MeTV FM and 13 other FrankenFM stations now have an official and permanent home on the far left end of the FM dial. Like I expected, on July 20 the FCC approved a report and order allowing these now-digital low-power TV channel 6 stations to keep their experimental analog radio transmitters on the air. 

It’s a very narrow ruling, premitting only these 14 stations that had received Special Temporary Authority (STA) to broadcast an analog radio signal alongside a digital TV signal. No new stations can apply, and the FCC is not otherwise opening up new FM station opportunitieis on 87.75 MHz FM. However, if these stations are sold, they may transfer their FM rights as part of the sale. This had been prohibited under the terms of the STA.

As I argued last year, the fact that the Commission would even consider letting these loophole stations keep their loophole permanently is evidence that, despite its flaws and contradictions, the FCC tends to see its role as keeping stations on air and maintaining public service. Critically, FrankenFMs always operated within the letter of the law. They only, “took advantage of the physics of their location on the broadcast television band, because the uppermost portion of the channel where these television stations made their home was also capable of reception on the lowermost portion of the FM radio dial,” as Chairwoman Rosenworcel puts it.

Some might say my argument is contractied by how the FCC treats unlicensed, pirate broadcasters, which in many cases may be providing equivalent public service. Like it or not, unlicensed statoins operate in contravention to the rules, and it’s a critical difference for the FCC, and its legal mandates. This doesn’t mean there couldn’t be more productive approaches to pirate radio – indeed LPFM was one – but it does explain why FrankenFMs received different treament.

Adherence to rules is also why the FCC fines licensed stations that break them, even if those fines might jeopardize the station’s viability. However, in reality, it’s extremely rare that the FCC fines a station off the air for routine violations – even indecency – and the Commission will reduce fines if a license holder demonstrates hardship. Again, in the spirit of keeping stations on air and maintaining public service. If a station leaves the air in the face of a fine, more often it’s because the license holder chooses to sell or transfer the license in order to avoid current and future liability. The license and signal is preserved, even if the specific programming changes. 

In any event, it’s been a long, 14-year saga for FrankenFMs.

The post They Live! FCC Permanently Authorizes 14 FrankenFMs appeared first on Radio Survivor.

It’s been nearly three years since the FCC first announced that a new low-power FM (LPFM) application window would be forthcoming. Now we know that November 1 – 8, 2023 will be the third-ever opportunity for qualified non-profits to apply for a license. Jennifer, Eric and Paul review all the pertinent details, explaining why there is excitement around LPFM and this next chance for new community and college radio stations to go on the air.

We also take another look at Franken FMs – vestigial low-power TV (LPTV) stations on channel 6 that can be heard at the far left end of the FM radio dial. They were supposed to go off the air a year ago when the last LPTV stations converted to digital broadcasts. But the FCC eventually granted 13 of them “Special Temporary Authority” to continue broadcasting an analog radio signal experimentally even while their video signals went digital. At its July meeting the Commission plans to vote on rules that would allow these Franken FMs to live on, and we discuss what’s at stake.

Show Notes:

• Podcast #269 – How To Get an FM Radio License in 2021
• New Opportunity for Low-Power FM Community Radio Stations Opens November 1, 2023
• Why There Will Be Fewer Opportunities for New LPFMs in the November Application Window
• The Greatest Flowering of Community Radio in History Happened in the 2010s
• Resources on applying for an LPFM license:
  • Rec Network’s LPFM.app
  • Common Frequency
  • Prometheus Radio Project
• KOMF-LP tour in Denver
• San Francisco Community Radio is a LPFM in a time-sharing agreement
• FrankenFMs Up for Final Vote at FCC
• Chicago’s MeTV FM Takes the Back Door to Radio Ratings Success

Show Credits

• This episode was produced by Paul Riismandel
• Hosted by Jennifer Waits, Eric Klein and Paul Riismandel
• Edited by Eric Klein

The post Podcast #331 – New Low-Power FM Opportunity Coming this November appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Going into the 2023 application window for new low-power FM stations we are unlikely to see the kind of massive expansion of the sort we had after the 2013 window. That’s because there are many fewer open frequencies, stemming from the fact that there are simply more FM radio stations on the dial in 2023 than in September, 2013, right before that last application window opened.

But just how big is the change? The FCC reports on the number of broadcast stations every quarter, so getting an exact number is trivial.

As of September 30, 2013 there were 17,356 FM licensed broadcast stations in the US. As of March 31, 2023 that number was 21,838. That means there are 4482 more – a 25% increase. However, the aggregate growth in FM doesn’t tell the whole story.

LPFMs can be squeezed into the dial on frequencies where full-power stations aren’t permitted. The same is true for translator repeater stations. And the growth in both these kinds of stations has been even greater: 60%!

There were 788 licensed LPFMs in September, 2013, and now there are 1,999 in March, 2023 – 154% more. Translators grew from 6,055 in 2013 to 8,939 in 2023, making for a 48% increase. In fact, combined, LPFMs and translators constitute a full half of all FM radio station licenses today. In 2013 they made up a little less than a quarter.

The LPFM growth is directly attributed to that 2013 application window, which resulted in the vast majority of new stations going on the air between 2014 and 2016. In 2016 and 2017 the FCC conducted application windows for translators, which drove the growth in those licenses. Two of those windows were specifically for AM stations which were newly permitted to obtain repeaters on FM, further fueling demand for valuable space on that dial.

So, that’s the state of things as we head into this next (and possibly final) opportunity for new LPFM community radio stations. Even though there will be fewer opportunities, this is no cause for despair. In the last decade so many more communities got their first – or second, third or fourth – community radio station. For example, my home of Portland, OR – which had two community stations and no true LPFMs in 2013 – added five more. Putting more on the air is kind of frosting on the cake, and at least some will likely be claiming frequencies from some of the LPFMs that weren’t able to survive, especially through the challenges of the pandemic.

The post Why There Will Be Fewer Opportunities for New LPFMs in the November Application Window appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Today there are 13 FrankenFM radio stations broadcasting in the US. These are vestiges of the analog TV past, given a short term lease by the Federal Communications Commission, now with a chance at a longer life.

Until July 2022 FrankenFMs were the analog audio signals of low-power TV (LPTV) stations on channel 6, which could be heard at the low end of the FM dial – at 87.75 MHz, to be precise. But July 2022 brought the final digital transition for these TV stations, which also meant the shutdown of their analog sound transmission.

However, some of these stations managed to build audiences that were generally unaware that they were listening to a TV station, and so they petitioned the FCC for special temporary authority (STA) to continue broadcasting in analog on the FM dial, even though their TV signals went digital. The FCC granted this exception to a baker’s dozen FrankenFMs on an experimental basis, and is now considering making this permanent, with the vote due on July 20.

Some hoped that this might be an opportunity to expand the FM, either by opening up 87.7 FM to more applicants (it’s not part of the official FM dial), or by expanding the dial even further to 82 MHz, reallocating the full bandwidth of what was once assigned to TV channel 6. To some disappointment, the Commission has indicated that it only intends to consider a fairly narrow option, only authorizing these last 13 FrankenFMs, taking additional stations or FM band expansion off the table.

Some public radio broadcasters have opposed any authorization of FrankenFMs because they see them as having taken a back-door into the FM dial, and that their FM service is a happy accident, never intended by the original rules of the game. They also think 87.75 MHz should fall into the non-commercial band (88 – 92 MHz), and object to the fact that many, if not most, FrankenFMs operate as commercial stations.

For its part the FCC seems to acknowledge that these remaining FrankenFMs are serving real listeners who’ve come to rely on their programming, often targeted to minority communities. So this final proposal up for vote represents an attempt to thread the needle, balancing a desire not to negatively impact listeners while also not opening the floodgates or creating additional controversy with the broadcast industry, in which there is no united opinion on expanding the FM band.

I’m not typically given to making predictions, but given the STAs already issued to these last FrankenFMs, combined with the very constrained proposal up for vote, my guess is that the FCC Commissioners are likely to authorize them. We won’t know for sure until the next public meeting on July 20, and you can be sure we’ll report on it here.

The post FrankenFMs Up for Final Vote at FCC appeared first on Radio Survivor.

The FCC is not in the business of taking licensed radio stations off the air.

This is something I’ve been telling community and college radio folks for well over a decade, especially when they get themselves tied up in knots of anxiety trying to read certain regulations like literary theory, worried that a fine over a fleeting f-word or clueless DJ promoting their own live gig once will spell the end. (It won’t, and hasn’t in the last four decades.)

There’s no better evidence for this perspective than the Commission’s latest proposed rulemaking to let FrankenFMs stay resident at the FM dial’s back door of 87.75 MHz, permanently. 

To briefly review: FrankenFMs are TV stations broadcasting as radio stations that were never licensed as radio at all. Instead they’re the vestiges of analog low-power TV (LPTV) stations that broadcast on channel 6, where the formerly analog audio portion of their signals could be heard at the far left end of the FM dial. Essentially, once full-power TV in the US went all-digital in 2009, FrankenFMs exploited what was previously just a technical curiosity to create a backdoor service. 

However, LPTVs had to go all-digital in June 2021, ending analog audio and FM radio reception at the same. But then the FCC authorized Special Temporary Authority (STA) for 13 of these stations to maintain an analog radio signal alongside their digital one, and those stations remain on the FM dial today.

With this new proposal, the Commission is recognizing that to listeners FrankenFMs are real radio stations, even if that’s not what the rules intended them to be. Of course, one could say the same of pirate stations – which the agency is staffing up to fight – but the Frankens at least were authorized to have an audio signal at 87.75 FM, just not necessarily a standalone signal. Yet, that was never prohibited either.

Say it again: The FCC is not in the business of taking licensed radio stations off the air.

(Even if they’re not fully radio stations.)

Of course, this proposal does not come without controversy. The most common objection is that it’s otherwise difficult to put a new FM station on the air, and so it would be fairer not to authorize this backdoor scheme. An additional argument is that if these stations are legitimized, then the Commission should extend the opportunity to more broadcasters.

In fact, the FCC asks if they should do just that, adopting an idea that’s been floating around community radio and public interest circles for the last decade, more recently suggested by National Public Radio: reallocate analog channel 6 TV frequencies 82 – 88 MHz for new FMs. Obviously, this would require new radio receivers to get most of the new broadcasts. But there was a time not too long ago that the AM dial didn’t go all the way to 1710 KHz, so there’s precedent. 

No doubt, many entrenched broadcast interests will probably argue that it’s absurd to license frequencies for stations that won’t be heard on most receivers. I don’t think that is so absurd in today’s radio and media environment. I’ll make that case in a separate post. 

Now we’re waiting for the comment window on this proposal to open when it gets published in the Federal Register. That’s when we’ll see what arguments, pro and con, are made on these ideas, and any of us in the public may weigh in, too.

The post FCC’s Proposal to Legitimize FrankenFMs Proves It Isn’t in the Business of Taking Stations off the Air appeared first on Radio Survivor.

The Federal Communications Commission recently announced that November 2, 2021 will mark the opening of the next licensing window for full-power non-commercial / educational (NCE) FM radio stations. The Commission first hinted at this chance back in fall of 2020. Given how often our listeners ask how and when they can get a radio license, we immediately dedicated an episode to that topic. Now that more is known we decided to revisit it.

Even though the application window dates have not yet been announced, now is the time to get prepared. Broadcast attorney Frank Montero guests to help us understand the process of applying for an FM broadcast license. He’s a partner with Fletcher, Heald and Hildreth, which also publishes the CommLawBlog. He explains who qualifies to apply and other requirements to keep in mind.

License application windows are the only time when an organization may apply for an FM radio license, and they don’t happen frequently. The last full-power NCE window was more than a decade ago, and the last chance at an LPFM was 2013. As the FM dial fills up in cities and towns across the country, this may be the last opportunity for a new station in many regions. If you’re interested in operating a full- or low-power non-commercial station we we hope this episode helps get you started. Even if you’re not interested, it’s important to understand just how stations get on the air in the 21st century.

Show Notes:

• CommLawBlog – The Upcoming FCC Noncommercial FM and LPFM Filing Windows: What You Need to Know
• The Next Noncomm FM License Opportunity Opens November 2
• NFCB: Primer On The NCE Radio Filing Window
• FCC Chair: New LPFM & Noncomm License Opportunities Coming Soon
• FCC Awards Full-Power Licenses to 5 LPFMs, Plus 52 More Orgs (2010)
• FCC’s LPFM order will make 2013 a good year for community radio (2012)
• Radio Survivor documented the roll-out of new LPFM stations beginning with the most recent 2013 application window

Feature image adapted from “The FCC’s front door” by Rob Pegararo / flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The post Podcast #300 – How to Get a Noncomm FM License in 2021 (Replay) appeared first on Radio Survivor.

The clock is still ticking for FrankenFMs, legacy analog low-power TV stations broadcasting on channel 6 with signals heard at 87.7 FM, on the far left end of the dial. The FCC has determined all analog television signals must convert to digital by July 13 of this year, and just issued a public notice reminding broadcasters of that deadline.

The Commission is pretty unequivocal in its warning:

By 11:59 p.m. local time on July 13, 2021, all LPTV/translator stations must terminate all analog television operations regardless of whether their digital facilities are operational. Stations that have not yet constructed a digital facility must cease analog television operations no later than July 13, 2021, and remain silent until construction is completed. If a station goes silent prior to completing construction of its digital facility, it may file a request for silent authority.

Stations that are still scrambling to get their digital transmissions up and running can make one last Hail Mary pass by filing for an extension no later than March 15. Note that getting an extension doesn’t mean they’re permitted to keep their analog signals going – they just get extra time to get their digital systems ready.

It’s important to note that the FCC makes no mention of FrankenFMs, even though it opened up a proceeding in 2019 to consider what – if anything – to do about them, with final reply comments due February 2020. Today I count 23 analog channel 6 stations that appear to operate as a radio station. The most common format is Spanish-language music, comprising 11 of them. With just 35 total analog LPTV channel 6 stations left, that means only a third are actually operating as true television stations, with video as their primary programming.

If I were to bet, I’d say these 23 remaining FrankenFMs are unlikely to get a stay of execution between now and July 13. Though it’s always possible the FCC will surprise us, the Commission has a pretty full docket as it is, even on the broadcast side, including a radio auction due to launch July 27. Moreover, the idea of letting FrankenFMs remain on the air or get another pathway onto the FM dial remains very controversial within the broadcast industry, with NPR as one of the strongest opponents. 

Chicago’s MeTV Radio is probably the most prominent FrankenFM, having added four true FM broadcast affiliates. When asked about the looming analog shutdown last July, the station’s owner told Chicago media journalist Robert Feder, “We have a solution and [are] moving forward.” The creator of the MeTV Radio format said, “Please stand by.”

Well, I can say I’m standing by and very curious to hear what MeTV and other FrankenFMs will do. Venture Technologies is the largest owner of these stations, and therefore presumably has some resources, as does Weigel Broadcasting, which programs and operates MeTV. 

One solution I can imagine is negotiating space on an HD Radio subchannel (HD2, HD3 or HD4). While there may be some commercial frequencies available for auction this year in some cities that are home to a FrankenFM, that is most definitely not the case in big metroplexes like Chicago and Cleveland. However, it seems like HD subchannels are fairly underutilized, even in big metros, and much easier to lease. Such a move would put a station back on the dial, at least on a large percentage of car radios.

But then that HD Radio channel can be used to feed a low-power translator station, giving it an analog signal, too. Even translators are in relatively high demand in big markets, but still easier to either purchase or lease than a full power signal.

Stay tuned, especially if you have a FrankenFM – operating at 87.7 FM – in your area. If you do, drop us a line and let us know what you hear, and if you catch wind of any announcements about their status.

The post Time Is Running Out for FrankenFMs – Just 4 Months Left appeared first on Radio Survivor.

It seems that social distancing has made unlicensed Part 15 radio a bit more popular. “Part 15” refers to the part of the US broadcast regulations that cover unintended transmissions and radio frequency interference. Essentially, this means tiny radio signals whose transmission can’t be avoided or are negligible. It also covers tiny radio transmitters, like the kind that fit into your cars 12-volt socket to broadcast your smartphone into your dashboard FM receiver, or, less commonly, AM transmitters used by real estate agents to create “talking houses” for drivers by. 

With restrictions and good sense preventing many churches from holding in-person services, many apparently have looked to Part 15 broadcasting to transmit sermons to parishioners parked in their car. With a broadcast range of several hundred feet on the AM dial, it’s a way to bring people together for a shared experience while keeping them safely apart. All without requiring attendees to have smartphones or use up their mobile bandwidth (assuming a church is somewhere with reliable wireless coverage).

While a variety of Part 15 AM transmitters have been on the market for years, a new system actually calling itself “Parking Lot Radio” is in development right now. Suggesting uses for the system, the project’s website says,

In the current climate of Covid–19, the Parking Lot Radio allows churches to hold “drive-in” services. Other organizations can hold lectures, film screenings and other events, while maintaining social distancing.

While a few hundred feet or broadcast range is probably sufficient for a large percentage of worship houses, I can imagine it’s still not enough for some larger mega-churches, which might want to reach hundreds of cars in acres of parking lots.

It’s possible this limitation is behind a letter from Tennessee Rep. Mark Green, who wrote to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai asking for temporary waivers be issued to houses of worship for “long-range FM transmitters.” He specifically asked for the ability to “operate FM transmitters with an effective range greater than 200 feet.”

Careful with that FM Transmitter, Pastor

It’s notable that Rep. Green’s request was for FM transmitters, which are far more limited under Part 15. While the regulations for the AM dial put significant limits on transmitter power and antenna length, there’s no explicit limit on the signal distance. Clever and careful engineering can wring out a little more reach, and distances closer to a half-mile or more can be achieved.

But the FM band is regulated by a tight signal strength limit (250 uV/m) at 3 meters from the antenna, causing one engineer writing in Radio World to summarize the situation as, “[b]asically if you can hear them more than 250–300 feet from the site they’re not legal.”

Yet, a simple search for “FM Transmitter” on Amazon quickly turns up a product advertised as “Transmitter for Church, Dual Mode Long Range Stereo Broadcast with Antenna,” that promises, “[t]ransmission distance more than 300 meters (In the line of sight, field, open land).” It even promises, “FCC certified,” leading the average shopper to think they’d be ready to broadcast legally more than 900 feet away.

Don’t hit that “Buy Now” button yet. 

Digging deeper into the product description we see the transmitter clearly listed as delivering “0.5W” which very like means a half-watt of power. Though it doesn’t sound like much compared to even LPFM’s 100 watt power limit, that’s still way too much. 

Compare this to a truly legal and FCC certified Part 15 FM transmitter from the radio company C.Crane. The company states in the product’s FAQ that,

Most of our customers achieve 40 – 60 feet depending on their situation. The signal will travel up to 70’ under good conditions. 

That’s less than a tenth the distance the Amazon until promises.

C.Crane doesn’t list their transmitter’s output, only specifying that it measures at “the maximum allowed by the FCC.” Though if we just look at the power consumption of 22.3mA and the fact that it runs on two AA batteries that provide three volts, then we can safely estimate it consumes less than a tenth of a watt. It most certainly transmits only a fraction of that.

What this means is that there is no way the Amazon half-watt transmitter is legal to use under Part 15 regulations, and the likelihood that it’s actually FCC certified is about a snowball’s chance in Hell. However, the fact that transmitters like these sell for about $100 and have the patina of legality probably means there are dozens, if not hundreds of churches and other well-meaning organizations using them all over the country. I wouldn’t be surprised if even just one of Rep. Green’s constituents has fired one up on Sundays, and maybe got tipped off that they could run afoul of the FCC.

The Challenge of Expanding FM Part 15

It’s not surprising that Chairman Pai recently denied Rep. Green’s request. In effect, he writes that the existing regulations are there for a reason, and that applications for licenses require proof that the proposed station would not interfere with existing ones. 

I certainly would love to see a more robust legal unlicensed radio regime in US. Ideally it would be like New Zealand’s, which reserves a few frequencies for transmissions up to a one watt of power. I’d even settle for something tinier.

That said, I can actually empathize with the FCC on this one. The Part 15 rules are set under law; any changes would be difficult and slow. An attempt to provide waivers would result in howls of protest from the broadcast lobby, who are already in a tizzy about the rampant pirate operators in places like Brooklyn, Boston and South Florida. 

I can also imagine the waivers would be challenging to enforce. Without a license to revoke, how would the FCC ever verify that anyone is keeping to the new limit, without basically further stepping up overtaxed field enforcement operations? Moreover, there aren’t commercially available FCC certified transmitters that would fit the bill. I doubt the Commission would want to tacitly authorize the currently-illicit transmitters that are all over online marketplaces.

Of course, a Sunday morning half-watt broadcast on an otherwise empty frequency in a small Tennessee town is unlikely to generate much harm, nor much attention. There are relatively few FCC field agents, and it’s hard to guess how many would enjoy spending their Sunday mornings cruising around looking for churches to bust. That doesn’t make it any more legal, and I’m not advising any law-abiding house of worship do this. I’m merely assessing the real-world risks. 

Yet I would also agree that there’s a slippery slope from the well-meaning, conscientious and non-interfering broadcaster to the also well-meaning, but more loosey-goosey operator who decides to go for even more power, or to try squeezing their station onto a frequency that really isn’t that clear. On top of that, I understand that a lot of the transmitters you can get online put out a pretty dirty signal that cause additional interference by “splattering” onto adjacent frequencies. Using one responsibly is difficult or – as some would argue – impossible.

It takes knowledge, research and skill – and proper equipment – to broadcast cleanly above Part 15 limits without causing problems. So, caveat emptor.

Ultimately, this is why the Part 15 rules exist, even if some might argue that they’re too conservative and stringent.

Legal Unlicensed Part 15 Options Abound

That doesn’t mean churches, theaters or other organizations can’t leverage Part 15 broadcasting. As I mentioned earlier, there is a whole industry around manufacturing well-engineered and reliable transmitters, particularly for the AM band, where the achievable distances are greater. Despite the AM band’s diminished reputation, you can still get very good sound for voice and many kinds of music. Plus, the vast majority of cars still have AM receivers built in, which are also well optimized for the band.

Hobby Broadcaster should be the very first place you visit, where proprietor Bill DeFelice has done the hard work of testing and reviewing transmitters and writing guides for broadcasting legally and effectively without a license. We talked with Bill on episode #120 of our podcast, and I humbly suggest it’s a must-listen if you’re thinking at all of getting into Part 15 broadcasting. 

Radio World also published a series of editorials and letters on Part 15 this summer, which might be of interest to the more technically minded. 

Admittedly, the better FCC certified Part 15 AM transmitters are quite a bit more pricey than the sketchy FM ones on Amazon. You can expect to pay anywhere from $700 to $1000 for something like a Hamilton Rangemaster or ChezRadio Procaster.

But I’m also happy to report that the venerable Talking House transmitter – originally designed for real estate agents – can be had new for around $130. I own one of these that I use for my own tiny Part 15 broadcasts, transmitting experimental radio sounds to the surrounding neighborhood and passing cars. Using the stock antenna and very little optimization I can get the signal about a block away on a portable radio (that’s just 200 feet here in Portland, Oregon). In a car I’ve heard it faintly as much as four blocks away when the wind is blowing just right. That performance meets my expectations, and it sounds just fine for what I’m doing. 

We at Radio Survivor love a tiny radio station. We’ve written and podcasted about the topic many, many times. If your interest is piqued, dig into the world of Part 15 with us:

• LA’s KCHUNG Radio Demonstrates the Power of Part 15 Broadcasting
• Radio Station Visit #117 – KCHUNG Radio in Los Angeles
• Podcast #74 – Station or Static? KCHUNG Is L.A.’s Underground Radio
• Podcast #51 – Carrier Current is Cool
• A Middle Ground Between Unlicensed Micropower & LPFM?
• Reviving the southwest with community radio
• Pacifica’s KPFK to try unlicensed radio

P.S. I wanted to note that while Part 15 FM radio is limited compared to the AM band, if you prefer to try the FM band there are a number of fully-legal and FCC certified transmitters out there. Beyond the consumer-grade C.Crane model mentioned above, Progressive Concepts has been building and selling sturdy pro-grade transmitters for a couple of decades. Their ACC100 models promise a 200 foot radius transmission distance, which pretty much the most you can expect while staying legal.

Photo credit: Lorie Shaull / flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

The post Social Distancing Sparks Interest in Part 15 Unlicensed Broadcasting, but Caveat Emptor appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Catching a low-power FM radio station in the wild in New Zealand requires a bit of luck. Permitted to broadcast with up to one watt of power without a license, these stations have a bit more range – generally up to one kilometer radius (.6 miles) – than a legal unlicensed Part 15 station in the US, which might be heard up to a quarter-mile away. However, that’s still not a big footprint, even when compared to licensed LPFMs stateside, which may broadcast with as much as 100x as the NZ stations.

One factor working in the listener’s favor is that the country’s LPFMs are consigned to a set of frequencies bookending the FM dial: 86.7 to 88.3 mHz on the left end and 106.7 to 107.7 MHz on the right end. When I talked with Kristen Paterson, station manager of Wellington Access Radio and a co-founder of a university LPFM, she conjectured that the top end LPFM band was set aside as a kind of buffer between full-power broadcasts and the air traffic band situated just north of FM. 

Regardless of the reason why they’re relegated to the far-left and far-right ends of the FM dial, knowing this makes it a little easier to hunt for them. That said, during my time in the country in late January and early February, I could confirm reception of only two.

The first catch was in Browns Bay, in the East Coast Bays area of Auckland, the country’s largest city. I tuned in what I believe to be Great Tech Radio at 107.7 FM. I say “believe to be” because over the course of an hour or so I never heard a legal ID. I did hear an assortment of oldies, from Diana Ross and the Supremes to the Bee Gees, along with a 60s comedy record, accompanied by back announcing and weather forecasts. Those forecasts included days prior and after my listening time, leading me to believe the station was automated and the forecasts weren’t the freshest. 

I identified Great Tech based upon several online LPFM directories, though I won’t hold to that ID if challenged. Given that they’re unlicensed and don’t require much investment to put on the air, New Zealand’s LPFMs are quite transitory, and I found rather few that maintain a regular web presence. 

My second catch was in the resort city of Queenstown, located in the southwest part of the South Island. It’s a beautiful setting along the shore of Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by mountains.

Drop FM came in loud and clear for me on 87.7 FM. I first heard 90s vintage drum ’n bass music, which I learned is a staple for the station when I googled it. The station stands out from other New Zealand LPFMs by having a very consistent web presence, along with an internet stream. In fact it has two other frequencies in Wanaka, north of Queenstown, and the suburb of Frankton. 

Drop FM broadcasts live from dance clubs in Queenstown on a regular basis – though, understandably, corona virus seems to have put those events on hold. While drum n’ bass and related electronic genres seem to be the station’s bedrock, I also enjoyed a long set of eclectic R&B one evening as I was packing up to leave for my next stop.

I last stayed in Wellington, the country’s capital. I’m sad to report I was unable to confirm reception of any LPFMs over the course of several evenings. Perhaps the city’s hilly geography – it resembles San Francisco in that way – worked against me. Or maybe there just weren’t any active stations in a one kilometer radius from my Air BnB. 

I remain fascinated by this broadcast service, since, to the best of my knowledge, New Zealand has the highest power allowed for legal unlicensed broadcasting anywhere in the world. Setting aside a set number of frequencies seems to be an effective way of allowing more voices on the air at a very low cost, while also giving an outlet to broadcasters who might otherwise go “pirate.” This was my second visit to New Zealand, and I do intend to visit again. When I do, I’m tempted to bring a small transmitter to set up my own temporary LPFM.

