How to Make Local Radio Work on Salt Spring Island?

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How to Make Local Radio Work on Salt Spring Island?

Postby jon » Sat May 16, 2015 11:52 am

I wanted to start a new thread to focus purely on how to make Radio on Salt Spring Island "work". Rather than just tagging this on the CRTC hearing on CFSI: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21520

If it is possible to step back for a moment to ignore CFSI's history, without losing sight of the conclusion in the aforementioned thread, that a stand-alone station cannot survive in the current Island economy, what about this Scenario? Twinning it with another station, with local programming in AM and PM Drive, and perhaps all or part of a Noon News Package, much as we saw in the 1960s with CFCP Courtenay and CFWB Campbell River. After all these years, and not a lot of time spent listening, I'm a little rusty on the details, but I think that CFCP ran as more of a regional station when CFWB was simulcast, covering information for both Courtenay and Campbell River, and wherever else the two transmitters provided adequate signal coverage.

Two questions. Would it work? What are the best candidates? It would be easy for me, hundreds of miles away, to make suggestions by simply looking at a map for the closest markets with radio stations, but a more important factor is what the majority of Salt Spring Island residents identify with as "their closest neighbour", in terms of radio markets. Which can also be influenced by what stations they currently listen to.
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Re: How to Make Local Radio Work on Salt Spring Island?

Postby skyvalleyradio » Sat May 16, 2015 1:38 pm

jon - these are some tough questions. If I had the definitive answers, I'd probably be the successful owner of a Salt Spring radio station! The CFCP/CFWB scenario MIGHT work from an economic standpoint, but programming I'm not so sure of. The logical annex broadcasters would be Vista's CJSU "Juice FM" Duncan or Pattison's Island Radio Group - CKWV 102.3 or CHWF "106.9 The Wolf". All 3 of these stations have pretty good coverage of our island already, so there's little advantage from having an additional signal here. A local morning or afternoon drive show may generate some revenue, but probably not enough to offset the costs of facilities here. Arguing a successful programming strategy is a whole different story. We're back to the philosophical debate for small-town success: block programming vs a one-format-fits-all approach. Islanders probably want & expect a continuation of the eclectic, narrow-cast, block-programming that has been the mainstay of CFSI's output. How many islanders listen to CJSU's new format "The Juice" ?? Or CKWV or "The Wolf" Only Numeris can answer this & I'm not privvy to their data, although they do have survey submissions from Salt Spring.

To repeat what I've previously mentioned: the self-supporting listener-supported model complete with 'begathons' will not work either & this idea has been talked out by many of us over the years here. I do have a few other workable angles & strategies that MAY work but wish to keep these to myself and am not prepared to discuss this publicly. Again, I must state, that an online, streaming local radio station with on-demand podcasts/archive supported by ad revenue CURRENTLY makes the most sense for Salt Spring

Salt Spring Radio History Time kids: Living/commuting in the middle of Ganges "downtown" in the mid-70's, I built & broadcast from a license-exempt 300 mW FM station - "Radio Homegrown" 89.9 easily receivable throughout the village core. Salt Spring's version of CFAY! 14 different businesses used the station for background audio which was on air Saturdays only from 8am-6pm. no ads, but the businesses did get promotional mention & one or two gave me a small amount of $$$ to buy equipment. There are still a few islanders around that consider this to be the 1st station here. In the mid-80's I was very close to a CRTC application for a 2,500 watt AM signal on either 1260 or 1350, DA through 2 sticks on leased land with 50 year occupancy & plenty of advertiser support. The sudden death of the private, financial backer scuttled my plan & I abandoned this attempt after trying collaboration with another islander. I have a scanned newspaper article of this, jon, if interested.
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Re: How to Make Local Radio Work on Salt Spring Island?

Postby jon » Sat May 16, 2015 2:25 pm

Yes, I would be happy to post the scanned newspaper article here in this post and I'll be sure that it is easy to read. And eventually move it to a more permanent historical location.

Thanks for the offer!
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Re: How to Make Local Radio Work on Salt Spring Island?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sat May 16, 2015 10:17 pm

Would a "Gulf Island Network" work for the whole of the islands? Consisting of one central location for management/news/traffic/copy/promotions/sales ... Production would also be at the central location. a studio on each of the islands for local programming during drive or other periods...local low power AM or FM transmitters on each island to relay the signal. The system would be connected via a virtual private online network With technology would it not be relatively easy and cost effective to set up one station as apposed to several small stations?

As there is no such thing as a dumb question I've posed this after reading the above post... any thoughts?
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Re: How to Make Local Radio Work on Salt Spring Island?

Postby skyvalleyradio » Sun May 17, 2015 10:47 am

Money, money, money, money...TS Wow, there's far too much math for my little brain in that scenario! Follow this link to the "Wallyworld" of broadcasting, where you'll find all the goodies you need to implement your ideas. Oh...and don't forget to include several km of cable, connectors, patch-bays, spare transmitter, spare transmit tube(s), spare computers. Then factor in tower leases for each location plus STL gear to connect it all together. The add in all your monthly overhead expenses & staff salaries/benefits. Then get back to us...

http://www.oakwoodbroadcast.com/default2.asp

A gentle reminder TS that this is an exercise in austerity: operating a professional, profitable, legally conforming station on a minimum of ad revenue, minimum of staffing, minimum overhead & maximum innovation. IF you can pull this off & show a profit: then congratulations! You've graduated & become a bonafide, certified "microbroadcaster"!! :worthybow:
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Re: How to Make Local Radio Work on Salt Spring Island?

Postby jon » Sun May 17, 2015 12:16 pm

Image

Click to see the article.


Thanks to skyvalleyradio for sharing this 1984 article.
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