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Sept 28th, 1998
MICHIGAN IN FAVOR OF LPFM?
(from the Michigan Legislature Journal of the House [Sept
24, 1998])
Reps. Freeman, Baade, Ciaramitaro, Kelly, Tesanovich, Profit, Dobronski, Prusi,
Gubow, Kukuk, Bodem, godchaux, Leland, Olshove, Harder, Hale, Brater, Parks, Anthony,
Scranton, Schermesser, Martinez, Kilpatrick, Bogardus, Jelinek, Scott, DeHart, Basham,
Willard, Baird, Murphy, Birkholz, Richner, LaForge, Quarles, Hanley, Cherry and Varga
offered the following resolution:
House Resolution no. 379.
A resolution to encourage the Federal Communications Commission to restore approval
for low power FM radio broadcasting.
Whereas, For many years, low power radio stations filled a unique niche in the communications
needs of local communities. These operations, which used less than 100 watts of power,
were licensed as Class D FM stations; and
Whereas, In 1978, The Federal Communications Commission made a policy decision to
stop licensing low power radio stations. This decision was based on concerns that
low power stations were a hindrance to the orderly development of FM radio and a
potential impediment to the efficient operation of facilities serving greater numbers
of people; and
Whereas, In recent years, the rate of consolidation in the radio broadcast market
has increased. As a result, far fewer locally based radio stations have programming
that serves their communities. These concerns have prompted many people to promote
a change in FCC policies. A petition of rulemaking, which proposes the reestablishment
of low power FM broadcast services, is currently under consideration; and
Whereas, Allowing low power FM radio to return to the airways will achieve several
worthwhile goals in communications options open to people in our country. These community
radio services will increase the local presence in the media, increase diversity
of ownership, provide more choices to the public, offer new opportunities in business,
and promote communications that better reflect the character and needs of our communities;
now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we encourage the Federal Communications
Commission to restore approval for low power FM radio broadcasting; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Federal Communications
Commission.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on Public Utilities.
ANOTHER PETITION FOR LPFM
A gentleman in Tempe, AZ has filed another petition for LPFM with the FCC. You can
read more about it online at http://rec.8m.com/radio/ch6pet.htm
MARCH ON THE FCC!
sent via email
Come to DC October 4-5, 1998 for the first national mobilization for free radio.
Microbroadcasters from around the country will gather for two days to share radio
skills, organize alliances, speak out to the media and protest at the FCC and NAB
buildings, culminating in a live broadcast straight into the offices of the people
working so hard to shut us down. Free Radio Berkeley, Radio Mutiny, Steal This Radio
and other microstations have all broadcasted live in public and challenged the FCC
to shut them down in the light of day, in front of the press and the Feds have never
dared to show their face -- this time, we're going to take it right to their doorstep
and tell them that if they're so sure that their dumb law is worth enforcing, then
the Chairman should come down from the 8th floor and put the cuffs on us himself.
There will also be workshops to help new folks start stations, appointments will
be made to lobby congress people, and press events will be held to show the true,
diverse face of the microbroadcasting movement.
for more information, check their online info at: http://burn.ucsd.edu/~mai/microwatt.html
RADIO PIRATES STARE DOWN FCC
full story online at SanFrancisco Bay Guardian
Billing it "The Fight for the Airwaves," Free Radio Berkeley staffers
challenged the federal government to a showdown Sept. 14 -- and the feds lost by
default.
The micropower radio station taunted the Federal Communications Commission with an
illegal one-hour broadcast from the steps of Berkeley City Hall. It was the second
time in a month that Free Radio Berkeley had publicly dared the feds to shut it down
-- and once again, the authorities didn't show.
Free Radio Berkeley founder Stephen Dunifer and other micropower proponents are fighting
for the right to run low-watt, neighborhood-based radio stations. The federal government's
regulations effectively bar broadcasts under 100 watts, and start-up and licensing
costs for new radio stations are estimated at a minimum of $100,000. Licenses can
cost more than a million dollars in dense urban areas.
