Big grassroot project ideas? Here's mine: A radio station!

[purplechoe]

http://republicbroadcasting.org/

 

[nate895]

According to the person who contacted me in 2007, it would cost around $150,000 to lease a radio station for a year. If you add the costs of gas and food for people, it could probably be done quite easily for less then $250,000 a year.

Now, we do need to find this guy (or someone) again who will give us a good deal like that... but I think it could be done. Keep in mind this will be for an AM radio station

The operators could get a profit off of it by running advertisements. What I'd do is get together a million or two, setup shop in Des Moines (political spot), and get some advertisement for your station. You might take a loss over the first year, but you could easily start making a profit in the second. Use the success of the venture (should it succeed) to stir up some investment in larger markets.

 

[nate895]

http://republicbroadcasting.org/

That can be a useful programming start.

 

[UtahApocalypse]

There is also TV as a possibility.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=265629

 

[DjLoTi]

Yeah, TV is a bit more expensive, with more expensive equipment. That's why I think radio is the best way to go. I like your post, but I think the area isn't particularly best for a major investment via grassroots, ya know? I think it should be a primary state, for sure

 

[DjLoTi]

http://republicbroadcasting.org/

Right now, the guy just said, "..and the jewish community is not monolithic pro-Isreal.... unfortunately, for the most part, the jewish community is in the pro-Isreal camp, and fanatically so, but there is opposition....."

Talking about the connection between Isreal and the military and politicians.

It's very 'conspiratorial'. It seems so to me. My radio will be fun, and normal, not conspiratorial.

This is the difference between being 'on the fringes' and 'legit'. A real radio station will make us legit. I tried to make a clear point about being a more normal, typical radio station. We do not need to be 'edgy' to get listeners. At least, I don't think so. We didn't need it for Ron Paul radio, and I don't see anything more successful then Ron Paul radio that is 'edgy', besides Alex Jones, who has been known to pioneer his self-interests over other well-intentioned activists.

 

[purplechoe]

Right now, the guy just said, "..and the jewish community is not monolithic pro-Isreal.... unfortunately, for the most part, the jewish community is in the pro-Isreal camp, and fanatically so, but there is opposition....."

Talking about the connection between Isreal and the military and politicians.

It's very 'conspiratorial'. It seems so to me. My radio will be fun, and normal, not conspiratorial.

This is the difference between being 'on the fringes' and 'legit'. A real radio station will make us legit. I tried to make a clear point about being a more normal, typical radio station. We do not need to be 'edgy' to get listeners. At least, I don't think so. We didn't need it for Ron Paul radio, and I don't see anything more successful then Ron Paul radio that is 'edgy', besides Alex Jones, who has been known to pioneer his self-interests over other well-intentioned activists.

They have different hosts which talk about different topics. That particular host speaks about Zionism. I would recommend John Stadtmiller (owner of the network) show from 3-5 EST, they also had an outstanding host Robby Noel (following Stadtmiller) who was an expert on business, gold, etc... but he went back to Africa (he's white, but born there) because it was scarring him what was happening here in the States. His site: http://robbynoel.com/

Also they have Alan Watt 6-7 EST, in my opinion one of THE EXPERTS on all things esoteric...

I recommend you listen to the station every Tuesday 3-5 EST when they have Bob Chapman (his site http://theintrnationalforecaster.com/ ) on the show. The guy has been fighting for liberty for about 50+ years and even knows G. Edward Griffin from the 60's when they used to pass out leaflets warning people about what the things we are fighting for today.

 

[BuddyRey]

I love this idea, LoTi! I remember back in the days of Ron Paul Radio just how fun and informative that was. It's an extraordinary comfort sometimes just to be able to hear another human voice articulate the thoughts that have been running through your head for so long; a reassurance of "normalcy" perhaps...or maybe even a shared revelry in abject weirdness that makes you forget why you were ashamed of being weird in the first place. Either way, it's a wonderful technology to be able to rally around. Let me know if you're looking for some help on the creative end (scripts, voiceovers, etc.) This is really exciting!

 

[politicsNproverbs]

RADIO & TV DEALS Website

FYI: There's a fairly new website, online since April 2010, called RADIO & TV DEALS:
http://www.radiotvdeals.com

It's a legit site, set up by a lady long time in the biz. Station owners list their For Sales & prospective buyers then make contact with Sellers through the site. Only serious inquiries are accepted.

They say it is definitely a buyer's market.

