Re: New station for Portsmouth?

[Aaron Read <aread@speakeasy.net>]

At 11:03 AM 7/14/2003, Dan Cole wrote:
>I just don't see it flying in this market.  Too many other choices...and a
>wide variety of formats are already within easy reach on the dial.
>They may get it going...but its prospects for long-term survival are
>limited, IMHO.  I could be wrong.  I kind of hope I am.
>
>Dan Cole


I can see it working, but the LPFM staff will need to be disciplined enough 
to understand that a free-format station is not something people - in 
general - will listen to.   Time and time again it has been proven that 
even if you have a weaker signal, if you provide a service that is desired 
and is unavailable elsewhere, people WILL go to extra lengths to listen and 
support you.   Not even ten years ago, WMFO would hold fundraisers and pull 
in nearly $10,000, IIRC.  Not bad for a dinky little Class A with a highly 
directional signal and severe co-channel interference to the north and south.

For example, if there's no left-wing progressive news outlets in 
Portsmouth, then this LPFM could become a Pacifica affiliate (in word if 
not in deed) and probably do okay.

Unfortunately, many times the folks that start LPFM's are guided too much 
by principle and not enough by reality...that discipline probably won't be 
there and in a few years, there'll be an LPFM that the B.R.I.G. could take 
over!  :-)


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Aaron "Bishop" Read             aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels Consulting          AOL-IM: readaaron
http://www.friedbagels.com      Boston, MA