I still can’t help but think that such a service in the US could help stem the tide of unlicensed broadcasters in the urban areas of Boston, New York, New Jersey and South Florida, while also providing an opportunity for communities and groups that weren’t able to get on the air during the last LPFM licensing window in 2013. Though the FM dial is pretty well full in most metropolitan areas, I suggest that the band could be extended a little to the left, to encompass frequencies mostly vacated by former analog channel 6 TV stations. 

Of course, this proximity to the FM dial has long been exploited by the handful of analog low-power TV stations still broadcasting on channel 6, which by and large now primarily operate as radio stations at 87.7 FM rather than TV stations, often known as FrankenFMs. The FCC is currently deciding the fate of those stations, since all TV is really supposed to be digital, and their transition deadline has been pushed repeatedly over the last five years. I propose that if channel 6 low-power TV stations are allowed to stay analog, keeping their near-FM broadcast signal, then that extra little bit of dial space should be given over to unlicensed LPFM everywhere else, where there isn’t an existing channel 6. Keep the limit to 1 watt, and maybe let them have 87.9 FM, too. I can see little harm, and much benefit. 

However, reality is that even that little bit of uncommercialized real estate is unlikely to be tolerated by the National Association of Broadcasters, nor National Public Radio, whom I expect would lobby heartily against such a radical notion. 

Still, I can dream… until my next trip to New Zealand.

The post Radio Field Report: Legal Unlicensed LPFM in New Zealand appeared first on Radio Survivor.

In a few dozen markets around the country there is a rare species of FM station that is only heard on the far left end of the dial. Because of the unusual spot on the dial, and sometimes unusual programming, some listeners may think they’ve tuned in a pirate. But these stations are legal, if not quite something the FCC intends to exist.

When I first found these stations more than ten years ago, I called them “Back Door FMs.” Later some commentators would call them “FrankenFMs.” The first instance of this moniker I can find is from Radio World in November 2014. The term became more popular when writer Ernie Smith covered the phenomenon for Tedium in 2016.

I think FrankenFMs are one of the most important radio trends of the last decade because only a handful of them were around when the decade started, and their number has nearly tripled in the intervening years. Yet, the 2010s might be remembered as their heyday, since they’re scheduled to go away in June of 2020, unless the Federal Communications Commission decides to intervene.

How Digital TV Inadvertently Turned a Curiosity into a Service

When I was a kid growing up at the Jersey Shore, I was fascinated by the fact that I could hear channel 6 WPVI-TV, Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate, on the left end of my radio. And disappointed that I couldn’t listen to other TV stations.

The existence of that phenomenon is owed to the fact that the first six channels of analog TV are just below the FM dial, with channel 6’s audio portion – which is also frequency modulated – situated at 87.76 MHz, receivable on most radios. For the roughly 44 years that analog television and FM radio were neighbors this was mostly a curiosity, since only some television shows make sense without the picture.

This changed on June 12, 2009, when all full-power television stations turned off their analog signals, becoming fully digital. The ones on channel 6 disappeared from the FM dial. But not every channel 6 station went away.

Because they were designed to serve local communities at a lower cost – similar to low-power FM – low power television stations were given a longer lease to hold onto their analog signals. That also meant that channel 6 LPTVs could still be heard on the radio.

As television viewers made their adjustment to digital receivers, the value of these low-powered analog signals began to fall. Those on channel 6 found a new lease on life: embrace their existence on the radio dial.

A Decade of FrankenFMs

I discovered my first such station on the Chicago radio dial just days after the analog TV shutoff, in June 2009. Back then WLFM briefly returned smooth jazz to the area’s airwaves – the station is now MeTV FM, which will I’ll return to in a bit. I soon learned there were a number of these stations around the country, from Anchorage, Alaska to New York City.

When the digital TV transition happened there were 77 analog channel 6s remaining on the air in the U.S. Two years later the FCC decided they would all be required to transition to digital by September 1, 2015. Then they received a reprieve in 2014, getting to stay analog while the Commission conducted what is known as the “incentive auction and repack.” This process allowed digital TV stations to trade in spectrum to be auctioned off for advanced digital services. Stations in affected markets then “repacked” in bunched up spectrum. It concluded in June of this year, and analog LPTVs were given an addition twelve months past this point to make the digital transition.

Today there are just 41 analog channel 6 stations left, just a bit more than half as there were a decade earlier. But now most – 31 – appear to operate as radio stations, with a majority broadcasting either a Spanish-language or religious format, usually syndicated and non-local. The last time I counted them was in 2014, when I came up with about 18. This increase certainly indicates that there’s little value left in analog television broadcasting as a visual service. The audio signal is clearly what’s most valuable.

A Stay of Execution?

Once more an analog sunset is upon us in just over six months when the post-repack grace period is finished. This time around the FCC isn’t asking the question if analog LPTVs should stick around – their digital transition appears imminent. Instead the Commission is directly addressing the existence of channel 6 FrankenFMs.

The Media Bureau is asking for the public to weigh in (MB Docket No. 03–185) on whether or not these stations should get an exception to continue broadcasting an analog audio signal as a “supplementary service” even while their video signals go digital. Moreover, should the FCC only consider stations that are actually operating as radio, or should all be considered?

If this supplemental audio service were to be allowed, should only existing channel 6s be eligible, or would someone be able to apply for a new station and also get permission to broadcast an analog radio signal? The FCC also asks if a channel 6 license is sold or transferred, should that right to the analog audio transmission also be transferred.

It’s significant that the FCC is in effect proposing to officially recognize channel 6 LPTV stations as radio stations, rather than just sort of tolerate the loophole. Of course that’s because the loophole is about to go away.

Should FrankenFMs Be Saved?

As I noted above, the majority of the FrankenFMs seem to broadcast syndicated programming. Only a handful broadcast anything I’d call interesting or unique, which is unfortunate to me.

On the one hand I have to tip my hat to clever broadcasters exploiting a loophole to get onto the radio legally, especially in tight markets with few or no opportunities to squeeze another station onto the dial. But I really want these stations to be run by passionate folks, eager to do something innovative or different, not just rebroadcast some satellite or internet signal, or another iteration of a tired format already heard everywhere.

Even though it’s formally an oldies station, I think the aforementioned MeTV FM is the clearest example of a unique Franken-FM. Deviating from the usual canon of 60s, 70s and 80s music, the station mixes in a healthy dose of what I’d call “forgotten oldies.” These are one-hit-wonders or even hit songs by established artists that were popular in their day, but somehow never endured heavy rotation in the years after.

MeTV FM’s eclectic oldies format stands out so much that it now has an audience big enough audience to show up in the Nielsen ratings beginning four years ago, even beating out the nine-decade-old news/talk station WLS-AM.

Previously only available to terrestrial listeners in the Chicago area, MeTV FM now streams online, so you can check out its distinctive oldies format for yourself no matter where you are. It even has picked up four FM affiliates: KXXP 104.5 FM serving the Portland, Oregon metro out of White Salmon, Washington; WXZO 96.7 FM serving the Burlington, Vermont and Plattsburgh, New York area; KQEG 102.7 FMserving the LaCrosse, Wisconsin metro from La Crescent, Minnesota; and WJMK 1250 AM in Saginaw, Michigan, which has a translator at 99.3 FM. HD Radio listeners in Milwaukee, Wisconsin can tune it in on WMYK-HD2.

As far as I can tell, MeTV FM may be the only FrankenFM that serves as the flagship station for burgeoning network of true FM stations.

A couple of other interesting and notable FrankenFMs include indie/alternative Hella 87.7 FM in Redding, California, and Kickin’ Country 87.7 FM in Ridgecrest, California.

Though channel 6 TV stations have been tucked into the bottom of the FM dial for more than four decades, it’s only in the last one that this has been systematically exploited, turning into a small shadow service. Yet every broadcaster taking this advantage has known the lease would eventually expire, and now they’re definitely making a last-minute Hail Mary. I’d be more inclined to rise up in their defense if the majority were idiosyncratic, eclectic or at least locally programmed.

Instead, I’d rather see that little bit of spectrum freed up for actual FM broadcasters, and non-commercial ones at that, since the space from 87.7 to 88.1 is in the non-commercial band. Because there are many more markets without a TV channel 6 than there are with FrankenFMs, such a change could open up the possibility for dozens, if not hundreds, of new local radio stations. I’d even go so far as to reserve the space just for LPFMs, which would allow for even more stations, and more diversity. This is the sort of innovation that engineering firm REC Networks has been advocating since at least 2008.

At the same time, I empathize with the broadcasters who have built compelling and creative services on channel 6s, but who now see their stations on the chopping block. I think it would be a true loss to their local radio dials if MeTV FM or Hella 87.7 were to go away. But it’s also true that radio stations and formats go away all the time, often for more mysterious or wrongheaded reasons. In this case the broadcasters can’t say they weren’t warned – in fact, they’ve had an effective five year extension.

It will be fascinating to see how the FCC decides to resolve this issue, and how the rest of the broadcast industry reacts.

The post The Rise and Possible Fall of FrankenFMs Is One of the Most Important Radio Trends of the Decade appeared first on Radio Survivor.

One of life’s little pleasures is tuning around the radio dial late at night before drifting off to slumber. I especially enjoy this while traveling, touring foreign radio dials, encountering strange and distant signals.

This means that a small portable radio is my constant traveling companion. I prefer to travel light, so said radio must also be as tiny as practical. In the last couple of years the Tivdio V–115 has been my choice, given its small size, AM, FM and shortwave tuning, reasonable sensitivity and ability to record air checks to a microSD card. I’ll refer you to my YouTube review for more details.

Even so, my ears are always wandering, urging my eyes to admire other receiver suitors. About a month ago the Eton Mini Grundig Edition caught my attention, and at a sale price of less than $25 delivered. Grundig is a venerable name in radios, and the Mini has received decent reviews, so I bit.

Small and Capable

The radio lives up to its name, measuring up to about the same size as an iPhone SE, including a decent speaker and retractable antenna. It comes with a nice nylon case to help protect it in your bag.

Though the Mini includes shortwave, the coverage is more limited than my Tivdio, only covering two bands, from 5 – 10 MHz and 11.65 – 18 MHz. That said, shortwave is more of a “nice to have” than a necessity for my travel radio, so this limitation is fine with me.

Taking it along for an extended trip to New York City and northern New Jersey, I was impressed at how well it pulled in FM stations inside my Midtown Manhattan hotel. It was no problem tuning in public radio WNYC, along with college radio from NYU, Columbia University and Fordham. The same could not be said of the room’s supplied clock radio.

Though small, the Mini’s speaker is adequate for a travel radio, with pleasing sound that’s loud enough for hotel room listening. You’re not going to disturb your neighbors, and that’s probably a good thing. I also appreciate its simple thumbwheel tuning. It’s not quite as convenient as the number direct-dialing keypad on my Tivdio, but the Tivdio’s buttons are stiff and make a loud click, which can annoy others around you if you’re scanning the dial wearing headphones.

For late night listening a sleep timer is a necessity, since I’m likely to drift off, sometimes to the soothing sounds of inter-station static. The Mini comes so equipped. I also appreciate its control lock that prevents it from turning on inside my baggage, draining batteries and annoying fellow passengers.

Patience Pays for DXing

After dark is the time for AM band DXing, and here I found the Mini’s performance curious. When I first spun the dial, I was only picking up the strongest local stations. Then I started clicking through frequencies more slowly, stopping when I heard a faint signal. Leaving the radio tuned, the signal grew in volume and strength – patience paid off. I suspect this is an artifact of the DSP-based tuner, keeping the volume more muted with a weak signal so as not to assault the listener with loud static, then gradually increasing sensitivity as needed.

Moving from noisy Manhattan to the relative quiet – both in terms of noise and RF interference – of upper Passaic County, I enjoyed many fun DX finds. Keeping the gradual technique in mind, I had no problem bringing in signals from Quebec, Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Upstate New York and Boston. I didn’t formally log the stations because I was already tucked into bed with the lights out.

On Halloween night I dived into the shortwave band a little after dusk, wondering if I might encounter some pirates. I wasn’t hopeful, and so I wasn’t disappointed when none emerged from the ether. I was, however, pleasantly surprised when Radio Havana came blaring through at 6 MHz.

At home in Portland, Oregon, I’ve found shortwave reception inside my house to be very hit and miss, and mostly miss. I do think geography is partly to blame. New Jersey is simply closer to many more shortwave stations than Oregon. Nevertheless I was impressed with how good the Eton Mini’s indoor shortwave reception is.

On the whole, the Eton Mini Grundig Edition proved itself a capable and pleasant traveling companion. The one thing I miss is the easy ability to record airchecks direct to a memory card like my Tivdio can. However, I think the Mini outclassed it with AM sensitivity and selectivity, provided you’re patient and allow maybe a half-minute for a station to slowly come into focus through the static. Also, the Tivdio’s recording circuit can be a source of interference, which means it can thwart recordings of weak signals which will just disappear when you hit record. Moreover, if I’m listening to the Mini through the speaker I can make quick-and-dirty aircheck recordings using my smartphone or a portable voice recorder (yeah, I often travel with one of those, too).

There are better performing portable radios, and ones with more features or frequency coverage. But I don’t think I’ve encountered one this small and also this good. Carry on and tune in.

The post The Eton Mini Grundig Edition Is My New Travel Companion appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Radio World reports that Switzerland’s FM radio broadcasts are due to end by the end of 2024, according to a release from the country’s Federal Office of Communications. OFCOM says at the end of July only 17% of people in that country listen to FM exclusively.

I am a bit chagrined that this story flew under my radar until now. Back in December 2014 the Digital Migration working group formulated a plan to switch entirely over to digital DAB+ broadcasting, and in 2015 “more than 80 percent of private radio stations agreed to this decision,” according to OFCOM. So this has been in the works for several years.

DAB+ is a digital radio standard used through much of Europe, including the U.K. and Norway, the latter of which turned off national FM broadcasts in 2017 – many local FM stations are still on the air. OFCOM reports that 65% of Swiss listen to the service, while only 35% use analog FM.