The cheapest prices are for "dark" (off air) stations, or those who have not upgraded to digital.

Of course the fully functioning stations, especially in big cities & with higher market ranks, are Very Pricey, whether Full Power TV or FM stations.

AM's are cheaper, as are LP (low power) TV's.

They also have CP listings (station construction permits).

They have a site search engine but it's not that great, imho, but it will suffice. Just pick any state & start reading.

You can also sign up for emails for any new stations that are listed.

What I've found interesting since I found the site about 2 months ago, is the number of Sellers who state their reason for wanting to sell as "bad health." :-/ ??? Maybe they are older guys, so you might run across a good deal at the right time if the Seller is anxious to unload!

Many others say they "want to pursue other interests."

And some are bankrupt & in receivership, etc.

Here is just a sample to show how the listings look...

http://www.radiotvdeals.com/35.html?m8:search[group]=933726;search[nested]=1&i2039437:page=2
(...)
Florida*
AM Station
Market Rank** Mkt 201+
Asking Price** $200,000.00
Part of a Combo or Group?** Stand Alone
Seller Financing Available?** Will Seller Finance
Will Seller LMA?** Will Consider LMA
Ad Headline** Florida Fulltime AM
Description**
Class: Fulltime
Coverage: Central Florida
Power: 1,000 Day, 77 Watts Night
Equipment: Good-Excellent
Real Estate: 2.5 Acres & building
Reason to sell: Owner in bad health
(...)

Here's a sample FM station, as a comparison...

http://www.radiotvdeals.com/35.html?m8:search[group]=933726;search[nested]=1&i2039437:page=3
(...)*
FM - Full Power, Commercial
Market Rank** Mkt 51–100
Asking Price** $280,000.00
Part of a Combo or Group?** Part of a Combo or Group
Seller Financing Available?** Consider Seller Financing
Will Seller LMA?** Will Consider LMA
Ad Headline** Florida Gulf Coast - REDUCED!! -- Tallahassee Market AM/FM Group
Description**
Class: A, with CP for 25kW C3
Coverage: Tallahassee market
Digital: Yes
Hours: Fulltime
Equipment: Excellent
Real Estate: Included
Cash Flow: Positive
Reason to sell: Other interests
(...)

I have zero radio or TV knowledge but have had "fanciful ideas" of my own (unrelated to politics) & that's how I discovered the above site a few months ago.

And I thought it was especially funny you said you would live in the station, lol, as that is exactly what I was thinking. There's a "dark" TV station in Key West...

 

[Noob]

Will it be AM, FM, Internet or Satellite?

 

[DjLoTi]

Awesome post PoliticsNproverbs!! w00t w00t!! That's exactly like what I was looking for!! Awesome!!!

Noob: I imagine it would be AM, possibly FM, but also available online.

 

[tangent4ronpaul]

DjLoTi,

Loved what you did last election cycle, however your current idea of a physical radio station looks rather impractical and limiting. For a physical, full power, non-pirate station, that means it can't move. 3,000,000 people live in Iowa, of which only 50,000 live in Ames Iowa and that would be about the limit of your potential broadcast audience. Well, however many of them like your station better than the other 44 radio stations in the area:

http://www.ontheradio.net/cities/ames_ia.aspx

As there don't seem to be any radio stations for sale in IA currently (and your price was sorta low balled) that means building one from scratch. So after some high priced consultant fees you get to send in some paperwork to the FCC and you'll get an approval or not in 9-12 months. You didn't want to start broadcasting till January 2012, right?

Stations for sale:
http://www.radiostationsforsale.net/

What I'm trying to get at is that for a political movement, owning the transport media for the message is a loose/loose ROI so long as the FCC is involved. Other things are still viable:

Internet radio
Internet TV
using someone else's station (college/community radio) w/ our staffing & content
using someone else's station (college/community radio) w/ our content (CD's of RP music, etc)
Low power/unlicensed radio (Linda - granny warrior - had a station in her RV and broadcast at events)

Last time there was some great stuff produced! - but there was a lot of cat fighting and narcissism too. There were several competing Internet radio and TV stations - and not a one was interested in helping others create their own version. This is completely different from the JustinTV and C-SPAN model where they do enable people. Where they downplay media personalities.

There is a significant advantage in syndication. Where you have a network that is mostly local programming, but a certain amount of content is national. That means all these micro-audiences add up to a huge audience and it's worth the attention of those that are looking for a lot of attention (politicians)

At the other end of the spectrum - micro-broadcasting can pay off - its very local, but easy to advertise

We can do better than we are....

