More news from CFSI

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More news from CFSI

Postby radiofan » Fri Apr 03, 2015 12:31 pm

Thanks to skyvalleyradio for sharing this article regarding CFSI from the Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper...

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Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby jon » Fri Apr 03, 2015 4:17 pm

Surprised that Richard Moses was still involved with the station, as he stepped down from his Program Director position in 2009, citing health reasons.

I remember Richard well for the decade he spent at CKUA here in Alberta, as the station's best known classical music announcer.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby Dave L » Fri Apr 03, 2015 4:34 pm

Thanks for the update, Jon and Mike.

I have every confidence the commission will renew based upon weak promises and misrepresentations. Once a license is issued, they ignore community concerns and bad business practices entirely.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby Eldon-Mr.CFAY » Fri Apr 03, 2015 4:54 pm

Greetings Everyone, Thanks for sharing the article update, Jon, Mike (Sky Valley) and radiofan. Greatly appreciate that.

My own feeling about this station which was originally my favorite new FM station in BC after it signed on the air is this: The CRTC should revoke the license to Dhillon and Call for applications for a good locally owned truly community FM station to serve Saltspring, perhaps a Co-op type station with member owned! It would probably be run a lot better than what happened to CFSI. I would like to see Sky Valley be involved again in this because I am sure his participation in a community station like that could be successful! A Saltspring Island Co-op Community station I think could be successful to replace the current poor operating practices of CFSI under current ownership.

Saltspring Island deserves a good local community station with responsible operation to its staff and the residents of the island!

Take care everyone and a Very Happy Easter to all of you!!!!

73s Eldon
Bye . . Mr. CFAY "Frequently On The Frequency"
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby skyvalleyradio » Sat Apr 04, 2015 4:50 pm

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Eldon. The listener-supported model for a Salt Spring station was looked at exhaustively & it's not a sustainable option any more than a commercial, ad-based revenue station. There just isn't the population base willing to financially support such a venture, and at this point CFSI has such a damaged reputation here it's not remotely achievable. Had a commercial station been established some years ago when the economy was much better here with more business competition, a savvy, experienced team of broadcasters MAY have been able to 'weather the storm' The economy here is tourist-based, and we have yet another ferry fare increase to discourage visitors to come here and spend money. Vancouver Isl. is also suffering because of this, but it's much more prevalent on the Goofy Islands. It really saddens me to admit that in the current economic climate, a Salt Spring radio station cannot be sustained. There is no room for incompetance, inexperience or tight bank accounts which just worsens the chances of success.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby slowhand » Sat Apr 04, 2015 5:30 pm

skyvalleyradio wrote:It really saddens me to admit that in the current economic climate, a Salt Spring radio station cannot be sustained.

Oddly enough, this takes us back to the original accusations that were being made when the station first changed ownership. That the goal had always been to deliver ethnic programming to metro Vancouver, and the faster it could be proved to the CRTC that a local station is not viable, the sooner that goal could be achieved.

From what he says in the article, it still sounds like the current owner thinks he can hold on to the license.

I betcha the station puts a better signal into the Vancouver area than the Oak Harbor peanut whistle ever did.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby skyvalleyradio » Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:29 pm

However, timing is everything & there is a missed opportunity that still befuddles me & I called this prediction wrong: the time to have tried moving CFSI to Surrey would have been at the application hearing for the competitive 107.7 license. Moving 107.9 to Surrey with it's Class A signal designation would have meant no licensing of 107.7. slowhand, you're quite right about the current 107.9 coverage: all of the west side of Vancouver west of Granville with a few minor pockets, otherwise clean, stereo signal. Ditto Delta west of 120th St Surrey - it gets a little dicey east & north of there, also West Van & some areas of upper N Van, loud & clear in Richmond, Ladner, Tswassen (sp) & Pt Roberts
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby slowhand » Sun Apr 05, 2015 5:03 pm

Interesting issues. Perhaps the answer lies in the owner's musing in the article "We're looking for a flat parcel so we could make a switch to an AM repeater."

