretty much doable.  50?  We'll see.  Once I am forced to jam plastic tubes up my nostrils and carry an oxygen tank...I'm guessin' I'll be pretty much broadcasting history.  At least these last years are going to be ALL fun.

I'll tell you this...all the while that I was doing the TV gig...16 years...I kept my hand 'in' with radio.  I did part-time stuff for 7 of those years and another 5 with the on-line stations I created.  TV?  It was nice.  A good job.  Best employers by an elongated country mile...'til now.  But my passion is for radio.  Missed it BIG TIME whenever I wasn't doing it.  Why?  I have always enjoyed playing tunes for people.  Mind you...they've gotta be GOOD tunes.  From when I was 11 I knew that THAT is what I wanted to do...ie:  Add some music to peoples' days.  That's it in a nutshell.

Add Some - it does say beer...still holding out for our great mods to find some other adult beverage icons...

Getting paid for doing what you love is like stealing money...and your great mentoring advice has likely not fallen on deaf ears on this forum.  You were in the driver's seat during the greatest era in music. 

Add Some Music...words to live by...