Anyone know how to start a radio station? FM

[~Ray]

Any good sites that you have used for info or services?

Thanks in advance,
~Ray
94994627

[chadglni]

I would like to know how to become an automobile manufacturer. While you're all here let me know that as well.

[Hollywood376]

Originally Posted by chadglni

I would like to know how to become an automobile manufacturer. While you're all here let me know that as well.

requires research and design, tooling and manufacturing. simple. Hard part is finding the 5 billion you need to finance all of that.

[Hollywood376]

Originally Posted by AdvertisingSex

Any good sites that you have used for info or services?

Thanks in advance,
~Ray
94994627

I used to be in Radio. Give me a minute....

[jimthefiend]

Would someone help me out with info regarding the manufacture of I.U.D.'s?
Thanks,

[Probono]

If you are in the USA check out FCC.gov

[Hollywood376]

Originally Posted by AdvertisingSex

Any good sites that you have used for info or services?

Thanks in advance,
~Ray
94994627

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/howtoapply.html

[Ordo]

Starting a radio station, especially on FM is crazy tough.
First you have to apply for a frequency with the FCC, kind of like renting land to build a house. This could run you millions depending on the city/area.

Then you need a building with all of the equipment which will run you around 5 million just to get started.

I looked into it a few years back and got right out when I realized just how expensive it was to get going.

Buying one of those little $800 FM transmitters isn't going to cut it. lol

[Pornwolf]

Ray, the easiest way to get into the radio biz is to buy an undeperforming radio staion and change the format of that station to a more popular genre.

You can go to http://www.radioandrecords.com/ and check out the latest deals. Also in the print version there's a listing of stations for sale. It also has a listing of ratings in every US market.

Also rememeber, with the new HD radio initative, you can even buy an AM in a market and in 5 to 7 years or so make it as viable as an FM.

Don't try to buy a popular station. The P to E ratio is so lopsided now a days that it's not worth it. Especially considering the info about HD I just gave you.

Here's a couple more links for you to check out.

http://www.nab.org/
http://www.allaccess.com/

Good luck.

[DutchTeenCash]

Do it like I did some yrs ago

A cheap transmitter an amp antenna and make sure you're in a good shape in case you need to run ;)

It was fun till they changed the laws here and 500 bucks became 50k and 6 months

No more fm radio for me...

[HorseShit]

If you are looking to invest in radio stations hit me up

[Theo]

i had a pirate one at the age of 14

[smashface]

If you're in US, Id check out the FCC site as mentioned. At this point, if you're looking for a commercial station Id find a broker that deals in radio stations. Many stations are not independent and part of the big conglomerates.

WSJ used to have a business for sale section and used to have some radio stations listed.

If you're looking for non-commercial purposes, you may look to hook up with some of the organizations which were granted micro power/LPFM licenses. Although many of these are churches, some of them are community groups that would be open to new/alternative programming.

[~Ray]

Thanks for all of the info. I want to start one up from scratch. I have some reading to do.

~Ray

[Theo]

AdvertisingSex, someone very good with electronics can make you a very powerful one at a fraction of the cost you'll have to pay if you buy ready-made. FM radio technology has been on for decades and peaked during 80s or so. Getting a license is the bitch nowdays.

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by AdvertisingSex

Thanks for all of the info. I want to start one up from scratch. I have some reading to do.

~Ray

If you are in any sort of decent-sized metropolitan area, it's highly unlikely that you will be able to just "start one from scratch" - it's like saying that you're just going to grab some vacant land in mid-town Manhattan and put up a skyscraper. Frequencies are (and have been) locked up for decades; the only exception is if you pick the right city and pay a communications lawyer skilled in "drop ins" a ton of money to make the attempt - and chances are still pretty sketchy.
As previously mentioned, unless you're out in the boonies, your best bet by far is to buy an under-performing station and work with it - the *real* money to be made is in finding one that's just outside a major metro, then upgrade it so that it becomes a metro signal. That's tough to do these days too - most of the big boys have found most of the stations that could be shifted.
(I spent 25 years in radio - I'm still kicking myself for not putting together a group to buy some stations when I could have...)

[detoxed]

I'd like information on starting a space tourism travel agency and costs of setting up a mini storage.. acres needed and about 100-200 non climate controlled storages

[Mr.Right - Banned For Life]

Originally Posted by chadglni

I would like to know how to become an automobile manufacturer. While you're all here let me know that as well.

So would i.

[Pornwolf]

Heh, you'd be surprised at the amount of people on this board that are seasoned veterans in other businesses as well. Some are still working in them, some quit, some retired.

[KRL]

You'll need one deep set of pockets to do it right.

[biftek]

to start a radio station you don't need big and powerful equipment
me being in australia i can only go by what i have read with american radio hobbyists
but you can get a low powered transmitter licence , which has around 1 watt output , not might sound like much , but with a decent antenna you can easily get 10miles out of it
from my understanding on the low powered stations is that you can't have advertising due to you competing with the commercial stations , low powerd are for the hobbyists , check with the FCC for more info

if you live in the metro area finding a blank space on the fm band will be hard

you can buy low budget decent transmitters for around the $400 mark

for advertising , canvas the area and target your niche age group , if your aiming for the teen market drop flyers etc at there local hangouts , if your after the old fart age group target the lawn bowls and bingo halls

like with anything , getting the equipment is the easy and cheap part , paying royalties on music is where they sting you

running a pirate station was how i got my job at a commercial radio station ,

[poe]

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itrip/

[biftek]

those itrips need a mod done to them so that the commercial more powerful stations don't get in the way , you need to crack open the case and bend the antenna up to make it external

[minusonebit]

Depends on if you want to do it legally or otherwise.

[Phil]

ask Headless :D

[Pornwolf]

Originally Posted by KRL

You'll need one deep set of pockets to do it right.

Definitely. Not less that a few million, and that's just to buy a shitty station in a smaller market under the top 50.


But, I'm not sure if he's trying to start a real station or just transmit in a local area for his friends.

If that's the case search for "pirate radio" AND london. They have made a cotage industr out of starting bedroom stations that reachthe whole city. But let me warn you, it's hard to do that in the US. You may go to jail.