-t

 

[Nate-ForLiberty]

Why not look for a station near Auburn, Alabama? Take advantage of Auburn University and the Mises Institute. Auburn U will provide plenty of young people and Mises Inst would be a wonderful resource of media and personalities.

there is one in Union Springs, Alabama >1 hour from Auburn.
http://www.radiotvdeals.com/35.html?m8:search[group]=933572;search[nested]=1

 

[politicsNproverbs]

You're welcome, DJ, lol.

Politics or not, since you're passionate about the medium anyway, & being a DJ, it might be a good career path either way.

Online AND brick/mortar would be ideal, though Tangent listed some pertinent realities. I would imagine having to deal with FCC red tape could be a quagmire, not to mention slow-moving.

Since there's a lot of very smart people at RPF, you may not need it, but the SCORE small biz org has free mentoring for various industries:
http://counseling.score.org/AvectraScore/secure/SearchExpertise.aspx

I have no idea how good they are, but if you do an Industry search at their above link, under the letter "R," the first listing is "Radio & TV Broadcasting." Check that & hit Submit & it will give a list of volunteer biz mentors with experience in that industry you could contact.

~~~

And speaking of the FCC, if you end up in a brick & mortar station, just be sure to answer the door when the FCC knocks. (If you're living there that shouldn't be a problem, lol. ) The Broadcast Law Blog posted this yesterday...

An FCC Enforcement Bureau District Office today issued a Notice of Apparent Liability, proposing to fine an AM licensee $25,000 for not having a meaningful staff presence at the station's main studio...
http://www.broadcastlawblog.com/201...d-a-public-file-at-the-main-studio/index.html