FCC PERMITS LOW POWER IN NY?
the follow came from the FRN message boards:
For those of you interested the FCC is apparently granting a CP to a station in Saratoga
Springs, NY with a ERP of only 50 watts. One catch it is classified as Canadian B1.
Hard to believe since Saratoga Springs must be almost 200 miles south of the Canadian
border. I think that some type of legal precedent may be used here against the FCC
to license similar stations around the country.
http://stations.triathlon.net/cgi-radio/recno.pl?band=FM&pos=225178
or look here http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WSSK
WSSK SARATOGA SPRINGS NY US
209A 89.7 MHz BPED950712MA Construction Permit
Owner: Sound of Life, Inc.
Service Class : Full Service FM Station or Application
N Lat 43 11 35
W Lon 73 45 25
Canadian Border Zone. 201 km to border.
VERP 0.05 kW (50 watts)
VHAAT: 131.0 m
FCC File # BPED950712MA
Here's another one in Alaska. Note, in particular, the haat:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?land=&staat=ak&stadt=kasilof
That's right, the FCC this summer authorized a straight class A with 50 watts ERP
at 80m HAAT. if some lawyer can't make hay out of that precedent, then I don't know
what. No waivers were applied for or granted.
Sept 16, 1998
BEAT RADIO SAYING 'BYE
Beat Radio, the dance format filling the former Children's Broadcasting signals
(radio aahs) will be saying goodbye very soon. The former CBC stations have been
sold to a Christian broadcaster who have their own format to play and Beat Radio
will be off the air once the sale is finalized in the next two weeks. Once again,
listeners are being deprived of a viable station.
I was listening to "Moonlight Meditations" last night on Beat Radio
and Shawn Stewart said that next week is their last week :( I'm not sure and I may
have this wrong but it sounded like Beat Radio was to be no more. Maybe they are
just dropping "Moon..."
Visit beatworld.com for details on Beat
Radio's latest goodbye...and join us @ First Avenue in Minneapolis this Friday, September
18 for BEAT OFF, 10p-3a and broadcast live across the Beat Nation!
JACOR SALE POSSIBLE?
full story online at Cincinnati Business Journal
Jacor Communications has set up new agreements that would pay CEO Randy Michaels
and his top managers if the firm is sold, fanning speculation the broadcaster is
preparing to be acquired.
While Jacor officials say the timing of the so-called "golden parachute"
agreements proves just the opposite, analysts who cover the Covington-based radio
giant are calling the timing "too coincidental."
Terms of the agreements, which took effect June 12 and which Jacor revealed just
recently as part of its quarterly 10-Q financial statement filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, state that if a change of control of the company takes place,
Michaels and 14 other top executives would be protected by the compensation packages.
Should a new owner terminate them or require them to move to another city, the executives
would be entitled to lump-sum payouts totaling up to three years' worth of salary
and bonuses. It also would include the immediate vesting of all stock options, which
would then be cashed out in a single payment.
JACOR TO BUY STATIONS IN ND
full story online at Ohio Business Journal
Jacor Communications Inc. plans to buy two radio stations in Bismarck, N.D., from
Meyer Broadcasting Co. of Bismarck for $4.8 million in cash.
Jacor said that it has signed an agreement to purchase KFYR-AM and KYYY-FM. The purchase,
which requires approval by the Federal Communications Commission, would mark Jacor's
entry into the North Dakota radio market.
Including pending acquisitions, Jacor owns 217 radio stations in 61 markets.
CHANCELLOR BUYING SPREE
full story online at Capital District Business Review
In two separate deals, announced five days apart, Chancellor Media Corp. agreed
to purchase both Capstar Broadcasting Corp. and Whiteco Outdoor Advertising.
In the first deal, Capstar will be merged into Chancellor in a pact valued at $4.1
billion in stock and debt.
The combined organization -- which will operate under the Chancellor name -- will
own 465 radio stations in 105 markets across the country, and have pro-forma 1998
net revenue of about $2.3 billion. It will rank first in the nation in station count,
revenue, cash flow and listenership, according to a statement released Aug. 27.
