I want my own radio station. How much would it cost?

CCS

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I want my own radio station for a metro area of 800,000 people in an area that is 15 miles by 15 miles, or maybe even 40 miles by 40 miles.

My goal is to revenue enough from commercials or maybe also music that it almost pays for costs of the station. I want to get 20 or more libertarians together and take turns going on the air for 30 minutes at a time, or let Ron Paul speak for an hour with commercial breaks in there.

My goal is to promote instant runoff voting, proportional representation, and emphasize to people that there are fiscal conservatives that are socially progressive. Currenly the social conservatives have a monopoly on fiscal conservatism in the media, and I want to show people that the Libertarian party is here. I'll call the radio show "Libertarian talk radio", instead of "Conservative talk radio".

I'll have music I can play to lure people in while I catch my breath, and I'll only talk for 3 minutes at a time and then have 1 minute commercials. I think 5 minute commerical breaks are dumb because people just change the channel when they are given commercials that long. Advertisers will pay more for shorter breaks since they know their commerical is the first thing people hear when I go to commercials.

Think I can do it? Will it costs millions in start up costs? Or millions per month to use the antenea?
 

CCS

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I might start out with my own show in a slow part of another radio station, just until I get practice and know what I'm up against.
 

amsch

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Damn, can you do it over the internet? I'd love to hear it here too! :woot:
 

CCS

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I'll definitely have a webpage with archived recordings. The dating stuff will have commercials mixed in, whereas the political stuff will be commerical free, and propped up by the dating stuff.
 

DoctorHouse

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How about your own cable show. I would watch it. You can have a talk cable show on how to score a perfect ten. And we can call in and ask you for advice. Please do that instead.
 

cuebald

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yeah, you could do dating and relationships advice,
it'd be massive
 

CCS

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What is a pod cast? Do they use salelite or some other frequeny? Or are they an internet radio?

I think internet radio would have maybe a bit more viewers than an internet blog, simply because people could listen while they browse other sites.

I read there is tremendous demand for radio stations. But I hear a lot of static in my area. Maybe my reception is bad, but there are like 10 static channels where I live. I just want to know if those static channels are open ones I can get on for cheap.

I did discover that in order to get on the radio, I have to apply through the FCC first. I think that is BS. Local applications should go through local authorities near where the antenea are at. And cable shows should only be regulated by the cable companies that put them on to sell cable contracts.
 

CCS

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DoctorHouse said:
How about your own cable show. I would watch it. You can have a talk cable show on how to score a perfect ten. And we can call in and ask you for advice. Please do that instead.

I doubt many people would take my advice about getting fit before hitting on women. Most would just go to the bars, have some beers, and go about it that way, even if they never get a hot one and often wake up next to someone they never would have done sober. The point of the dating section is just bring in listeners for laugh value. I doubt people will listen to an hour straight of politics. So every hour I'd do 15 minutes of CCS wisdom, and then every 20 minutes after that I'd play some really cool music. And all the commericals would be 15-60 seconds long, no more than 2 short commercials per break, so advertisers would pay me more per minute of break since they are the first ones people would here. And people would not change the channel as fast since they'd know I would be back on in about 30 seconds. I'd give guys like Ron Paul as much air time as he wants. I'm sure that guy would attract people. I disagree with a lot of his economic views though, but I'd be a guest on his show and ask him lots of questions. I bet we could intertain people enough to get the message out.
 

CCS

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Right after getting into a heated debate and putting down the democrats, I'd say, "they are just as dumb as those guys who refuse to build 15" arms when getting dates", and then I'd go off on that tangent and take 3 or 4 calls and be very outspoken to the callers about this topic, have a few 30 second commericals in there, and after about 10-15 minutes go back to the politics.
 

CCS

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One of the political views I'd try to get across is mandatory DNA sample collecting by doctors from all new borns, and storage for 6 months, so the "biological" father can send in his DNA sample any time he wants during those 6 months, before any statute of limitations on child support payments. That is a law I want to pass in my state. I'd get lots of discussion about it and talk about how some women marry ugly rich men, or men who are willing to spend a lot of money for a while and have enough to pay child support, and then go get impregnated by the guy they really want, and stay just long enough with the first guy to pass the statute of limitations before they divorce him for half his stuff and get child support and go live with their REAL boyfriend. I bet it would get discussion.
 

CCS

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It seems to me that most people are complacent with the current government and laws. The majority of people I talk to are perfectly happy with the government, and see the economy as separate and not so much the fault of the government. They seem to marval at my interest in politics, and are completely happy not voting, and just laying around by the pool. When I try to explain instant runoff voting to them, I can't keep their attention very long.

I also tried selling instant runoff voting to right wingers, and they did not seem interested either. They just said they will research it, but that was the last I heard from them.
 

CCS

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Even the libertarians I talk to don't seem to care about instant runoff voting. It is too fair I guess. People want a system where potentially they can get all the seats for one party --- theirs. They don't want proportional representation or centrist presidents.
 

ali777

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The radio transmitter wouldn't be too expensive, but I presume getting the permission to broadcast and the spectrum license would be expensive. In other words, it is the taxes that will cost you.

Podcast is a good idea for someone like you. Podcast is basically an mp3 file that you can upload on your website. Just record your shows and let people download them. You can even use youtube, and maybe do revenue sharing deal with google if you get millions of followers.
 

HughJass

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I want my own radio station. How much would it cost?


However much a TX and an antenna costs. Pirate radio ftw :punk:


cuebald said:
yeah, you could do dating and relationships advice,
it'd be massive

:uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol: :uglylol:
 

ali777

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aussieavodart said:
I want my own radio station. How much would it cost?


However much a TX and an antenna costs. Pirate radio ftw :punk:

I wouldn't try that... The regulators will be after you in no time.
 
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