Tell me if I'm on the right track here, or if I'm financially suicidal.
I'm looking to get into full power FM broadcasting.
I'm not an engineer, I'm not an electronics expert, BUT, I know just enough to be dangerous, and I'm armed with google and a hyper-strong will to learn.
Here's a touch of background. I live in the midwest. I want to purchase a smaller-ish full power FM station that's somewhere warm - down south.
Here's my plan: I want a fully automated station. No DJ's, No, news, No weather. Music and commercials. I plan on running my "broadcast" out of my current business (in the midwest), and sending my broadcast to my "warm weather" station (lets just say TX). I've located a station that I can purchase, every thing is there, MINUS the tower and antenna (those are no longer available). I plan on buying the land and rebuilding the tower, and having an antenna reinstalled with the transmitter and equipment right on site.
Operating the station will be a one man show. (I also own a car dealership, and in case you're not from the rust belt, rust free / southern automobiles are highly sought after - keep that in mind). Once a month, I plan on flying/driving to the broadcast area (TX), with several people tagging along. Once I arrive, purchase several cars, and send my "minions" back home with their rust free cars. I stay behind for a week, and run around and do advertising sales for the upcoming month (the month time frame is a guesstimate). When I'm finished, I come home (with another rust free car!)
Broadcast area has a population of around 80k-100k. Several smaller towns (3k), some ag, some tourism, one larger town of 50k.
Now, if you're not laughing and shaking your head already, keep reading.... Here's where it comes off the rails...
Cliff notes, I approached our local stations for advertising time (again, for my dealership). I was dumbfounded when I got my quotes back - on the small stations they wanted $1500 + /week for a handful of spots during the day, and a handful more at night. Big blowtorches were double that (Now, in their defense, we're a bit more densely populated here than my proposed station's area).
So here's my thought - My main goal is provide inexpensive advertising for the little guy. (The little guy is having a hard enough time competing against the evil empire(s) and amazon). I haven't done any market research in my target area, but why couldn't those numbers be shaved into 1/3rd of that if not more, and make it feasible for the little guy to advertise. Now, at the same time, once the station is up and rolling, I can start to inject local content. I can inject local (to the station)news, local weather, high school sports scores, ag reports, etc.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting a 'get rich quick' thing here. I'm not expecting to start with nothing, and retire next week. However, I am expecting to make a little something on this endeavor, have it be self supporting, and provide me with a little fun in my dull boring life.
Thoughts? Am I nuts?
I'm looking to get into full power FM broadcasting.
I'm not an engineer, I'm not an electronics expert, BUT, I know just enough to be dangerous, and I'm armed with google and a hyper-strong will to learn.
Here's a touch of background. I live in the midwest. I want to purchase a smaller-ish full power FM station that's somewhere warm - down south.
Here's my plan: I want a fully automated station. No DJ's, No, news, No weather. Music and commercials. I plan on running my "broadcast" out of my current business (in the midwest), and sending my broadcast to my "warm weather" station (lets just say TX). I've located a station that I can purchase, every thing is there, MINUS the tower and antenna (those are no longer available). I plan on buying the land and rebuilding the tower, and having an antenna reinstalled with the transmitter and equipment right on site.
Operating the station will be a one man show. (I also own a car dealership, and in case you're not from the rust belt, rust free / southern automobiles are highly sought after - keep that in mind). Once a month, I plan on flying/driving to the broadcast area (TX), with several people tagging along. Once I arrive, purchase several cars, and send my "minions" back home with their rust free cars. I stay behind for a week, and run around and do advertising sales for the upcoming month (the month time frame is a guesstimate). When I'm finished, I come home (with another rust free car!)
Broadcast area has a population of around 80k-100k. Several smaller towns (3k), some ag, some tourism, one larger town of 50k.
Now, if you're not laughing and shaking your head already, keep reading.... Here's where it comes off the rails...
Cliff notes, I approached our local stations for advertising time (again, for my dealership). I was dumbfounded when I got my quotes back - on the small stations they wanted $1500 + /week for a handful of spots during the day, and a handful more at night. Big blowtorches were double that (Now, in their defense, we're a bit more densely populated here than my proposed station's area).
So here's my thought - My main goal is provide inexpensive advertising for the little guy. (The little guy is having a hard enough time competing against the evil empire(s) and amazon). I haven't done any market research in my target area, but why couldn't those numbers be shaved into 1/3rd of that if not more, and make it feasible for the little guy to advertise. Now, at the same time, once the station is up and rolling, I can start to inject local content. I can inject local (to the station)news, local weather, high school sports scores, ag reports, etc.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting a 'get rich quick' thing here. I'm not expecting to start with nothing, and retire next week. However, I am expecting to make a little something on this endeavor, have it be self supporting, and provide me with a little fun in my dull boring life.
Thoughts? Am I nuts?