In article , Al Quaglieri wrote:

Here's what most pirate radio is: political diatribes from the far fringes,
music few people ever needed to hear again, shoutouts to buddies, and
buzzes, hiss, hum and dead air, presided over by the least capable air
"talent" ever to disgrace a microphone. There's a good reason these
self-deluded crusaders couldn't cut it in the world of professional
broadcasting - they suck, and so does their programming.

I agree. But I think that stuff _should_ be available on the airwaves as
a public service. I think that if someone wants to go on the air with
a station that broadcasts Mahler symphonies 24 hours a day, and they
can show they won't impinge on the contours of other stations, that the
FCC should grant them a license.

The problems today involve the licensing procedure being much too complex
for small noncommercial stations, and the number of stations already on the
air (often with the same programming) crowding the bands.

I think the most recent incarnation of the FCC has overstepped its bounds
by becoming the enforcement wing of those who want to beat America silly
with their Bibles; nonetheless, I still believe imposing technical
requirements and order on our broadcasting bands remain valuable functions
of the Bureau.

Sadly, I agree. But personally I think they should spend some time getting
Part 15 enforced, and dealing with the fact that most of the current radio
broadcasters are not performing much of a public service but are instead
just playing whatever comes over the bird.

Someone please give these guys 100 kHz of the shortwave spectrum so they
can play radio and impress one another.

How about making the 87.9 MHz "Channel 200" available for them? Have a
very easy to get special event license, that is good for one year and needs
to be renewed. This is much like what is done in some European countries now.

And, how about refusing renewals to some of the stations that just broadcast
satellite-originated pap that is identical to that of a dozen other stations
in their market?
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."