With the Whiteco purchase -- which could close before the radio dea l-- Chancellor
will rank among the top five outdoor advertising concerns in the nation. It has agreed
to pay $930 million for the Merillville, Ind.-based firm, which is the largest privately
held billboard company in the United States.
CUMULUS BUYS 14 STATIONS
full story online at CBS Marketwatch
Radio station group Cumulus Media said it's agreed to acquire 14 Mississippi stations
in deals totaling $12.35 million.
From Charisma Broadcasting Group, the company will acquire WESE-FM, WTUP-AM,
WWZD-FM and WNRX-AM in Tupelo, Miss., along with WMXU-FM, WSMS-FM, WKOR-AM/FM and
WSSO-AM in Columbus-Starkville. The price tag for those nine stations is $6.85 million.
Cumulus will acquire four stations from Radio Hattiesburg and Radio Columbus for
a combined $4.5 million: WHER-FM and WFOR-AM in Hattiesburg from Radio Hattiesburg,
and WMBC-FM and WJWF-AM in Columbus-Starkville from Radio Columbus.
The company is also set to buy Laurel-Hattiesburg station WEEZ-FM from Pine Belt
Broadcasting for $1 million.
Cumulus is the nation's fourth-largest radio group, with 160 stations in 32 markets.
CITADEL BUYS NINE STATIONS
full story online at Yahoo Biz
Citadel Communications Corporation and its subsidiary Citadel Broadcasting Company,
announced that it had reached an agreement in principle to acquire five radio stations
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and four radio stations in Lafayette, Louisiana for $34
million.
Pursuant to its acquisition of all the stock of Citywide Communications, Inc., Citadel
would acquire WXQK-AM, KQXL-FM, WEMX-FM, WKJN-FM and WIBR-AM in Baton Rouge and KFXZ-FM,
KRRQ-FM, KNEK-AM and KNEK-FM in Lafayette.
JACOR TO BUY 3 IN CA
full story online at Yahoo Biz
full story online at CBS Marketwatch
Jacor Communications Inc. signed an agreement to buy three Southern California
radio stations from Antelope Broadcasting Co. Inc. for a total of $4 million in cash.
The deal to buy KAVL-AM of Lancaster, Calif.; KAVS-FM of Mojave, Calif.; and KYHT-FM
of Yermo, Calif.; is subject to Federal Communications Commission approval.
Including those deals, Jacor will own, operate or represent 214 radio stations in
59 markets.
CHILDREN'S CLOSES DEAL
full story online at Yahoo Biz
Children's Broadcasting Corporation announced that it had closed upon the sale
of the assets of its Detroit radio station, WCAR (AM), to 1090 Investments, L.L.C.
for $2 million. The sale of ten radio stations to Catholic Radio Network, LLC for
$57 million (subject to adjustment) is expected to occur in September, and the sale
of CBC's final 2 radio stations for $4.7 million (subject to adjustment) to Salem
Communications Corporation is expected to occur in October.
CAPSTAR WON'T BUY KATQ
full story online at Yahoo Biz
Capstar abandoned plans to acquire KATQ Radio Inc. after the Justice Department
raised concerns that the deal would smother competition in the Texarkana market.
The Justice Department, in making the announcement Wednesday, said the acquisition
would have boosted Capstar Broadcasting Partners' share of advertising revenues in
that market to 62 percent.
MEDIA MOGUL COURTS MINORITIES
full story online at Mother Jones
Media baron Rupert Murdoch appears close to striking a deal with
a coalition of minority leaders in which he will donate at least $100 million to
help increase the number of minority-owned U.S. broadcast stations. But a source
familiar with the negotiations describes the investment fund as part of "a package
deal" orchestrated by Murdoch to expand his media empire.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Murdoch will provide the funding
under the condition that, in return, members of the coalition agree to endorse a
waiver Murdoch plans to request from the Federal Communications Commission that would
allow him to buy more TV stations in the United States. Under current FCC regulations,
further acquisition by Murdoch's News Corp., which includes the Fox network, would
constitute an illegal monopoly.
