Deadline looms for WPBD-FM, Lewes.

The construction deadline for another public radio station on the Delmarva Peninsula is coming up fast. The construction permit for WPBD, a community station expires on May 30th. The 2400 watt station in Lewes. Lewes is about 24 miles from Cape May by ferry. The license was originally granted for Cape May but, a tower site could not be found.

According to an article in Delmarva Now, the plan is to provide community based programming. As noted in previous blogs, the peninsula is already served with public radio news programming by five stations.

Shape of Things To Come

The Shape of Things
The Shape of Things to Come was an okay movie. It was adapted as Things to Come (1936) Actually, it put me to sleep. There way too much preaching. The song by the Yardbirds (Shape of Things) was much better. Jimmy Page plays the solo. But that's not the point of this posting.

In a recent blog I pointed to a frequency swap in Rhode Island that allows Latino Public Radio to offer programming 24/7 and gives Rhode Island Public Radio an FM signal on Providence. The other winner was Wheeler School. The Head of School, Dan Wheeler is quoted as saying, "streaming the student shows is actually the way our students listen to the radio these days."  The programming that was previously aired on 88.1 FM the Wheeler’s student station, will shift almost entirely to Internet streaming through a new website.  www.wheelerschoolradio.org.


The Future of Radio
I recently had a discussion with Paul Kamp and Richard Cerny of Backbone Networks Corporation. They see what Wheeler has done as the future of College and High School Radio...and perhaps the future of radio. They have 40 clients for their service. College Radio does not need to be tied to expensive terrestrial based stations. Backbone and their major competitor Live 365 make "Having your own Internet radio station is a lot easier than you ever imagined. Backbone Radio is truly a radio station on your Macintosh." Now, think about what Dan Miller said. "Streaming the student shows is actually the way our students listen to the radio these days." Cerny and Kamp also pointed out that Internet Radio is coming to automobiles. Some luxury models will be offering it soon. The same things was supposed to happen for HD Radio but, I don't think the same fate lies ahead for internet radio because of the proliferation of mobile media. The only thing holding back mobile media is spectrum. Demand for mobile media is likely to spur more spectrum. There does not seem to be a lot of demand for HD Radio.


Being There
The way the audience get their information and entertainment is changing rapidly. Public radio needs to be on the platforms being used by its audience and future audience. WUMB (A station I spent a cup of coffee with) is doing some of this by offering multiple streams of programming using Live365. The offer Celtic, Contemporary Folk, Traditional Folk, Blues and and a couple more streams on their 24/7 Music Streams. It's an attempt to super-serve their audience. Clear Channel is now offering I Heart Radio. Clear Channel is putting their 750+ radio stations on platforms that are preferred by many younger listeners. It also links their stations offering a service that promises to be similar to Pandora allowing users to create their own radio station. WUMB is not necessarily going after the same demographic, but on-line listening and mobile media is being adapted by a broad spectrum of public radio's older demographic.  WUMB has an iPhone App for their terrestrial signal. I'm not sure they have it for the Music Streams.


Backbone is optimistic about the future of internet radio. Their service can be used by low power stations, community radio stations, college stations and high school stations to extend their reach. It can also be used by stations willing to cut the chord entirely.

Peconic Makes Down Payment

The community group that wants to keep WLIU local to Long Island's East End made their first payment to the University that owns the station. Long Island University accepted $158,000 from Peconic Public Broadcasting according it Radio Ink. The group still needs to raise $850,000 by June. It's as serious undertaking by a radio station that had about 300 contributors a year ago.
There's more detail in 27East.

Cuts for Public TV and Radio

Revenues for state governments continue to decline. For public media, it means cuts in funding. For smaller stations the cuts are deeper. An article in the Duluth News Tribune interviews managers at the local public TV and radio station about what the cuts mean for them. In both cases cuts to local programming. The TV station will probably cut staff. I thought you might find the attached article interesting in light of cuts proposed by other states. 

Support For WLIU Prompts Involvement From Local Politicians

Hamptons.com is reporting that two Long Island Politicians are becoming involved in the effort to save WLIU. A few weeks ago Stoney Brook Southampton announced they would be selling the station. According to the article Assemblyman Fred Thiele (R-Sag Harbor) and State Senator Ken LaValle (R-1) will be holding a press conference with general manager Wally Smith on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. to highlight the growing support for keeping the community radio station alive.

There's been interest in buying the station from public broadcasters from off the island and from religious broadcasters.



The Long Island Business News reports that religious broadcaster are buying up public radio stations at a quick pace. "From January 2008 to June 2009, 28 public radio stations have been sold, 13 to religious groups."



Two of the religious groups buying up stations are Family Radio and Education Media Foundation. Family Media has been in operation since 1959. Education Media Foundation owns and operates at least 245 radio stations.