So your advice is for groups to shell out what may be hundreds of thousands of dollars versus $15,000-$20,000 because they 'didn't know what they were getting in to"?
What I'm saying is: Real broadcasters who have invested hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars did so at great risk with the knowledge of what they were getting into upfront, and ultimately put their money where their mouth's are. Most, but not all LPFM licensees have gone at it from the delusion of doing radio better than commercial and public stations, thus gaining grassroots financial support from their community, without understanding the risks or doing proper due diligence on how their operations would operate, and a clear understanding the limitations of the licenses they were applying for. Just because LPFM operators had some panacea view of how broadcasting works, now they call no fair when reality hits? No sympathy from me. [/QUOTE]
Maybe we should require a minimum $100,000 vehicle be used for Drivers Training in lieu of a mid range or budget priced vehicle. You do understand that many groups hadn't the means to buy a half million dollar facility, right?
Your analogy makes no sense. How does getting a drivers license or owning a vehicle equate to owning and operating a business? If I can't afford to own and operate a business, or even don't understand what's involved before opening my doors, failure is almost certain. This is why many LPFM's continue to fail.
I gather you think LPFM stations don't work just as hard to survive.
I believe most of the LPFM licensees started with the best of intentions, but inadequate research and information about what they were getting into.
That's like saying a class A station doesn't work hard but a full class C does and because they don't, they should buy a class C. Really?
No, not at all. Again your analogy is flawed. Both Class A and C FM's are considered full-power stations and given all the protections therein. LPFM stations are considered secondary service just like translators, always have been. Having recently sold a Class A station while still owning a C-0, both stations served their communities covered. I built both stations, and understood all the coverage restraints going in. Our sales folks worked around the limitations with the Class A, focusing sales on the communities it covered. Ultimately I sold the Class A to a religious ground because the community never really recovered from the recession and is covered by stations from larger cities. The C-0 covers many more communities, but expenses are also much higher than the Class A ever was. That's just the cost of doing business.
Having no experience? The whole service was to establish a way for newcomers to get in the radio business.
Newcomers have gotten into the radio business for years: One works in the business starting from the bottom, moves around to many roles, gains the experience and knowledge of the business, gains investors or mortgages their home and life savings to purchase or build their own business. It's time tested.
And the same status...think of their position as you purchasing a house but at any time it can be taken from you even if you never missed a payment.
In case you missed it, there were lot's of prospective homeowners who were victims of bad mortgages. As with LPFM, many didn't read the contracts they signed, understood what balloon payments or other restrictions were baked in. In many cases, they indeed lost their homes because they got caught up in the enthusiasm of owning a home, or in the case of LPFM, playing radio.
What LPFM wants is to be able to exist without another class of station saying we'll move a bit closer to you so you will have to sign off permanently. I suppose in your mind that is quite fair.
Again, one has protected status as a full-power station, one doesn't. LPFM licensees should have known that possibility going in.
It seems you have a chip on your shoulder for LPFMs and translators because they might prevent you from hearing a distant radio station. Your logic baffles me. Are you actually in radio? My guess is no but I could be wrong.
Wrong again. My concern is the congestion of the FM dial causing frustration on the part of prospective millennial listeners who will default to streaming services or other means of listening. I know it's already happening to a certain extent, but why drive listeners away because everyone wants to have a spot on the limited FM band, whether they can afford it or not?