~~~~~

"For who has despised the day of small things?" (Zech. 4:10)

~~~~~

 

[justinc.1089]

If you can figure out how to do this, as in radio playing that an AM/FM car radio can tune in to, in one or a combination of New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, then GO FOR IT.



I live in South Carolina, Horry County its in the Northeastern corner, so if you need me to do anything here to help you I would be glad to do it. I have no experience that would be helpful, but if there's a way you would find me helpful just let me know.


I think going internet and broadcasting through Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina should be the ultimate goals. I have a feeling somehow going through already existing stations will be easier and faster, like buying already existing stations or something.

 

[BuddyRey]

Morning bump!

 

[tangent4ronpaul]

//

 

[Travlyr]

Can we be legit, or will we remain on the internet? I want a studio, a station, and the real thing.

However, it's not up to me. It's up to you, and everybody here. So fire away with questions and comments =)

While Nate-For-Liberty has a good list started, Liberty Radio and TV is a great idea. In order for the liberty movement to win big, we must be on the air.
Some questions:

• Would this project be "for profit?"
• What is the mission statement?
• What type of organization? Corporation, Partnership, etc.

 

[TruckinMike]

DjLoTi - GREAT IDEA bring back RPR!! Here is an idea that I know that you have contemplated:

Think.... Microbroadcast stations, all across America - 100 to 1000 milliwatts strong blowing the doors off your neighborhood! With strategically placed signs, your entire neighborhood will be listening to RPR.

for less than $100 one can build a station that would easily reach a 1 mile radius.

Think "Ramsey FM10", plus a home-brew 3 stage filter and a 1000 milliwatt home-brew amp. Easy Filters and Easy amp plans can be found easily on the web.

It sounds so easy we could all easily do it - easy.


TMike

And if you are really adventurous try 10 Watts of in your face power with Free Radio Berkeley's kits, plans, or pre-built projects. Check out http://www.freeradio.org/howto.php
and watch their videos -- Great info!

here are some of their useful micro broadcast Document links

 

[DjLoTi]

There is a FM station in NH for 300k, and some cool cheaper stations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee that seem like pretty good deals. I have some replies below

As there don't seem to be any radio stations for sale in IA currently (and your price was sorta low balled) that means building one from scratch.

Other things are still viable:
Internet radio (included)
Internet TV (viable on 3rd party website)
using someone else's station (college/community radio) w/ our staffing & content (like leasing)
Low power/unlicensed radio (Linda - granny warrior - had a station in her RV and broadcast at events)

Last time there was some great stuff produced! - but there was a lot of cat fighting and narcissism too. There were several competing Internet radio and TV stations - and not a one was interested in helping others create their own version. This is completely different from the JustinTV and C-SPAN model where they do enable people. Where they downplay media personalities.

There is a significant advantage in syndication. Where you have a network that is mostly local programming, but a certain amount of content is national. That means all these micro-audiences add up to a huge audience and it's worth the attention of those that are looking for a lot of attention (politicians)

At the other end of the spectrum - micro-broadcasting can pay off - its very local, but easy to advertise

T, thanks for the response. Initially I was thinking we could lease out the station(s). The suggestions here have been to actually purchase a radio station. A benefit from leasing a radio station, is that it should be cheaper. The downside is, in the end, we walk away with nothing. Actually buying a radio station is more expensive, but unlike something like the blimp, we own a tangible asset. If we lease, we're just 'renting' a radio station

I agree with you about the competing internet radio stations and cat-fighting. I started RonPaulradio because I am a DJ and I knew it was the best way i could get involved. I did it because it was fun, and not for the money. If Ron Paul was elected in 2008, RonPaulradio.com would have been extremely popular and possibly valuable. Some people wanted to own part of the website for helping me, and when I said no, a bunch of my hosts started a new website and tried to 'beat' me or something.

My experience in internet radio is primarily with jungletrain.net. Jungletrain.net is one of the top DnB websites in Europe. It has been going on for nearly 10 years. They consistently reach 250 listeners a day. But the people who run the website have normal jobs. They don't make a ton of money from the website. They do it because they love DnB. So when people started telling me they wanted to get paid and they wanted to own the website, it just seemed so foreign to me, because JT has had djs for years and years, and i'm pretty sure no one gets paid, but it's still a great website because everyone comes because they love DnB. My hope was that people would rally because they loved RP.

I didn't make that much money, but I didn't really ask for much either. It was never about the money for me. And the competition on internet radio is so brutal, the guys that left totally tried to take me down. Someone else tried to call himself 'Ron Paul radio' and started a radio show on a website, which confused people. It was a confusing process.

But that is why I want a real radio station. Because then, we can become 'legit'. We can syndicate Peter Schiffs radio show. We probably couldn't do that with just an internet radio station. I agree that syndicating is a real gem of an opportunity.

While Nate-For-Liberty has a good list started, Liberty Radio and TV is a great idea. In order for the liberty movement to win big, we must be on the air.
Some questions:

• Would this project be "for profit?"
• What is the mission statement?
• What type of organization? Corporation, Partnership, etc.

It would be 'for profit' so we could have advertising and stuff. I think that would be the best way to go. Plus I'm pretty sure we can say things like 'it would be great if we had a change in 2012', other partisan statements.

I think the mission statement is basically using the airwaves to help advance the awareness of liberty and freedom, as well as being a provider of information throughout the 2012 election. Also I think there can be music. The programming is really quite flexible. Programming is actually very easy. There is plenty of content we can use to 'fill time'. But I think a radio station will give us access to candidates and events unlike any other viable alternative.

The type of org is kind of confusing. I would like to be a non-profit, but then we can't be partisan or w/e. I think if we *buy* a radio station, any large donors we have I think deserve to own a percentage of the radio station. If we get advertising, I think whoever gets the advertising is entitled to a % of the sale. Money could also be applied for advertising the radio station locally, or hosting local events. Or we could use money to buy low-power transmitters for people.

DjLoTi - GREAT IDEA bring back RPR!! Here is an idea that I know that you have contemplated:

Think.... Microbroadcast stations, all across America - 100 to 1000 milliwatts strong blowing the doors off your neighborhood! With strategically placed signs, your entire neighborhood will be listening to RPR.

for less than $100 one can build a station that would easily reach a 1 mile radius.

Think "Ramsey FM10", plus a home-brew 3 stage filter and a 1000 milliwatt home-brew amp. Easy Filters and Easy amp plans can be found easily on the web.

It sounds so easy we could all easily do it - easy.


TMike

And if you are really adventurous try 10 Watts of in your face power with Free Radio Berkeley's kits, plans, or pre-built projects. Check out http://www.freeradio.org/howto.php
and watch their videos -- Great info!

here are some of their useful micro broadcast Document links

Tmike,
Great post! This stuff doesn't look too hard. I think these would probably be the best way to maximize our coverage area. I still think it would be good to have a real radio station, so we could have studio equipment and stuff, but with these things I'm not sure if it matters where the studio is!