In addition to commercial and state-supported public broadcasters, Switzerland has about 15 community radio stations. According to a 2018 article in Swiss Review, OFCOM will subsidize 80% of DAB+ broadcast costs for non-commercial stations, and is offering financial support for the installation of digital studios. Presumably, community stations would qualify for these grants. Searching around some stations’ websites indicates that quite a few already simulcast on DAB+.

Subsidizing a station’s DAB+ transmission is not quite the same as building it a brand new transmitter, as it would be with FM or HD Radio. A single DAB+ transmitter can accommodate multiple stations’ signals as a multiplex. Thus, in most countries with DAB+, like the U.K., Norway and Switzerland, each station actually leases space, rather than owning its own transmitter. In that way DAB+ is more efficient than FM.

One trade-off of DAB+ is that a centralized infrastructure makes the system inherently more vulnerable in times of natural disaster, or just run-of-the-mill calamity, like a power outage. It also leaves stations less independent. In Switzerland the DAB+ infrastructure is owned and operated by the for-profit company Digris.

While Digris is investing to grow its infrastructure – like building transmitters in mountainous roadway tunnels – DAB+ listening is still mostly in motor vehicles, rather than homes. This is not unlike HD Radio in the U.S., where it’s difficult to even find a digital-capable home tuner.

What this means is that most home listening in Switzerland may simply move to internet radio in 2024. No doubt it’s likely much home and office listening already is online, and those who want to hear DAB+ outside the car have plenty of receivers to choose from, though reception might be challenging outside of urban areas.

From what I can see now, the path to an FM turnoff in Switzerland seems even clearer than it was in Norway, where public opinion hasn’t been altogether favorable, and many stations remain analog. In part this is likely due to relative consensus amongst Swiss broadcasters in general, not just major national broadcasters. A significant government subsidy, combined with overall strong support for public broadcasting also help.

Because of these factors, magnified by the country’s small geographic size and high per capita income, Switzerland is an outlier – just like Norway before it. Although the idea of a full digital transition has been floated in other European countries that have DAB+ broadcasting, both large and small, it hasn’t gained traction, often owing to the cost and complexity of sunsetting an established, proven and reliable technology that exhibits few downsides. Moreover, it’s easier to transition a relatively affluent population of 8.4 million to digital radio, than the larger, more economically diverse 66 million of the U.K. or 82 million of Germany.

No, this is not a bellwether of analog radio’s demise, nor an indicator of a digital transition here in the U.S. I suspect as 2024 draws closer we may hear more critical voices in Switzerland, when Swiss citizens realize that millions of their radios will become obsolete – at least for listening to radio from their native land.

Folks in Geneva and other cities and towns along the border will still be able to tune in stations from France, Italy, Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein. That’s something less accessible to Norwegians, who are much more geographically distant from other FM broadcasting countries.

In the meantime, keep an enormous grain of salt on hand for when you see the torrent of clickbaity “Is this the end of FM radio” stories, if and when this news hits the feed of a tech writer on a quota.

The post Switzerland To End FM Broadcasts in 2024 appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Paul shares a few more details of his trip to Brazil, and then he and Eric listen to a bandscan of the FM dial recorded on a Sunday night in São Paulo, the country’s largest city.

Christian radio? Check. Bad 80s pop music? Yep. One takeaway is that commercial radio everywhere kinda sucks, in general. But there are also some more interesting sounds to be heard, too.

Show Notes:

Some of the stations heard include:

• Gazeta FM 88.1
• Novo Brasil FM
• KISS FM
• Cultura FM
• Eldorado FM
• Mix 106.3

The post Podcast #170.5 – Bonus: São Paulo FM Bandscan appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Back in March I released a video review of the Tivdio V-115 portable digital radio. I praised it for being very nice sounding – especially for being so small – having decent reception, and for being able to record airchecks to a microSD card.

After using the radio during some travels I decided to record a follow-up review based on its performance. While it’s been a good travel companion for listening to strong local stations, I wasn’t able to tune in some of the smaller, funkier little local stations that I hoped to record air checks of. Earlier I had heard some of these stations with an analog receiver, the Kaito WRX-911.

That isn’t a deal killer; I still use this radio nearly every day. But I thought it was worth a follow-up. I’ve also purchased another little radio with similar features, the Kaito KA29, which I will test out on my next trip to see if it performs any better. Already I’ve heard some results that make me optimistic.

Learn all about it in this video follow-up review:

The post Radio Review Follow-Up: The Tivdio V-115 – Still Great, But Not a DX Champ appeared first on Radio Survivor.

When Norway completed the shutdown of its national FM radio signals the tech sites and blogs were all breathless in reporting the news. But, despite the strong currents of digital triumphalism, the way of Norway is not a sign of things to come for analog radio.

As Norway paved the way for the wholesale move to digital radio, other European states have been watching from the sidelines. The UK, in particular, has a well developed DAB digital radio infrastructure, with plenty of stations and decent penetration of receivers–now around 36%. So eyes and ears have been on that much larger nation, where some politicians and regulators have floated the idea of a digital radio transition.

However, just recently the BBC weighed in on the issue, voting soundly in favor of keeping analog FM radio alive “for the foreseeable future.” As the 900 pound gorilla in British broadcasting, it’s unlikely that government regulators would strongly oppose the Beeb’s desire to keep transmitting in glorious analog.

Speaking at a radio conference in Vienna, BBC director of radio Bob Shannon said, “Great progress has been made,” in digital broadcasting, “but switchover now would be premature.” He emphasized that audiences want a choice of broadcast systems, and one of those choices is good old FM.

Though widely reported in the British press, nary a peep of Shannon’s pro-FM comments appeared Stateside. Sure, the internet is global, making these UK stories just a search away. But how many average American readers are trolling the papers across the pond? It’s sort of telling that the U.S. tech press took almost zero note, especially after getting so hot and bothered when an advanced industrialized–but also tiny–country forcibly shut down most of its analog radio signals.

Given that the UK was the next big hope for digital radio to succeed analog, don’t expect that many other countries will be sunsetting FM any time soon. Least of which will be the U.S., where by comparison we barely have digital radio broadcasting.

While HD Radio is digital, it coexists and hangs off of analog FM signals. Moreover, home or portable HD Radio receivers are rare, whereas in the UK you can walk into just about any retailer and buy a digital radio receiver right off the shelf. Such ubiquity is just a pipe dream in the U.S., where the only reason the average listener knows about HD Radio is because of the ads that get run perpetually on commercial radio. Yet if you ask that average listener if they know how, or why, they would listen to HD Radio, you’d likely just get a shrug in response.

More than 90% of the American population still listens to AM/FM radio every month. And while plenty of other options, from satellite radio to podcasting, compete and provide alternatives to radio, the old analog broadcast medium persists. That’s because it works, works well, and reliably.

If there’s any reason to turn off radio, that has more to do with the abysmal programming brought on by the nation’s largest commercial station owners, who are more interested in treating stations like real estate on a Monopoly board than being broadcasters. Turns out, that was a bad bet, but that has nothing to do with radio, and everything to do with reductionist profiteering that saw a cheap buck in consolidation and disinvestment.

Broadcasting in digital doesn’t make crappy programming any better.

So don’t worry. You’ll probably break your FM radio before it becomes obsolete.

The post FM Radio Is Here To Stay in the UK appeared first on Radio Survivor.

On a trip last fall visiting my parents in northern New Jersey, during the evening the I tuned around the AM dial and encountered some fascinatingly unique local stations. I wished I could record some airchecks but didn’t have any easy way to do so, and I couldn’t find any sort of online program archives.

That set me looking for a portable radio with recording capability, and I found the Tivdio V-115, which received some good reviews from other radio nerds, a number of which can be found at the SWLing Post. It turns out to be a powerhouse of a little radio, available for under $20 on Amazon here in the U.S.

Here is my video review, followed by my review summary:

Pros:

• Very compact and portable
• Receives AM, FM and Shortwave
• Digital tuning with DSP
• Fantastic sound for a small radio
• Records radio to MP3 on microSD cards
• Will function like an MP3 player with better speaker sound than most smartphones
• Rechargeable battery, powered by USB
• Sleep timer

Cons:

• Headphone sound is sub-par and doesn’t work with smartphone headphones that have an integrated microphone
• Buttons are stiff and make a loud click when pressed
• Only the strongest shortwave stations come in with the short built-in antenna

As mentioned in the video, here’s our podcast interview with Radio Jay Allen with his advice for improving your radio reception, and his FM radio recommendations: https://www.radiosurvivor.com/2017/03/14/podcast-84-improving-radio-reception/

The post Radio Review: The Tivdio V-115 Records Airchecks on the Go appeared first on Radio Survivor.

“Franken FM” is the name writer Ernie Smith of Tedium.co calls TV broadcasters who use analog Channel 6 to be heard at 87.7 on the FM dial. Paul talks with Ernie about their mutual fascination with these stations, which Paul has written about extensively on Radio Survivor.

Also included in the interview, Ernie Smith explains how he approaches writing about things for the internet. Tedium.co covers topics as diverse (and uniquely inconsequential) as FrankenFM and the inventor of the mouse pad.

This interview is an encore presentation from episode #58.

Show Notes:

• A Brief History of Backdoor ‘FrankenFM’ Radio Stations
• Ernie Smith on FrankenFMs: “Waaaaay Left of the Dial”

The post Podcast #127 – Franken-FMs Are Low-Power TV Stations Masquerading as Radio appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Norway’s FM radio won’t go away that easily.

Two years ago the world press reported, often breathlessly, on the Scandinavian country’s plans to end its national radio services on the FM dial, switching them over to digital broadcasting. Lost in most of the reportage was the fact 200 local FM stations would remain on the air, while 65% of Norwegians opposed the shutdown. But, who lets facts get in the way of a sensational triumphalist headline declaring the first nail in radio’s coffin?

Last week more staid articles reported that the national FM shutdown has completed, with the last national FM stations in the northern Arctic reaches going silent. But the public won’t necessarily tolerate the silence.

According to a variety of sources, unlicensed FM broadcasts have popped up in cities around the country, including Bergen, Tønsberg, Ålesund, Fredrikstad and Førde. In Oslo, Norway’s largest city, the CBC’s “As It Happens” talked with one FM broadcaster—the CEO of a radio company and the chairman of the Norwegian Local Radio Federation—who refused to turn off his transmitter. He says that his station enjoys “great support” from listeners and is facing fines of more than $10,000 a day.

He goes on to tell the CBC,

But the main question is, why do you switch off a system in Norway where we have 10 to 15 million radio receivers? And you just say to the public, you’re not going to use this anymore because you need to buy new ones.

What sort of logic is that for media companies to operate that way?

I mean, you operate on behalf of the listener. Here, the big players are saying to the listeners: “No. You need to go out and buy new radio receivers.”

Note that with a population of 5.25 million people, a count of 15 million FM radio receivers is quite significant.

Five days after that CBC interview published Radio Metro gave into government pressure and finally shut down. However, the company is still broadcasting in 10 other cities.

Even with the national FM switch-off complete, the digital transition still remains unpopular with the Norwegian public. A recent Dagbladet newspaper survey found 56% of Norwegians are “dissatisfied” with the conversion to DAB. Another national news survey says 50% of people who don’t have a DAB capable radio in the car have no plans to upgrade, in part because they’re willing to rely on the local broadcasters that remain on FM.

To me, this situation seems a lot like Network Neutrality here in the U.S. In Norway you have millions of people—a true majority—who were perfectly happy with FM radio and had no wish to trade it in for a digital model with difficult-to-perceive benefits, aside from being digital. In America, 52% of registered voters in a Morning Consult/Politico poll said they support Net Neutrality, while a record number of people submitted comments to the FCC in support of the policy.

But like FM supporters in Norway, open internet supporters in the U.S. were screaming at deaf ears in Washington.

That’s why in Norway unlicensed broadcasters are filling the enormous void left behind by the country’s national broadcast industry and regulator. Which begs the question: what is the pirate radio equivalent of internet that we can build when our formerly open internet tubes get closed down to a trickle?

The post Is FM Radio Norway’s Network Neutrality? Majority Still Opposes Shutdown appeared first on Radio Survivor.

First conceived in the 1930s, there is a type of tiny little radio station that anyone can operate legally, without a license. Bill DeFelice of HobbyBroadcaster.net joins the show to tell us about so-called ‘Part 15’ radio stations, and how you can get on the air today, to broadcast around your house, or even your neighborhood.

Radio Survivor is a listener-supported podcast. We dedicate hours of time and effort for each weekly episode.

Help us sustain and grow this show by contributing as little as $1 every month. With four episodes every month, that’s just 25 cents for each one.

Make your monthly pledge of support at http://pateron.com/radiosurvivor.

Show Notes:

• HobbyBroadcaster.net
• HobbyBroadcaster.net – History of Low-Power AM Transmitters & Phono Oscillators
• HobbyBroadcaster.net – Directory of Part 15 stations in the U.S.
• Found in the Attic: LPB Carrier Current AM Transmitter
• The End of Carrier Current?
• A hands-on review of a vintage Radio Shack electronics kit for children

The post Podcast #120 – Have Your Own Tiny Radio Station appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Apple recently announced the end for two more of its iPod music player models, the iPod Shuffle and the iPod Nano. The cancellation of the latter also eliminates Apple’s first, and only, radio receiver.

While the iPod Touch remains in production, it’s really just an iPhone without a cellular phone function. Nice as it is, as with an iPhone, the only radio stations you can hear with an iPod Touch are those that stream over the internet. For all the rumors that iPhones have a latent, unactivated FM receiver hidden inside, no evidence of it has ever come to light. This, despite the radio industry’s persistent efforts to get wireless carriers just to activate the receivers already inside of many Android phones, or cajole device makers (or the FCC) to include radios across the board.

Frankly, I haven’t much considered the iPod Nano since its radio feature was first announced nearly eight years ago. While I was intrigued by Apple’s relatively innovative implementation, which included a “live pause” and PVR-like rewind function, I was never moved to actually buy one.