ONE-SECOND ADS
full story online at Cincinnati Business Journal
A jeans-clad Randy Michaels sat at the conference table in Jacor Communications
Inc.'s headquarters and openly admitted to "stealing ones."
Could it be the radio giant's CEO had hit hard times and was dipping into petty cash
for lunch money?
Hardly.
For the last month, Jacor has been experimenting with a new cross-promotional campaign
in the Cincinnati market between its eight radio stations and its television station,
WKRC-TV (Channel 12).
At the top and bottom of each hour, Michaels said, he has been "stealing"
one second from Channel 12 to flash an advertisement for one of Jacor's local radio
stations. Those include WLW-AM, WKRC-AM, WEBN-FM and WOFX-FM. In exchange, WKRC gets
a five-second spot each hour on all eight radio stations.
LOW-POWER TO THE PEOPLE
full story online at ABC News
In the past year, federal authorities have pulled the plug on 260 low-power radio
stations. These ́pirateî stations, many with ranges of a few miles or less, broadcast
without licenses and often flaunt their disdain for the regulatory authority of the
Federal Communications Commission.
To the FCC and licensed commercial stations, these and other ́pirateî broadcasters
are at best trespassers on a finite, orderly broadcast spectrum and at worst threats
to safe air-traffic operations, sometimes conducted on adjacent frequencies.
Interference with control towers at Miami International Airport was part of the justification
given for the raid on 15 unlicensed stations in South Florida.
But even as the FCC is engaged in a crackdown on unlicensed ́microradioî broadcasts,
the agency is considering ways to legalize at least some broadcasters operating below
the 100-watt threshold that for 20 years has been the minimum power licensed by the
government.
DEAD AIR COMPLIMENTS OF FCC
full story online at Spokane.net
Back in the early days of radio, the Federal Communications Commission encouraged
the emergence of broadcasting stations with a hometown service ethic.
Today, huge corporations dominate the radio waves and to deal with them, the FCC
has become so bureaucratic that it can cost an impossible $50,000 to win licensing
for a station in a market no megacorporation would consider.
Consider, for example, the town of Republic, population 1,040. Risking Draconian
penalties for unlicensed operation, a few locals there have operated a 10-watt station
that carried their high school's games (kids did the play-by-play) and such other
tidbits of local interest as road closures during floods. FCC officials ignored their
letter asking if there was an affordable way to get a license.
So, Republic Community Radio has shut down. Organizers still hope someone in federal
government will notice the plight of Americans who want radio to fulfill its original
purpose. There ought to be a way, and Congress ought to tune out the corporate lobbyists
long enough to help small-town America find it.
SHOWDOWN AT THE FCC
from press release
FREE RADIO ACTIVISTS MARCH ON WASHINGTON TO CONFRONT THE GLOBAL MEDIA MONOPOLY
AND THEIR MARIONNETTES IN GOVERNMENT!
Sunday, October Fourth -- Monday, October Fifth 1998
Calling all media activists, radio pirates and people for a democratic media:
Come to DC for the first national mobilization for free radio!
Microbroadcasters from around the country will gather for two days to share radio
skills, organize alliances, speak out to the media and protest at the FCC and NAB
buildings, culminating in a live broadcast straight into the offices of the people
working so hard to shut us down.
Free Radio Berkeley, Radio Mutiny, Steal This Radio and other microstations have
all broadcasted live in public and challenged the FCC to shut them down in the light
of day, in front of the press and the Feds have never dared to show their face --
this time, we're going to take it right to their doorstep and tell them that if they're
so sure that their dumb law is worth enforcing, then the Chairman should come down
from the 8th floor and put the cuffs on us himself.
RADIO STATIONS AND UNIVERSITIES
full story online at Current
In the latest clashes over proper use of the public asset that is public radio,
a Pasadena college has stripped its radio manager of his duties, a Las Vegas university
may hand its station to students, and Santa Monica College students are suing curators
for broadcast training opportunities.
The conflicts demonstrate how thoroughly students' and educators' convictions about
the purposes of a station can differ from station management's.