Wherever the FM signal is unlistenable, there would always be the AM. Keep in mind that 1110 from Oak Harbor was up against 1130 and still had listeners.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby Eldon-Mr.CFAY » Sun Apr 05, 2015 8:03 pm

Greetings, Thanks for mentioning all that Sky Valley and thanks for everyones comments about this. Sad indeed about the state of affairs with radio on Saltspring Island but I understand what you mean Sky Valley. Yes the increasing ferry rates certainly would not help tourism out there or on Vancouver Island, of course the current BC government is to blame for their incompetance about that too!

Wish there was a solution to getting a good local station for Saltspring but with the mess current ownership policies have created it does seem like quite a challenge to say the least unfortunately.

Anyway thanks for mentioning all that Sky and others for commenting. Interesting to read it all!

73s Eldon
Bye . . Mr. CFAY "Frequently On The Frequency"
The CFAY Website: http://cfayradio.wordpress.com
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby Eldon-Mr.CFAY » Sun Apr 05, 2015 8:11 pm

Greetings
As an added note about Oak Harbor, I just read recently that both 1110 Oak Harbor and 1340 Anacortes (KWLE ) are off the air and gone dark! Oak Harbor was only a 500 watt Daytime Only station which could be received in places in Greater Vancouver but not with a very good signal on a average radio. In Langley Parks and at the apartment with a GE Superadio or Grundig sensitive rreceiver I could get them except when noise levels were high. With a loop antenna and good to sensitve radio you could hear them but they came in best at the open parks in Langley! Not with a local signal but listenable there especially using a loop antenna with the radio! Oak Harbor is about 70 miles south of Greater Vancouver so its certainly not local! And a 500 watt signal on AM is not going to be booming in on your average to poor AM radio! In fact most average or lower quality AM radios will not pick it up. You need something above average in sensitivity or selectivity!

Anyway its dark now and not likely to return soon unless someone else buys it and puts it back on the air! That goes for both 1340 Anacortes and 1110 Oak Harbor which were both last owned by that South Asian company New Age Media which bought it from Satnam Media.

Take care everyone, Eldon
Bye . . Mr. CFAY "Frequently On The Frequency"
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CFAY Radio: http://tinyurl.com/l9qqmh
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby skyvalleyradio » Mon Apr 06, 2015 1:47 pm

slowhand - while I agree with your technical solution, it's unlikely the owner will spend the HUGE sum of money it would take to launch an AM signal. Aside from the expensive hydro usage, requirement of professional engineer to operate & maintain, and the cost of land to either purchase or lease, this owner was unable to keep KRPA 1110 on air for any length of time. Moot points if Satnam's licenses get revoked for continual non-compliance.

Speaking of KRPA 1110, it returned to the air sometime this Easter weekend with automated AC & "The Whale" ID. KWLE 1340 did not return to air & I understand it has some serious antenna issues or is facing non-renewal of it's land lease making a return unlikely. I listened at sunset & there was no ID...nothing: just the power cut to the TX in mid-song. At least this owner shuts off at sunset unlike Satnam when they owned it.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby Tom Jeffries » Mon Apr 06, 2015 2:28 pm

Sorry - but none of these joints will survive. Pure economics, added to a change in media consumption, will drive a stake into the beast.

Gives me no joy, to see the dislocation. Hang in there if any of this affects you and your family. Most of us blog dogs have been there.

It's a race to the Web, and no one gives a hoot about some lady talking about her knitting, on a local low power Radio station...

The times have changed.
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Re: More news from CFSI

Postby jon » Mon Apr 06, 2015 4:15 pm

Tom Jeffries wrote:It's a race to the Web, and no one gives a hoot about some lady talking about her knitting, on a local low power Radio station...

The times have changed.

I'd be hard pressed to make that a blanket statement.

I've observed pockets of markets where Radio is really what the listeners want, more than anything else. CFWE here in Alberta is a great example (in stark contrast to the national AVR network) of where Native people are being served well. I've lost count, but I think they have about 50 low-powered FM repeaters, each serving one, or perhaps 2-3 adjoining "Reserve Lands". The high power FM stations in Fort McMurray and Edmonton are experiments to see if what works on the Reserve can also serve Urban Natives.

I'm not sure if it is universal across all Ethnic listeners, but South Asian listeners are certainly clamouring for Radio, and Internet-only offerings have not done nearly as well.
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