Seems the rest of my audio playback needs have been satisfied by my smartphone. So, instead of dropping $150 on a Nano, if I want to hear a radio I just drop a $15 portable into my bag. I guess that makes me part of the problem.

Of course, what I really want is an FM receiver inside my iPhone. Sure, I could get any number of Android phones that have a radio—and cost less to boot&mdashbut I prefer iOS and radio reception is not a deciding factor, even for a nerd like me.

Only a decade ago I didn’t think twice about carrying two different devices: a flip-phone for calls and texts, and a minidisc player for music on the go. That minidisc player even had an FM radio, and this set-up didn’t feel inconvenient at all. (In the pre-cellphone era my cassette walkmen usually had a radio, too.)

But a decade of smartphone use spoiled me with the joy of a single do-it-all (except terrestrial radio) device. Even though I might enjoy the higher resolution sound capabilities of today’s new breed digital audio players, the price of schlepping two gadgets is more than I want to pay.

Without a doubt, Apple’s cancellation of the iPod Nano (and Shuffle) has much more to do with getting out of the inexpensive MP3 player market than with getting out of the radio business. If you’re still in the market for a portable audio player it’s not hard to find one that also includes a radio, typically for a fraction of the Nano’s retail price. Now, these cheaper players won’t have the Nano’s cool pause and rewind functions, nor the Apple cache, but due to their cheapness you can also subject them to situations where you might not want to risk damaging your smartphone or iPod.

Unless the FCC is somehow convinced to make FM radios mandatory in smartphones (a very long shot) the Nano will go down as Apple’s first and only FM radio receiver.

The post Apple Kills Off Its First and Only FM Radio appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Brazil is embarking on a grand experiment with the radio dial. AM stations have the opportunity to relocate to FM, and plans are afoot to expand the size of the FM dial. However, don’t be surprised that you haven’t heard about it. We hadn’t either until listener Álvaro Burns brought it to our attention.

Álvaro is a community broadcaster and podcaster from São Bernardo do Campo, and he joins us to explain the AM migration, and what it means for community radio. Then we reflect on the implications for the United States, where the FCC is about to open a licensing window for AM stations to get FM translator repeater stations, and is weighing other options for so-called “AM revitalization.” Álvaro also tells us about community radio in Brazil, and that country’s approach to licensing community stations.

Next week we celebrate 100 episodes of the Radio Survivor show with all four Radio Survivors reflecting on some of our favorite moments.

Radio Survivor is a listener-supported podcast. You can support us two ways:

Make a monthly contribution through our Patreon campaign.

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Show Notes

• Álvaro Burns’ “A Hora Do Cafezinho” podcast
• Radio Paraty – www.radioparaty.com.br – Álvaro’s station
• Brazil’s AM Phase-Out Proceeds Slowly – Radio Magazine
• FM Band in Brazil Being Extended 50 % – Digital Radio Insider
• FCC’s AM Revitalization = Move AM Stations to FM
• Podcast #83 – How AM Revitalization Pressures LPFM

Community radio stations in the ABCD Region of Greater São Paolo:

• São Bernardo do Campo
  • Radio Nova Riacho – www.radionovariacho.com.br
  • Radio Lírio dos Vales – www.liriodosvalesfm.com.br
  • Radio Represa – www.radiorepresafm.com.br
  • Radio Princesa – www.fmprincesa.com
• Santo André
  • Radio Zummm – www.zummmfm.com.br
• Diadema
  • Radio Nova Diadema – www.novadiademafm.com.br
  • Radio Navegantes – no site
• Mauá
  • Radio Z – www.radiozfm.org (Álvaro worked here)
  • Radio Mauá – no site
• Ribeirão Pires
  • Radio Pérola da Serra – www.radioperoladaserrafm.com (were Álvaro started in radio)
  • Rio Grande da Serra
  • Radio Esplanada – no site

The post Podcast #99: The Beginning Of The End For AM Radio In Brazil appeared first on Radio Survivor.

One of our Patreon supporters dropped us a line to ask if we’d take up the question of how to improve reception of low-powered stations. It’s a challenge most radio lovers have faced, not quite being able to tune in your favorite college or community station, especially inside a house or office, even when that station comes in on your car stereo.

Internet radio is certainly one way to solve that problem, assuming that the station you want to hear has a stream. However, for any number of reasons some stations don’t stream on the internet. For some the extra cost is too much, and some new LPFMs just getting off the ground just haven’t gotten that far yet. Plus, internet radio isn’t always convenient for the listener. Perhaps you’re just outside of a good wi-fi signal, or you rely on mobile service where every hour spent listening uses up your precious monthly data.

To help answer this question we turned to Jay Allen, a broadcast professional and proprietor of the Radio Jay Allen website, home to his in-depth radio reviews and “radio shootouts” that are famous amongst radio hobbyists and DXers the world over. Jay guested on episode 84 of our podcast, and explained that newer radio models designed in the last five years or so have digital signal processing (DSP) that allows them to be both sensitive and selective.

Sensitivity means what you think it does, that the radio is able to pick up weak signals. Selective means that the receiver can distinguish between two adjacent signals that might confuse a lesser radio, where they would mash together into a hash of interference.

Most of these radios are aimed at hobbyists and hardcore radio nerds, and don’t come from familiar brands like Sony or Panasonic. But they are all readily available online. Jay graciously agreed to share his top recommendations with Radio Survivor readers. He only mentioned a few models on the podcast, since rattling off a series of arcane model numbers hardly makes for great listening. However, he followed up with a nice written list of radios he recommends for us to share with you. That list is below.

Without a doubt, Jay’s best advice is to get one of these newer model radios with DSP. However, if spending $50 or so on a new radio isn’t in your budget, he also shared some general advice that is useful if you’re using a radio that you already have, using an A/V or home stereo receiver, or using one of his recommended radios.

Use the Antenna and Move Around

FM radio signals are directional, so if you’re using a portable radio extend its antenna and move around to find a good spot where the signal is strongest. Most radios are optimized for the built-in antenna, so trying to improve things by clipping extra wire or metal onto the antenna probably will make things worse, not better.

Also, because most radio transmitters–even LPFMs–are up high, at least 100 feet off the ground, reception will generally be better if you’re located high up, too. If you have multiple floors in your house, an upper floor will be better than a lower floor.

Attach an Antenna to Your Receiver

If you have an A/V, home theater or home stereo receiver that includes a radio the best thing you can do is to attach a decent dipole antenna and tack it up on the wall. Many receivers come with a single-wire antenna that most people just let hang off the back with the rest of the cables. This is fine for the big, strong stations, but will be inadequate for weaker ones.

You can pick up a wire dipole antenna for about $5. Connect that to your receiver then get it up off the ground and you’ll probably be surprised at how many more stations come in.

Use an Outdoor or Attic Antenna

An outdoor antenna will definitely improve reception, though for most people it’s too much hassle to install one just for radio. However, if you already have an old TV antenna on your house that will probably work, since the old analog VHF TV channels 2 – 6 were located just underneath the FM band. If you have that connection, try it with your receiver.

If you want to install an antenna, putting it in an attic is a good alternative because it won’t be exposed to weather, won’t need grounding for lightning protection, and you won’t need to climb up on the roof.

Jay Allen’s FM Radio Recommendations

FM Portables – Radios Selected For Excellent FM Reception – All Are Approximate Street Prices

Find them at Amazon.com, CCRrane.com or eBay
(Editor’s note: When you buy using the Amazon links below you help support Radio Survivor with no additional cost to you.)

• C. Crane CC-2E – $180 Large Portable, battery or AC – Best overall AM/FM plus weather and 1 Ham band – Jay’s review
• Eton Mini – $50 Pocketable size – Slightly weaker on FM than the others here – Jay’s review
• Eton Traveler III $70 – Slightly weaker on FM than the others here – Jay’s review
• GE Superadio II $100 – Large portable/battery or AC power, easy to find used on eBay – Jay’s review
• Sangean PR-D4W $60 – FM as good as the C. Crane CC-2E – Jay’s review
• Sangean PR-D18 $45 – Great FM in a medium sized portable – Jay’s review
• Sangean PR-D19 $55 – Same as Sangean PR-D18 but with stereo speakers – Jay’s review
• Sangean MMR-88 $50 – Best reception of any emergency crank-powered radio tested –
• Sangean HDR-16 $100 – Portable with HD, RBDS and excellent overall reception – Jay’s review
• Sangean HDR-18 $170 – AC Powered desktop radio in wooden case with HD\RBDS and excellent reception – Jay’s review
• Sangean WR-50/WR-50P $125/$180 Mono or stereo versions – Desktop radio with excellent sound and Bluetooth – Jay’s review
• Tecsun PL-660 $120 – Great FM with average AM and excellent shortwave – Jay’s review

The post How To Improve Your LPFM, Community & College Radio Reception appeared first on Radio Survivor.

LPFM, college and community stations are great, but because of low power many of them are also hard to hear, especially inside your house or office. Based on an inquiry from one of our Patreon supporters, we dedicate this episode to helping you improve your reception. Broadcaster and radio reviewer extraordinaire Jay Allen, the man behind the Radio Jay Allen website, joins to share his best advice for buying a new radio that will pull in those lower powered gems, and for optimizing reception with the radios or receivers you already own.

To make it easier for you to find the radios Jay recommends and follow his advice, we’ve summarized his tips in a separate post: https://www.radiosurvivor.com/2017/03/14/improve-lpfm-community-college-radio-reception/

In the news, Jennifer reports on the possible sale of Brown University’s commercial radio station and give a preview of WTJU’s symposium, “College Radio: Then, Now, and Next” on March 17, where she will be presenting. Paul shares fresh stats on internet radio and podcast listening from the annual Infinite Dial survey, leading to a discussion on why non-comms need to be online and, especially, on YouTube in order to reach the youngest generation of potential listeners.

Please help us our work in providing community radio and podcasting coverage seen nowhere else. If we don’t do it, it won’t get done.

Make a monthly contribution of $1 or more to our Patreon campaign or a one-time contribution via PayPal.

Show Notes

• Radio Jay Allen’s Radio Reviews, Comparisons and Restorations
• Companion Post: How To Improve Your LPFM, Community and College Radio Reception
• College Radio Watch: WBRU May Sell License and more News
• College Radio Watch: College Radio Symposium at University of Virginia and More News
• The Infinite Dial 2017

The post Podcast #84 – Improving Your Radio Reception appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Norway will turn off national FM broadcasts on January 11. However, about 200 local FM stations will continue to broadcast for at least another five years, as we reported last year when the story first hit the international press. That crucial detail was missing from international coverage then, and it continues to be overlooked now.

In fact, only three broadcasters will be shutting down their FM signals: NRK, P4 and Radio Norge. NRK is the the Norwegian government broadcaster, P4 is the nation’s largest commercial station group, and Radio Norge is another national commercial music station. What these broadcasters have in common is that they’re all national in scope, with centralized broadcast facilities strategically located throughout the country of 5 million people. Both P4 and Radio Norge lobbied hard for the FM transition, primarily because transitioning to digital DAB broadcasts represents savings for them.

65% of Norwegians oppose the FM shutdown, according a survey conducted last summer by the Dagbladet newspaper. Given that listeners would prefer to hang on to their FM receivers, local broadcasters are optimistic that will turn into an advantage for them, since they’ll still be heard on good old fashioned analog radio. According to the Norwegian Local Radio Federation, the group’s chairman said that local radio will see a “new renaissance” in 2017.

The national stations’ shutdown will happen region-by-region beginning with Nordland on January 11, with other regions following over the course of the year.

Besides the simple loss of broadcasts on FM, one of the biggest concerns with the shutoff is that citizens will lose access to important emergency information. This is particularly relevant for motorists, who may not be able to tap into other media while on the road. There are an estimated 2 million cars in Norway that do not have DAB radios, and a DAB adapter for a car radio costs the equivalent of about $175 US, an added expense not every motorist is ready to make.

Countries with relatively established digital radio broadcast systems, like the UK, certainly will be watching Norway’s experiment, since many of their national FM broadcasting systems resemble Norway’s. However, as I observed last year, it will still be difficult to generalize from Norway’s experience because the country is an outlier due to the relatively small size and consolidated structure of its national FM broadcast facilities.

In particular, Norway, with fewer than 300 stations, is difficult to compare to the U.S., which has more than 7,000. Moreover, even though ownership of commercial radio in the States is quite consolidated, broadcast facilities are not combined on the scale that they are in Norway. Plus, the U.S. does not have a well-developed digital radio service, like Norway’s DAB, which has sufficient penetration of receivers such that it could plausibly replace FM. The difference between the two countries is truly night and day.

So, yes, Norway is turning off a segment of its FM broadcasts in favor of digital broadcasting. But don’t get suckered by the digital triumphalist argument that this is the first nail in the coffin for analog radio. Even in Norway a complete nationwide shutdown is years away, and is not yet guaranteed. Everywhere else in the world analog FM broadcasts continue, with billions of people tuning in every day, while even older services like AM and longwave solider on. When push comes to shove listeners aren’t ready to give up their radios, and so far no company or broadcaster has offered that one killer technology that gives them any incentive to do so.

The post Norway to Shutter Nat’l FM Broadcasts, 200 Local Stations to Remain appeared first on Radio Survivor.

I was in New Zealand over the recent holidays, and while waiting in line at a beachside food stand near Christchurch I noticed a t-shirt the teenager behind the counter was wearing, advertising “Rotten Radio 107.7 fm, Lyttelton.” I asked him about the station, and he only said that it’s “cool” and I should listen to it. After getting my fish and chips I quickly looked it up on my phone and only found a Facebook page, with one post noting that the station is raising funds to broadcast online.

After a little more digging I figured out that Rotten Radio is a low-power station, using a class of service that doesn’t require a license in New Zealand under the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s General User Radio License. Since 1993 unlicensed low-power stations have been permitted on the so-called “guard bands” of the FM dial, from 86.7 to 88.3 mHz on the left end and from 106.7 to 107.7 MHz on the right end. Broadcasters may use up to 1 watt of power; prior to 2010 the limit was a half-watt.

Minimal Requirements for NZ LPFM

Low-power broadcasters are not required to register, and the government does not coordinate stations in any way. Broadcasters’ obligations are to avoid interfering with any licensed station, and to broadcast contact information every hour. Additionally, a broadcaster may not broadcast another station with “substantially the same programme (including simulcast or re-transmission)” within a 25km radius of the first station.

While unlicensed broadcasters may use up to 1 watt of power, there are also limits on the signal strength as received 100 meters from the transmitter (95 dBu V/m). This is similar to the limit on unlicensed Part 15 FM broadcasting in the US, except New Zealand’s limit is much higher. The apparent purpose of this signal strength requirement is to limit how much antenna design and placement savvy can be used to maximize the broadcast radius.

Furthermore, broadcasters are expected to control “unwanted emissions,” which are transmissions on frequencies other than the main broadcast. All transmitters generate these “spurs” to some extent but well designed transmission systems filter them out. Those who want to dig into the technical details can read the Ministry’s full regulatory notice on low-power FM.

Along with the fact that unlicensed broadcasters are completely uncoordinated, it’s interesting to me that broadcasters may use any transmitter or antenna they can obtain, so long as their transmission obeys the rules. I might have thought that only approved devices would be permitted, kind of like unlicensed Citizen’s Band radio in the US. However, I suspect such approvals would be impractical in a country the size of New Zealand (population: 4.4 million), where the demand for such broadcasting equipment would be tiny.

One concern that immediately springs to mind is that the reserved LPFM “guard bands” could quickly turn into a mash of chaotic interference, with uncoordinated and irresponsible broadcasters going on air without regard to other stations. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case. That may be due to the still very low power limits, the expense of building and running a station, the polite nature of Kiwi culture, or some combination of these factors.

The LPFM Society of New Zealand exists to advocate for and assist unlicensed broadcasters. Its work includes maintaining a registry of stations and helping to resolve interference issues and disputes. Only two “historical complaints” of interference are recorded on the society’s website, one from 2010 and another from 2011.

During my stay in Christchurch in the inner suburb of Linwood, about 2km from the central business district, I was unable to tune in any actual LPFMs. Now, I only had a pocket travel radio and a small stereo in the house at my disposal, which would have made it difficult to hear any station not within about a 10 block radius or so. A car radio would have been ideal, but I didn’t have one. So, that meant I couldn’t tune in the station that inspired my investigation, Rotten Radio, since it’s located 11km away in Lyttelton.

Many New Zealand LPFMs maintain a web presence and internet stream, so at least we can tune in virtually. A Wikia page keeps a list of stations, though due to the entirely unregulated nature of the service, any such list is provisional at best. (For instance, Rotten Radio is not listed.)

Could It Work in the States?

Learning about NZ LPFM certainly got me wondering if such a service could work in the United States. No doubt, even with licensed LPFM, there’s demand for a more robust unlicensed service. That would open up opportunities for “pop-up” stations broadcasting in coordination with community events, part-time stations or allow schools or other non-profits to start broadcasting with the kind of low commitment and cost associated with internet broadcasting.

A higher powered unlicensed service could be particularly helpful in places with a a high density of pirate stations, like Brooklyn, Boston and South Florida. However, it also stands to question if broadcasters like these would adhere to technical limits, or cooperate and share frequencies.

Setting aside a set of frequencies as in New Zealand is certainly the most efficient way to create an unlicensed service while minimizing interference with licensed stations. That would be difficult in the US, where the FM dial in most urban areas is already mostly spoken for.

However, there is a little slice of spectrum down at the far left end that is not currently licensed, 87.7 and 87.9 FM. The lower of these frequencies–87.5–is not officially part of the band, but most radios are able to receive it. Historically neither of these frequencies were allocated because of their proximity to TV channel 6. But this conflict mostly went away with the digital TV transition in 2009. There are still a handful of low-power analog channel 6 TV stations around, some of which effectively act like radio stations because their audio can be picked up around 87.5.

It’s plausible that the FCC could open up 87.7 and 87.9 FM for New Zealand style unlicensed broadcasting in areas where there are no low-power TV stations on channel 6. When the Commission finally sunsets analog LPTV, then these frequencies could be available everywhere.

With a limit of just one watt of power, quite a few stations could share even just two frequencies in most towns just by putting enough physical space between them. Yet, it’s still possible that demand could outstrip supply in very dense cities like New York.

I doubt this is something that the National Association of Broadcasters would go for, even if offered as a way to entice current pirate broadcasters away from licensed stations on the rest of the dial. Because of that, it’s unlikely the FCC would be inclined to implement such a service, either.

Nevertheless, one can still dream.

The post New Zealand Has Legal Unlicensed Low-Power FM appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Long-time Radio Survivor readers know that I’ve been tracking one of the stranger vestiges of analog television in the US: channel 6 low-power TV stations that can be heard at the far left end of the FM dial. I’ve called them “back door” stations, while others in the radio industry call them “FrankenFMs.”

Since low-power television stations have been permitted to hold on to their old analog ways for a little longer, a handful of those assigned channel 6 have been taking advantage of their position to turn themselves into radio stations, where the video signal is just a placeholder along for the ride. Probably the most popular and well-known of these is Chicago’s MeTV FM, which broadcasts a unique take on oldies radio that occasionally breaks away from worn-out moldy oldies tracks to include past hits and nostalgic favorites that most stations have forgotten.

Atlas Obscura just published a short history of FrankenFMs by Ernie Smith, who originally wrote it for his own site, Tedium. I learned about the article from a LinkedIn alert, of all places, because Smith cites some of my work. However, his well-researched overview covers many additional nuances:

MeTV-FM has gotten some great reviews from radio fans, one of whom, internet radio programmer Bruce David Janu, recorded a video of himself listening to the station on his drive into work.

“Perhaps MeTV-FM is the first station in town to recognize that the competition is not other terrestrial radio stations, but internet radio—mainly Pandora and Spotify,” Janu wrote on his Vinyl Voyager Radio website. “And they created their station to emulate the variety that internet stations offer. And it is working.”

I want to put in a pitch to check out Tedium, where Smith catalogs a variety of slightly arcane phenomenon in a style that is inquisitive and informed, while remaining breezy and never becoming pedantic. Coincidentally, I first stumbled upon it about a month ago when a Twitter post directed me to a piece about the 1980s home banner-printing software Printshop. Then I lost at least another hour or so clicking from one story to the next. Take the plunge yourself.

The post A Brief History of Backdoor ‘FrankenFM’ Radio Stations appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Editor’s Note: Fred Krock is a retired broadcaster who worked in commercial broadcasting in San Francisco and New York City. An electrical engineer, he got his start in radio at KZSU at Stanford University in 1950. Fred offered to share his memories of KZSU and radio in the Bay Area from that time, and we jumped at the chance to publish them here. In part one of this three-part series Fred sets the scene for what the region’s radio dial sounded like at mid-century. -Paul

I started college at Stanford in 1950. College was very different in those days. Some veterans were finishing their college education using the GI Bill. They were about ten years older than most students and concentrating on getting their meal ticket to a good financial future; they were not very interested in other college activities. Since they were over 21 years old, they had no problems buying liquor for student parties.

Radio broadcasting also was very different. The FCC had authorized many new radio stations following the end of the war. In the San Francisco Bay Area we had new AM radio stations in San Jose, Palo Alto, San Mateo, San Rafael, Pittsburg, and other suburban communities. Some were licensed for full-time operation and others were daytime only. These stations had a very hard time competing with established San Francisco stations for listeners and advertising dollars.

Radio networks dominated listening. Only 9% of US homes had a television set in 1950 and public television also was in the future. KQED signed on April 4, 1954 and it was one of the first public television stations in this country. Big stars had network radio shows that did not move to television for several years. Much network radio, however, was cheaply made popular garbage like “Mr. District Attorney” and soap operas.

Every summer Stanford participated in the Stanford-NBC Radio Institute. NBC had similar programs in a few other cities around the country. The Institute was not restricted to Sanford students, although those who had matriculated at Stanford could get class credit. Total class size was limited to 75 students. Classes were given on campus and at the NBC studios at 420 Taylor Street in San Francisco, in which NBC employees described their jobs in very intimate detail. I attended in 1952. It was fascinating and I learned a lot.

1952 also was the last year of the NBC Pacific Radio Network. Most of the programs came from the NBC national radio network but some programs distributed only to the West Coast originated in San Francisco. NBC employed fifty-two engineers in San Francisco. But after the Pacific Network closed, it was all downhill. Some of the laid off engineers were able to get jobs with the NBC Television Network in Los Angeles. However, NBC, unlike the other networks, did not own a radio station in Los Angeles or a television station in San Francisco. So, the radio network continued without any San Francisco programs, except for “One Man’s Family.”

At this time FM broadcasting had come, and for the most part, gone away. Many existing AM stations had also gotten FM licenses, but because the public had not bought many FM receivers, those stations had tiny audiences. Wide-spread listener-supported public stations were many years in the future. One of the very first was KPFA in Berkeley, founded by a group that had bought very cheaply a failed commercial FM station and put it back on the air. That’s why KPFA has a license in the commercial part of the FM band.

Other FM broadcasters had gone off the air and returned their licenses to the FCC. Many now empty FM channels were available in the Bay Area. Used FM transmitting equipment could be bought for about 10 cents on the dollar of original cost that was slightly over the scrap metal value.

A few FM stations were kept on the air by AM stations because simulcasting their main signal did not cost much. In a few cases they filled in holes in the AM nighttime signal coverage. That gave their owners brownie points with the FCC for keeping them on the air at a loss. In actuality, they had cost a lot of capital to put them on the air and they were providing tax deductions for depreciation.

Those few independent FM stations that managed to survive had other sources of income. The San Francisco Chronicle operated KRON-FM in addition to television channel 4. Both lost money in the beginning. KRON-FM had one full time employee who broadcast the minimum time required by the FCC to keep the license: six days a week. The FCC did not require operation on Sunday.

KDFC leased space for other transmitters such as land mobile radio at its Mt. Beacon location behind Sausalito. KDFC broadcast the Musicast background music that competed with Muzak. It transmitted a 15 kHz tone when anything other than music was broadcast, and special receivers were required to hear the music programs. The Musicast receivers muted whenever this tone was broadcast so that all that ever came out of the receiver was music. Later the FCC prohibited these so-called “simplex” broadcasts so they moved to an SCA channel on KDFC.

KSBR in San Bruno was owned by Eitel-MacCollough, manufacturer of Eimac transmitting tubes. It was put on the air in 1947 to demonstrate the product, and the station had a small studio in the Eimac factory, with the transmitter on Mt. Diablo. ERP was 300,000 watts on 101.5 mHz making it one of the most powerful FM stations in the United States. The signal covered the entire California Central Valley from Redding on the north to Bakersfield on the south.
After Eimac no longer needed KSBR to demonstrate transmitting tubes, no one would buy the station. So Eimac turned in the license to the FCC. It sold the transmitter building and tower on Mt. Diablo to KOVR-TV in Stockton.

There were several stations at educational institutions. KALW, owned by the San Francisco School District, began broadcasting in 1941 on the original 42-50 MHz FM band. It had to buy a new transmitter in 1946 to operate on the new FM band. Run by the John O’Connell trade school, a San Francisco public school, KALW broadcast programs for classroom listening, primarily was used for teaching radio and television technicians.

The College of San Mateo had KCSM, and both were located in downtown San Mateo; the new campus on the hilltop was years in the future. KCSM trained electronic technicians but it also taught announcers.

In Stockton KUOP was owned by the University of the Pacific. It had a 7 kW ERP signal that reached into parts of the San Francisco East Bay, up to about 30 miles from the campus. It was a typical college station operated by students but was fairly tightly controlled by faculty.
I don’t remember any local full time religious stations on the air in 1950. Some commercial stations sold time to churches to broadcast Sunday morning services. A few ministers bought commercial air time then asked on the air for donations.

All stations were required by the FCC to dedicate part of their broadcast time to education. So there were programs that could be logged as educational on commercial stations. Most were on Sunday morning.

In the Bay Area commercial stations broadcasting the same music format during the entire broadcast day were just beginning. Top 40 radio came later. By broadcasting a unique format to the entire area, a station could get enough total listeners to be viable. KSMO in San Mateo broadcast classical music full time. KVSM in San Mateo broadcast country music, and KWBR (later KDIA) in Oakland programmed for black listeners. But these stations were the exception. Most stations were block programmed with different programs for separate audiences at different times of the day.

College radio stations took two forms. A very few had FM licenses; most were carrier current. A low power transmitter fed signals into dormitory wiring so that any AM radio plugged into the dorm wiring would receive the carrier current signal exactly like any other broadcast signal. The FCC did not license carrier current stations since technically they did not broadcast. But the FCC would reserve the carrier current station call letters so they could not be used by any other station.

In part two Fred takes up his days at Stanford’s KZSU.

The post Radio Recollections: the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1950s appeared first on Radio Survivor.

I’m a sucker for stories from FM radio’s freeform heyday, a time perhaps a little more hazy in memory because of its coincidence with 70s drug culture. Which goes to say that I enjoyed the Thanksgiving episode of WTF with Marc Maron featuring a breezy live interview with Los Angeles FM radio veterans Jim Ladd and Frazer Smith, recorded live at the LA Podcast Festival this past September.

Ladd’s 1991 book Radio Waves: Life and Revolution on the FM Dial was a definite touchstone in my personal education on this pivotal time in radio history. Though he drops no grand revelations, on WTF Ladd gives a capsule history of the development of freeform rock radio in LA, up to its eventual complete strangulation at the hands of consolidation wrought in the post-Reagan era. Still on air with SiriusXM, he also shares some fun anecdotes about receiving listener complaint letters, breaking news about the defoliant Paraquat used by the government on illicit marijuana fields, and forgetting to bring a mic stand when interviewing John Lennon, punctuated by lines of coke and clouds of pot smoke.

When Smith comes on to take his turn he, unfortunately, comes off like one of the forced Top 40 DJs that Ladd recalls were what freeform DJs were in opposition to. In fact, he tries to work the audience with the kind of hacky stand-up comedy that Maron and his generation of comedians were rebelling against. Nevertheless, he settles down some over the course of the hour-long interview. Though many recollections of his antics that mostly resulted in getting fired are just a little too exaggerated to ring true, I did appreciate the story behind how he introduced Van Halen to the airwaves, and his good natured banter with both Ladd and Maron keep the episode enjoyable.

If you’re less interested in Maron’s opening monologue, advice for listeners struggling to keep it together while visiting family for the holidays, and some quite thoughtful and revealing Q&A from the Podfest audience, you can skip forward to the 21-minute mark to start the interview. In case you’re not otherwise familiar with WTF, I’ll note that it’s probably NSFW unless you’re listening with headphones.

Both Ladd and Smith appeared on an episode of Maron’s IFC series, along with radio improv legend Phil Hendrie who appears as a lonely, down-on-his-luck radio DJ in the old school model. That’s also worth checking out.

The post FM Radio History with Veteran Freeform DJs Jim Ladd & Frazer Smith on WTF appeared first on Radio Survivor.

As an experiment of sorts, I decided to shoot my first video blog (or “vlog”) for Radio Survivor. I’ve been wanting to share a bandscan of all the HD Radio stations in Portland, OR, where I live, and I finally got down to it.

Although I’m a critic of HD Radio, I do think it’s interesting to explore the HD-2, 3, and 4 signals, which offer some interesting alternatives and seem to change up fairly often. I thought this might be of interest to many of you who have never used or heard an HD Radio receiver, except for maybe one that’s in a car, which isn’t actually an ideal place to scan and find all the subchannels.

Yes, I know I’m a little out-of-focus. It wasn’t obvious until after I started editing, and I decided that perfect was the enemy of done. Better focus can wait for VLOG #2.

Let me know what you think in the comments–especially if you think there should be a #2.

The post VLOG #1: Portland HD Radio Bandscan appeared first on Radio Survivor.

On Tuesday AT&T, the nation’s second largest wireless carrier, announced that it is activating the FM radio chips on Android smartphones subscribed to its service. Beginning in 2016, subscribers buying new compatible phones will be able to use the free NextRadio app to listen to both terrestrial broadcasts and those stations’ internet streams.

Sprint, the fourth largest carrier, was the first US carrier to support FM in smartphones, beginning in 2013. Still missing from the FM team are the country’s number one and number three carriers, Verizon and T-Mobile.

Since most Android smartphone manufacturers include an FM receiver chip in their devices by default, the issues has always been whether or not the carrier that sells the phone specifies it should be activated. That means that most Android smartphone users in the US have had FM radios on their phones that are rendered useless by their service provider.

By comparison, the small percentage of Americans who buy unlocked Android phones rather than buying discounted ones that are tied to their wireless contract, have mostly been able to use the radios in their devices. And in Europe, where carrier-tied phones are much less common, FM radios have been turned on by default for years.

The US wireless carriers’ refusal to activate the FM radios in smartphones has always been kind of a mystery, since the cost to the carriers is next to nothing. The only conceivable reason why the carriers keep the radios turned off is because that forces customers to use wireless data to listen to streaming radio, which is something they can charge for.

I’ve had smartphones with FM radios in them and have always been a fan not only because the radio doesn’t use any expensive data, but it also uses a lot less battery power than keeping a constant internet audio stream going. It also means when traveling I don’t need to bring a separate radio. When I’ve been overseas and without a local data plan I can still get some local information and entertainment, for free.

It’s not yet known what caused AT&T to have a change of heart. The 2013 deal between Emmis Communication–the company behind NextRadio–and Sprint required the radio company to give $15 million a year in advertising industry to the carrier, along with a 30% share of any ad revenue generated by the NextRadio app. It wouldn’t be surprising if AT&T got a similar deal. AT&T also likely wants to head off any FCC or Congressional mandates regarding the FM chip, even though FCC Chairman Wheeler has said he prefers the wireless and radio industries to work it out themselves. Perhaps, then, the Commission helped to grease the skids a little.

iPhone users, however, are still out of luck, no matter which carrier they use. Although long rumored, there is no evidence or acknowledgement that Apple has ever included

The post Digital Watch: AT&T Android Phones Get FM in 2016 appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Monday night at midnight Eastern Time is the much anticipated return of Art Bell. Though originally planned to be an online-only show on the Dark Matter network, 21 AM and FM stations and two shortwave stations have now picked it up. Most of the stations are outside major markets, with the exception of affiliates in Salt Lake City, Toronto and my city, Portland, Oregon.

I was happy to learn about KXL-FM signing on to Midnight in the Desert. When I first reported on the new show, I noted that while I welcome Bell’s return to broadcasting, I prefer being able to simply tune it in on my bedside radio rather than having to use my smartphone or laptop. Now I’ll be able to do that here in Portland. *Midnight in the Desert* will replace two hours of the paranormal themed Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis, which is based at KXL.

Last Tuesday Bell participated in a Reddit Ask Me Anything. Although most of the questions were about past interviews and other paranormal topics, he did field some about his new show, and radio in general.

The biggest reveal is that he plans a test show for Sunday night, where the central question is, “what do you want to see?” Odds are that most of the show will be listener calls on just that topic. He also assured that all calls to Midnight in the Desert will not be screened, and that Fridays will be “open lines,” meaning that listener calls will make up most of the show.

One reader asked him what he thinks of iconic radio host Phil Hendrie’s impression of him. Bell said he “loved” them, and that “they really are funny.” For the equipment geeks, he shared that he uses a Beyerdynamic microphone (he didn’t specify a model, but I’d guess it’s the M99) and a Symetrix vocal processor.

Responding to a question about what inspired him to get into radio, Bell said that he got started with ham radio at age 12, and was on commercial broadcast by 13.

First radio job, small FM on top of a mountain in Franklin, NJ. Religious FM. Read the news every hour. Station manager didn’t like people too close to the mic. So he’d come in and yank the chair out from under you while live on the air!

And, certainly to the delight of his fans, Bell also made clear his opinion on the condition of his old show Coast to Coast AM. “I think the current host of that show does it a disservice,” he said. "The current state of that program is the genesis for Midnight in the Desert.

I’ll definitely be tuning in for Sunday’s test show–though I’m not sure it will be on broadcast–as well as Monday night Midnight in the Desert debut. I will also report back my impressions of the new show.

The post Art Bell Returns Monday Night, Possible Test Show on Sunday Night appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Chicago may be the home of the highest rated channel 6 TV station dressed in a radio station’s clothes.

I wrote about MeTV FM in February when it hit the airwaves. The station broadcasts on the audio channel of WRME-LP channel 6, which is receivable at 87.7 FM. I call these “back door” radio stations because they’re not actually licensed as such, and are heard on the FM dial because of a technological fluke, rather than by design.

MeTV FM is operated by Weigel Broadcasting, the company behind the nationwide nostalgia formatted television MeTV network seen primarily on HDTV sub-channels, playing a comparatively wide-ranging and eclectic selection of oldies targeted at a baby boomer audience. It’s been clear to me that the station hit a nerve because my post about it has received more than 40 comments, mostly from satisfied listeners.

According to media blogger Robert Feder the station has crept up to number 25 in the most recent Chicago ratings book. This gives the station a weekly cumulative listenership of 507,700 people, more than three times what the station had a year ago when Tribune Media operated it with a sports talk format.

Astonishingly, MeTV FM beats more established and well-known stations like ESPN Radio affiliate WMVP 1000 AM and conservative news-talk station WLS 890 AM. Keep in mind that this is a station that broadcasts with a fraction of the power of its competition, at a frequency that isn’t even an official part of the FM dial, and therefore isn’t receivable on all radios.

MeTV’s growing popularity only begs the question of how long the station will remain on its frequency, although its lease on life right now is up in the air. At some point in the future LPTV stations will be required to convert to digital transmissions, just like full-power stations did in 2009. This would mean channel 6 audio would no longer be received on FM radios.

September 1 of this year had been the mandatory digital transition deadline, but in April the FCC suspended it. The digital transition is probably inevitable, but not likely to occur until the upcoming television spectrum incentive auction is completed. LPTV stations have asked the FCC to permit them to stay analog, or even move into the actual FM dial, though these ideas aren’t popular with radio broadcasters.

Continued ratings success likely would give Weigel reason to pursue an actual FM signal, both to increase coverage area and keep it on the air longer. Although purchasing an existing FM license might be a bit expensive, there is probably a poorly performing station that could be leased.

Beyond it being a back-door FM station, MeTV FM is an interesting experiment, because by all accounts it’s a fresh take on an old format. It will be all the more fascinating if it can make the jump to a legitimate FM station.

The post Chicago’s MeTV FM Takes the Back Door to Radio Ratings Success appeared first on Radio Survivor.

The Indian media/commerce newsblog exchange4media is optimistic about community radio in that huge country. It has an interview with marketing expert Ashish Pherwani, who says that the expansion of FM in India will make the radio landscape there more diverse.

Get ready to see “very small, regional players who are going to run one or two stations because they are very focused on the town and these are low cost stations,” Pherwani predicts. “This is how I think the long-term radio ecosystem will pan out.”

You may have seen all the exaggerated hype about the alleged end of FM radio in Norway and what this means for FM generally (play slow doom music here). Fugetaboutit. India, which has around 1.25 billion more people than Norway, is now launching successive auctions of commercial FM licenses. A Phase III expansion campaign run by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is selling off 135 channels in 69 regions or cities. Big places like Mumbai will gain one or two more FM stations as a result of this sell-off. But comparatively smaller places like Srinagar or Rourkela will get three.

Some of this is catch-up. India discouraged FM for decades. But this auction means that frequency modulated music radio will become more varied. That won’t be difficult in some instances. In Mumbai, Pherwani notes, “of all the channels you have, barring 1-2, everyone else plays the same kind of music—Hindi Bollywood.” He wants the IMB to make even more FM frequencies available.

It’s important to note that when Indians say “community radio” they mean something different than here in the United States. Many community radio stations in India are run by universities (a new one at Mangelore U. is in the works). Also, analysts there classify small commercial stations as community based as well. The problem, as Pherwani sees it, is that a lot of these aspiring signals (commercial and educational) have a revenue problem:

“There are very small guys who want to start community radio and most of them do not have ad sales experience. How will they sell ads? Unless we put together something that will help community radio sell ads, it will never do well. They are not allowed sponsorship of programs, there are a whole bunch of revenue restrictions on them.”

The IMB says that India has 184 operational community radio stations, with another 372 “under process.” These stations can run advertisements at rates set by the Ministry. They can also run sponsored programs, but only those sponsored by India’s central government or the state governments.

The post Will community radio benefit from India’s FM expansion? appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Reports of FM’s death in Norway are premature. That’s according to the Norwegian Local Radio Association (NLF – Norse Lokalradio Forbund in Norwegian) which sent us a press release saying that 200 local commercial and community radio stations outside the country’s four largest cities will continue broadcasting in analog. Waves were made in the international press the last few days with the initial report that Norway will shut down FM radio service in 2017.

However, according to the NLF, only 23 local radio stations in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger, along with major national broadcasters, will make the transition from analog to digital DAB broadcast. The group also highlights a recent report from the Government Statistical Bureau that says only 19% of listening is on broadcast DAB, below the 50% threshold set as a prerequisite for the change.

Apparently, the analog switch-off still requires approval in Parliament, where it has majority support, but opposition from the Progress Party–part of the governing coalition–and the Green Party. Part of the objection is based on claims by groups like the NLF saying DAB’s adoption was spurred by lobbying from the Digitalradio Norge AS company, not by consumer demand. That should sound familiar to HD Radio critics in the US.

There is also concern that foreign motorists from across Europe, where DAB penetration is much lower, will have no access to radio while visiting Norway’s major cities, cutting them off from news and information like traffic reports and emergency alerts.

I’ll admit that I was skeptical of the broad, sweeping claims of FM’s demise in Norway, especially since only the big national stations were mentioned in the Culture Ministry’s release. While I argued that the country is an outlier in making such a transition, I should have been more forthright in expressing my doubts that it would affect all FM stations.

Unfortunately, my inability to read Norwegian hampered my ability to do better research. That’s not an excuse, by the way. I have now found that Google Translate does a very good job with Norwegian.

Instead it’s just another lesson that I, and journalists in general, shouldn’t abandon our critical eye in the face of a juicy headline. I’ll keep a closer eye on what happens in Norway, because the political and regulatory aspects certainly hold lessons for communication policy in all countries.

The post FM in Norway Isn’t Dead, Says Norwegian Local Radio Association appeared first on Radio Survivor.

The FCC just released its quarterly list of the total number of licensed broadcast stations and the total number of radio stations in the United States remains about the same as it has for the past few quarters, with a grand total of 15,442 licensed full power radio stations.

For the quarter ending March 31, 2015, the number of AM stations decreased by 3, the number of FM commercial stations increased by 7, and the number of FM educational stations increased by 6.

The big news this quarter is the increase in the number of licensed low power FM (LPFM) stations. By the end of March, 2015, there were 87 more LPFM stations than there were at the end of December, 2014. At the same time, the number of FM translators and boosters increased by 63 this quarter.

Here’s a run-down of the count:

As of March 31, 2015:

AM Stations:                        4,702     (down from 4,705 in 12/14 )

FM Commercial Stations:  6,659     (up from 6,652 in 12/14)

FM Educational Stations:   4,081    (up from 4,075 in 12/14)

Total Radio Stations:   15,442  (up from 15,432 in 12/14) 

Not included in Total Radio Stations:

FM Translators and Boosters: 6312  (up from 6,249 in 12/14)

Low power FM (LPFM):          1029    (up from 942 in 12/14)

To see more quarterly statistics about the total number of radio stations in the United States, take a look at all of our station count reports here.

The post FCC’s Quarterly Radio Station Count Reveals Big Boost in LPFM Stations appeared first on Radio Survivor.

When last I meditated on my recent experiences at SXSW in Austin, I was commenting on the lack of interest in AM/FM among musicians with whom I spoke. It is unclear to me, however, whether those artists were representative of the broader creative population. I am certain that staffers and deejays from NPR and the BBC who attended SXSW 2015 would say that they were not. Both services ran panels at the conference offering tips on how musicians can get tunes on their respective shows. Panelists at the events reported being deluged with music from artists and their promoters.

I wonder, however, whether the performers in the respective rooms who received this advice found it encouraging or daunting. In any event, here is some of what I heard, first from the BBC.

BBC: UK music comes first

BBC Music 1 head George Ergatoudis started out with a caveat for international artists who want to “crack” the BBC. “Because of the way we are funded, we are strongly supporting UK music first,” Ergatoudis advised. So how do you gain access if you are ‘non-domestic’? “It has to start with being bloody amazing first of all,” he continued. “You need to stand out one way or another . . . you have managed to create a noise, a fan base interest. Any metric, any way you look there is a story that’s a reality about why you are different and exciting.”

But Ergatoudis did add that BBC radio does introduce UK listeners to new artists. At the early stage there’s very little to look at in terms of profile, “so it does boil back down to ears, and having people on the stations that frankly have that taste, have that ability to spot something in the music that excites them.”

What this suggests, at least to me, is that BBC 1 is open to non-domestic artists, even relatively obscure ones. But the process of picking them is very subjective. One of the things that struck me was how uninterested the BBC deejays and managers on the panel appeared to be in tapping into social media resources like Spotify or Last.fm to see what fans on those sites were enjoying.

“You’ve just got to be great,” panelist Sarah Stennett, an artist agent, concurred. “You can be seen if you are doing something that’s exceptional.”

Send us a letter

Steve Lamacq, presenter for BBC 6 offered some immediate practical tips to the audience. “We get sent a lot of stuff,” Lamacq said. Most comes from promoters, “most of it terrible, or impersonal.”

“And this is an important point,” he added. “With so much stuff out there,” how do you make yourself different? “If there are 100 bands, of those, 20 are good, and of those 20 we are only going to play two, how do you make yourself stand out?”

Lamacq’s’ answer: “Send a letter. I know it sounds absolutely ridiculous in this technological age. But making a personal connection. If you want to get noticed by one of the specialist deejays or a tastemaker in the UK, make a personal connection. I think that everyone in this room knows that that’s valid.”

“Even an e-mail is ok,” Lamacq added, “but it’s not as good as a letter.” (BTW: here is Steve Lamacq’s snail mail address: Steve Lamacq, BBC 6 Music, London, W1A 1AA).

NPR: We’re not all in it together

Meanwhile NPR also held a panel, this one titled “Public Relations, Public Radio, & Music.” Bob Boilen, host and creator of All Songs Considered, attended to offer advice (I found Boilen’s counsel the most useful of the panelists). First, he pointed out, when you send music to NPR, keep in mind that the service is not a monolith.

“From your point of view,” Boilen told the audience, “from the point of view of people who are trying to reach us, we are a mystery and hard to figure, because it’s not like NPR, even though there is an NPR Music, it’s not like there is one central thing that you send things to. You have the choice to send it to any one of the shows. And they’re all little independent silos. There is some interaction, but think of them independently. So if you want to be on All Things Considered, or you want to be on Weekend Edition Saturday, that’s completely different from being on Morning Edition.”

The point is that when you try to get music on NPR, you really have to listen to the individual shows and figure out where your music would best fit in. Just generically sending your content to the service won’t get you very far. You have to find “the right marriage” of music and place, Boilen emphasized.

The music goes in and out . . .

“I’m going to say something that these people won’t say,” noted panel moderator and music publicist Dmitri Vietze. “There are times when I’ve heard back: ‘no more Tuvan Throat Singing, or no more banjo, or no more something. There are these sort of waves of stuff where something will rise in popularity . . . Bulgarian women’s choir . . . ”

“I’m Bulgarian!” interjected panelist Monika Evstatieva, Director of All Things Considered. The audience laughed.

“It’s been said to me, literally,” Vietze insisted. The point, Boilen quickly added, was that if some kind of music has been used recently, the host isn’t going to interested in using it again. “We have to be careful and do things that aren’t in our comfort zone.” So again, you have to listen to the shows to get a sense of what is appropriate for you to send to NPR.

Boilen, who sometimes appears on other NPR shows to talk about music, also urged prospective music pluggers to remember that music sent to the service needs to have a “really good and engaging story.” Most people who tune into NPR tune into listen to news, he observed, “and so when they hear music, a lot of people really get upset: ‘What are you doing? I want to hear news!” And so you have to have an engaging story and someone who can tell that story. So if you are a publicist and you are trying to pitch something, your musician has to have something to say beyond ‘Well, we met when we were in high school and . . . ‘ ”

The bottom line for getting your music on BBC and NPR: know the people, know the shows, and know the context. Neither you nor your publicist will be able to get on these programs by going on autopilot, just sending them CDs or e-mailing SoundCloud links and hoping for the best. But difficult questions flow from all this good advice. Are the efforts put into cultivating relationships with these services worth it? Are musicians better off building up a social media presence than trying to cipher the sometimes Vatican-like exteriors of radio networks? I’m not sure. My next SXSW post will explore a musical genre where getting on AM/FM is still absolutely essential: country music.

The post SXSW journal: how to get your music on BBC radio and NPR appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Take our poll on whether AM/FM radio still helps young musicians.

After sitting through the Celebrity Economy in Music panel at last week’s SXSW, which featured economist Paul Krugman and the principals of Arcade Fire, I sat down outside and collected my thoughts. If touring is overwhelmingly the main way that artists make their money, I wondered, what is everything else for? I scribbled out a rough “everything else” list:

AM/FM radio
CDs, vinyl, cassettes, downloads
online videos (YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion)
SoundCloud
T-shirts
posters, stickers, tote bags
Pandora, Spotify, etc.

This struck me as a very crowded taxonomy of supplementary revenue generators. How much was AM/FM radio still in the picture, I wondered, and proceeded to buttonhole younger musicians at the conference with a single question: how important is broadcast radio to you?

The answer I received in a series of informal off-the-record discussions was, overwhelmingly, “not that much.” This statement should be qualified. Most of these musicians told me that they would like to be on the radio, but it either was not a sine qua non goal for them or seemed too difficult a task. Their responses also depended on their music genre.

Take the young garage rock, transgender singer I spoke with at my hotel while we waited for rides to the convention center. “Radio just isn’t that important to us,” s/he explained while smoking a gold filter colored cigarette. The top priority of the band in which s/he sings is getting gigs and touring, I was told. “Working, performing, and getting paid, that’s everything. We just want to play.” What was next in the order of priorities? Getting on all the online venues: BandCamp in particular. But this artist’s group had solved that problem by getting an account with Tunecorp, which does all kinds of online distribution for music groups. Tellingly, Tunecorp’s partners, with the notable except of iHeartMusic, are all overwhelmingly digital. Hardly any of its roads lead to AM/FM.

I received similar responses from the various hip hop deejays, performers, composers, and producers with whom I talked. The main priority for them is getting gigs at clubs and houses, obviously. So the immediate Holy Grail is making connections with the people who book acts across networks of cities, and getting noticed by huge online news/review venues like AllHipHop.com. As for radio? Not really, a young hip hop composer/producer told me while we waited for our Korean barbeque tacos (yes way) outside the convention center. “I mean, I know of individual artists who have gotten hits because they got on the radio, but most of what’s on radio stations just doesn’t feel like it has a lot to do with what I do.”

When I started a conversation with one hip hopper between panel discussions, he proudly informed me that he had finally gotten some “rotation” on one show at a popular FM station in Washington, D.C. “Once you get on the radio, you blow up!” he exclaimed. But when I asked him how long it had taken for him to make that connection, he smiled a bit ruefully. Two years, he conceded. “It’s great that I’m getting some play, but I’m just not going to put all that investment into promoters and materials to get on the radio. We’re talking thousands of dollars.”

A performer offered some impromptu lines at the SXSW Hip Hop “deep dive”

One of the most informative SXSW panels I attended was the Hip Hop Deep Dive, in which a group of aficionados played new tracks off of SoundCloud and the audience, mostly artists and fans, discussed them. Nobody talked about radio until the subject came up (I asked). Then it was, like, oh that too.

“Sure, radio’s important,” one panelist said. “There’s a lot of people who still listen to radio: families, people who, believe it or not, still can’t type in a URL address.” Nobody used words like “rube” or “bumpkin” in this conversation, but they might have well have. A young man sitting in front of me handed me a free DVD of his latest opus. “Is radio important to you?” I asked him. “Somewhat,” he hastily replied, then scurried off to promote his work to other producers in the room.

People with whom I spoke did acknowledge one kind of FM to which they felt they still had access: college radio. Both that hip hop producer with whom I enjoyed tacos and a young middle school teacher at the hip hop panel praised college radio as available and accessible. The teacher mentioned that his music had been repeatedly played on a college radio outlet in his town. But both also suggested that college radio was exceptional—very different from the commercial version, where they see far more promotional potential.

This is all anecdotal evidence, of course. Everybody I spoke to noted that there were still genres where AM/FM radio is very important, most notably country music. I’m going to share the comments of a country music promoter who spoke at the conference soon.

But compare the ‘meh’ attitude towards radio of those aforementioned hip hop promoters to the fond remembrances of various older rap artists who spoke at an SXSW panel on the legacy of the Roland TR808 drum machine. These included Arthur Baker, Hank Shocklee, and legendary radio deejay Funkmaster Flex, who worked at New York’s WRKS and WBLS in the late 1980s. They spoke reverentially about the access that rap artists had in New York back then.

“What was dope about the eighties,” Flex recalled at the panel. “I used to love [going to] Danceteria and different clubs. You would see the record label person hand the deejay the record, the radio deejay . . . It used to be amazing for me to watch Chuck Chillout get the record, listen to the record, and play the record.”

“He would play the record right away,” another panelist noted.

“It was amazing,” Flex agreed. “The [radio station] program director would give control directly to the street deejay – he had the date – to play that record. And they would monitor the 12 inch chart that was controlled by the mom and pop stores, and that’s how they would put a record into daytime rotation.”

From the street to the club to the radio stations, followed by a check-in with local record stores. I don’t want to fall into the nostalgia trap, but it does seem like a more transparent world. My next post will report on two SXSW panels that discussed how to get the attention of music producers and deejays at NPR and the BBC. They say they’re still getting tons of inquiries.

The post SXSW journal: do young musicians want to get on AM/FM any more? appeared first on Radio Survivor.

[polldaddy poll=8757028]

The post Poll: Is getting on AM/FM radio still important for young musicians? appeared first on Radio Survivor.

We received lots of responses to our call for feedback on the general accessibility of 87.7 FM. The frequency is mostly deployed by Low Power TV stations with access to channel six. Please do give our poll a quick response. Thanks!

The post Poll: Can your radio receiver access 87.7 FM? appeared first on Radio Survivor.

The radio/music world is now a veritable aviary of possibilities: podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, satellite radio, and webcasts, just to name a few. But a new survey says that when you get into your automobile, the chances are very good that you’ll do what someone in 1975 would do: tune into an AM or FM radio station.

The latest Triton/Edison report says that AM/FM is the audio source choice of 81 percent of consumers when they get into their primary car. A CD player is the second option (55 percent). An MP3 gadget playing personally owned digital music comes in third (38 percent). 21 percent access online radio and 17 percent check into satellite.

Edison Research / Triton

The good news (if you are an Internet radio booster) is that 81 percent is slightly down from Triton/Edison’s survey percentage in 2014: 86 percent. And online radio in car use is way up from 2013, when it clocked in at a mere 12 percent.

The less good news is that the researchers asked their survey cohort how important an Internet in-dash receiver will be when they make their next auto purchase. 24 percent said “not very important.” A whopping 41 percent said “not important at all.” That’s 65 percent of the next wave of auto buyers.

How the survey was conducted: “A total of 2,002 persons were interviewed to explore Americans’ use of digital platforms and new media. From January 6 to February 10, 2015, telephone interviews were conducted with respondents age 12 and older who were selected via Random Digit Dial (RDD) sampling. The study includes a total of 900 cell phone interviews.”

The post Report: AM/FM radio still rules your car appeared first on Radio Survivor.

Respond to our poll on 87.7 FM!

Here at Radio Survivor we’ve been following the Great Debate over whether Low Power TV stations should be able to stream the 87.7 portion of their channel 6 frequency as an FM signal. A week ago Paul Riismandel noted that in Chicago Weigel Broadcasting is poised to run a Baby Boomer targeted “Me Music” format on that notch. Meanwhile the Federal Communications Commission is trying to decide whether the practice should be permitted at all (here are pro and con filings in that proceeding). The official FM band ranges from 88 to 108 MHz FM.

The other day it occurred to me, however, to check whether my car FM receiver can even access 87.7 FM. It turns out that it can’t. The lowest the LED screen goes is 87.9 FM (which enjoys a sort of special circumstances status on the FM band). My old boombox radio panel goes no lower than 88 FM. On the other hand, I’ve got an ancient Kensington “Super Delux” transistor AM/FM radio, and its FM dial wheel descends all the way down to 87.5!

Just for kicks, I spent some of the weekend trolling around looking at images of FM receiver panels. Here are some possible 87.7 FM getters (click the image for a closer look):

tonsoldradios.com

mcintoshlabs.com

I’m guessing that these or similar receivers sometimes slip down a bit into the 87 FM zone, and that’s why lots of consumers can receive these intrepid little indie 87.7 FM stations. How about doing Radio Survivor a favor and checking your gear for us. Can you access 87.7 FM? If you can pinpoint the notch, can you hear anything? Please post a comment below on your findings. Thanks!

The post Can your radio receiver access 87.7 FM? appeared first on Radio Survivor.