August 27, 1998
CHANCELLOR TO BUY CAPSTAR
full story online at Excite News
full story online at Nando.net
full story online at Yahoo Biz
full story online at CBS Marketwatch
full story online at Fox Marketwire
full story online at LA Times
Chancellor Media Corp. will buy Capstar Broadcasting Corp. for $4.1 billion in
stock and assumed debt (representing a
purchase price of approximately 15.5 times Capstar's projected 1999
broadcast cash flow) in a deal that will create the nation's largest owner
of radio stations. The combined company will have 463 radio stations in 105 markets
as well as interests in television, billboards and ad sales.
The purchase will consolidate the radio properties of Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst
Inc, a private buyout firm and the largest shareholder in both companies.
Thomas O. Hicks stated, "It has been a long-term professional and personal goal
of mine to create the nation's largest radio broadcasting entity by all measures,
and today marks the beginning of a new and exciting era for Chancellor Media,
its advertisers, employees and shareholders."
[ed: what about the listeners?!]
CBS TO SELL STATIONS
full story online at CBS.com
full story online at Nando.net
full story online at CNNfn
full story online at Excite News
Taking aim at its steadily declining stock price, broadcast giant CBS Corp. plans
to spin off 20 percent of its radio and outdoor group in an initial public offering
and take a restructuring charge of $50 million to $70 million in its third quarter.
CBS will retain 80 percent ownership of the new public company, to be called Infinity
Broadcasting, and continue to operate the CBS Television Group, which embraces the
network's broadcast empire of 14 stations. Infinity would own and operate more than
155 radio stations.
CBS also announced that its third-quarter profits will likely be reduced by $50 million
to $70 million to pay for cost-cutting efforts, mainly at the network. While CBS
would not offer specifics, the company has reportedly been looking to slash jobs
at the network.
CBS, ABC ASK FOR FCC CHANGE
full story online at CBS Marketwatch
This issue seems loaded with potential destruction -- the big networks are getting
so big that they are losing money and now they want the rules changed so they can
get bigger and... lose more money? If they are losing money, perhaps they should
change their business management, not ownership rules!
It's not exactly prime-time news: the four major U.S. broadcast networks are going
to have to do something about declining market share and rising programming costs.
CBS and Walt Disney's ABC are petitioning the Federal Communications Commission to
repeal the dual network rule, which prohibits mergers between existing English-language
broadcast networks.
The networks are also asking the regulatory body to boost the cap that limits U.S.
TV station ownership to 35 percent of the nation's households.
Messere, the New York professor, thinks the big networks will ultimately get their
way on dual network ownership - perhaps in one or two years - because they will ultimately
find Washington's soft spot: HDTV.
"[The FCC] won't come out and say, 'Yes, the networks are right, they deserve
the repeal of the duopoly rule,' because I don't think that's politically possible,"
Messere said. "But I think they'll go to their liaisons in Congress and say,
'Look, the networks are losing money, we have to find a way to return them to profitability
if they're going to provide high-definition programming.'"
Keefer isn't sold on it. "In the early days, broadcasting was reserved as what
was supposed to be a mom-and-pop sort of business," she said, "which you'd
start in your local community, and you'd serve the local community's needs ...
The wholesale mergers in all kinds of media have eroded that enough already."
FCC SHUTDOWN IN CLEVELAND
full story online at Yahoo Biz
full story online at Cleveland Plains
Federal agents raided four unlicensed Spanish radio stations on Cleveland's West
Side yesterday, cutting off the Hispanic community's only 24-hour broadcasts of Latin
music and community news.
Nine agents from the Federal Communications Commission and six U.S. marshals, armed
with search warrants, seized tens of thousands of dollars in broadcast equipment
from the low-powered stations. Radio operators shut down in Cleveland were identified
as: WSLR, 93.7 FM; WSPL, 90.7 FM; WMRC "Radio Ebenezer," 88.1 FM; and WPRC,
91.9 FM
All four stations are around 20 watts and don't interfere with other radio transmissions.
But an FCC investigator said in a affidavit filed in U.S. District Court that signals
had the potential of interfering with radios "in the public safety frequency
band" and "the potential to cause harmful interference to aviation
communications."
Operators of the stations said they planned to jointly hire lawyers and fight
the shutdowns.
FREE RADIO ASHEVILLE RAIDED
from FRA press release
The Free Radio Asheville Collective radio station was raided by the FCC of the
Duluth, GA office and the Asheville Police Department at 8:20 PM, Wednesday, August
26.
FCC agent Royce E. Leonardson, Compliance Specialist, and two APD officers entered
the broadcasting location to "inspect" the Free Radio Asheville Collective's
equipment and force the station to shut down.
The FCC Compliance Specialist and APD officers forced their way onto the station
property without a warrant or permission. After informing them of their legal responsibilities
to be in possession of a search warrant, DJ "Ramblin Rose" refused to allow
a search of the property. Rose refused to surrender station equipment after enforcement
officers warned her that "sanctions for unauthorized operation of a radio station
can range from an administrative monetary penalty of up to $11,000 to criminal prosecution
with a fine for individual violators of up to $100,000.00 and/or imprisonment for
up to one year."
BIG CITY ADDS CHICAGO STATIONS
full story online at Yahoo Biz
Big City Radio Inc. announced that it has completed its acquisition of two Chicago-area
radio stations -- WCBR-FM, Arlington Heights, IL and WLRT-FM, Kankakee, IL -- which
will effectively double the Company's presence in the third largest radio market
in the United States.
The stations will be synchronized on Chicago's 92.7 FM frequency using Big City Radio's
Synchronized Total Market Coverage technology (STMC), after which they will broadcast
to an increased coverage of Chicago's Arbitron population.
CLEAR CHANNEL BUYS STATION
full story online at San Antonio Business Journal
San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications Inc. has added one more San Antonio
radio station to its fold: KSJL 96.1 FM.
Clear Channel officially closed on a deal three weeks ago to take over ownership
of KSJL, formerly owned by Inner City Broadcasting Co. of San Antonio. Clear Channel
officials declined to reveal details of the purchase agreement. Inner City officials
could not be reached by press time.
TCI INT'L MERGER OK, JACOR BUYS 5
full story online at CBS Marketwatch
TCI said Monday that its board approved a previously announced merger with Liberty
Media, the programming arm of John Malone's TCI. Under the deal, announced July 13,
TCI International will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of TCI.
Jacor Communications said it's signed an option to buy five radio stations from privately-held
Progressive Broadcasting for an undisclosed amount. The agreement gives Jacor the
option to acquire shreveport, La. stations KVKI-FM, KRUF-FM, KITT-FM, KEEL-AM and
KWKH-AM.
BILL TO LEGITIMIZE JUKEBOX RADIO
full story online at Bergen
Buried in a voluminous, multibillion-dollar funding bill now before the nation's
lawmakers is a provision that would legitimize Bergen County's only commercial FM
radio station.
Drafted by Sen. Robert G. Torricelli, D-N.J., it would authorize tiny Jukebox Radio
to broadcast its own local programs. The 34.75-watt Fort Lee station has been doing
that since 1993, but its right to do so is under attack by rival WVNJ-AM, other broadcasters,
and the Federal Communications Commission.
The bill might end a hot broadcasting debate that has raged for nearly two decades.
Many say low-power FM "translators," like the Jukebox transmitter, should
be used only to relay the signals of large, full-service stations to underserved
portions of their service areas. They fear competition from these low-power stations
will undermine the profitability of struggling, full-service AM competitors.
RADIO AAHS SALE FINAL
full story online at Yahoo Biz
Children's Broadcasting Corporation announced that, at its Annual Meeting of Shareholders,
CBC shareholders voted to approve the sale of all of the Company's owned and operated
radio stations to Catholic Radio Network, LLC, Salem Communications Corporation and
1090 Investments, L.L.C. for an approximate aggregate purchase price of $61.7 million.
[ed: sources says sale to occur around Sept. 15]
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