When ever the federal government gets involved with regulation and eliminates the free market system we end up with things like this. I am talking about the FCC and a radio group that is obviously running stations as a tax dodge rather than a public service.
The practices of radio and television have been supposedly governed by the FCC for the good of the public. MY FOOT! Radio stations that are started up are supposed to have the licensing put up for public bid in order to create a fair market place. Radio and TV have been treated as a vital service for informed citizens. There are rules and regulations on how much public service time and how a radio company should conduct itself to the benefit of the viewer or listener.
If you have ever triend to go to the FCC website for information or even to ask questions you find yourself in a site that is designed to confuse and never give the answers you are looking for. The few corporations that control 90% of the airwaves have the inside track on all new releases of licensing for new areas.
Of course as in all government matters this has gone so far off base that there is no real fairness left in either. In our area radio reception is sketchy at best. Until the last few years the choices were very limited and there was no local news or real participation in the community as the larger population areas enjoy.
The electronic media caters to a few growing conglomerates that are there to put on what they 'deem' is what the public wants and needs. Yet the standard practice is now doing things that a few years ago people went to jail over. And the larger music industry dicates what is going to be served up for local listeners. It is a cozy set up.
I have written before about Journal Broadcast group and the destruction of the old 1070 KFTI radio ranch. But there are other groups just as caloused to the audience in our own state.
The group that owns a 100,000 watt station here has tried to leave our community and go to the very limit of what the FCC license will allow. It is no surprise since none of the programing or personalities are run from the local studio. The businesses that have spent a lot of money in the area will be doing business, again with a company that has no concern for the area.
How the station has been run is about as contrary to good business as can be. So it is obvious that the managing partner and the silent partner are simply buying stations to take advantage of tax breaks.
It is so sad to watch something that was so exciting to the area be pulled out as many things have been in the past. Any suggestions from outside the organization have been in large part ignored.
To add salt to the wound this coming weekend they are leaving town and hoping no one will notice. There is one way to deal with callous companies who do not have the best intrest of their listeners at heart. This is with the pocket book.
Maybe at some point the running of the station at a loss will be enough for the owners and they sell it to owners who care. I do feel sorry for all the other areas that this group keeps buying stations or starting new ones and pull the same thing on them.
Given the track record of these media deals they will be spun off to an even larger company for a huge amount and the results will be the same. There is a monopoly of the media that is blessed by the federal agencies who are charged with fairness and standards.
Wonder when all is bought by Chinese interests?
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