Re: LPFM - Tech Question

[Dib9@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/21/00 12:24:54 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
djbroda@mindspring.com writes:

<< That's part of why my view is that we should allow not just LPFM, but
 *commercial* LPFM in more rural areas. They're seriously underserved
 media-wise, and allowing commercial LPFM (perhaps with a real public
 service and local ownership and programming obligation) would provide
 something highly valuable to those communities, with little risk
 signal-wise to existing stations... and would provide a new and affordable
 advertising outlet for small rural businesses. >>

Nice idea in theory, but it wouldn't work in practice.  There were dozens of 
new full-power commercial stations licensed in the 1980's and the problem is 
that there is not the advertising base to support them.  Look at all the new 
stations granted to rural Maine in the 1980's.  Most are only still on the 
air because the relaxation of licensing rules allowed for an owner to own 
multiple stations in a market.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine