Gospel Aircheck

Sunday, January 10, 2010

The GRIN Aircheck

Do you call a recording of an Internet radio an "aircheck"? I guess; I submit the new term "netcheck." Whatever you call it below is a recording of my web show Southern Gospel Favorites that I featured on the GRIN network last March, enjoy...

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Change of Season

Today has been crazy; in a good way. As I emerge from a wintry depression funk Angie has come up with a remarkable idea that will affect our lives in a very positive direction. Problem is: not all of the pieces of the plan and how they fit are known to either of us. All that I can reveal now is that it is extremely exciting and for our family. (God willing, to borrow an uncharacteristic phrase). If this idea materializes we all will begin to feel a sense of independence and higher purpose previously unknown in our very happy marriage.

I am cautious, but optimistic. 2010 is going to be a pivotal year bringing a brighter season in our lives. I wait, impatiently.

Stay tuned

New GRIN

I have been wavering for so long between terrestrial vs. Internet radio. If you’ve read my last few posts on where I intend to place the GRIN, an Internet streaming audio “radio” station started back last march. I am in favor of the old fashioned business models. However, the monetary investment involved in starting a conventional radio station from scratch is huge. An LPFM, discussed in my previous post, would require at least $5,000 to do it right. This is an educated guess for sure. The Internet option becomes much more attractive at this point in the game.

Last year I put a free station on the web; wow, that’s saving at least five grand as I see it. The trouble I had with delivering a viable product proved to be a false economy. My home computers were tied up 24/7 with unacceptable amounts of downtime due to a faulty modem. There are services as cheap as twenty bucks per month that will host a station and take care of the fees involved with keeping the music flowing legally. Their servers also host the Mp3’s uploaded from my location along with the ability of doing live shows from my studio. In their parlance, both archived and live streaming is offered without overusing my resources. The downside: the streaming is limited to a certain amount of simultaneous listeners at a fixed audio quality with options that vary from less than AM radio to Mp3 (subjectively better than stereo FM.) The higher the quality and/or listeners varies the cost. The fees are a la carte; question is, do you want more listeners listening at a crappy 32kbps or a handful at the pristine 128kbps? One could have both, but the cost is extreme for a self-supporting broadcaster. Prioritizing which is more important is a slippery slope. I favor the best audio available. The bean counters of this world would recommend the larger audience potential at the expense of sound quality. This is my baby so I won’t compromise on the product.

Stay tuned

Friday, January 8, 2010

LPFM & Internet Radio

Ok, so I’m on this new kick. Why couldn’t I combine a terrestrial Low Power FM signal with an Internet radio station? Last December the U.S. congress passed H.R. 1147 or Local Community Radio Act of 2009. The bill will now move on to the Senate then to the president’s desk for approval.

This is seen as a victory for small time broadcasters, myself included. As soon as possible we will get the ball rolling on an actual radio station home for the GRIN. I am optimistic the bill will be passed into law with all the full support of the broadcast community and the FCC.

A 100 watt FM radio station in a major population center, Atlanta Metro, would potentially reach a large population. Previous LPFM’s were not allowed in a major market such as Atlanta. The new bill reverses the FCC’s previous restrictions on major market penetration. The good news is that the FM dial here is not overcrowded either. Obtaining a good frequency should be a painless process.

There is talk now of repurposing the vacated analog TV frequencies on channels 5 and 6 for both troubled local AM facilities and future LPFM’s. Audio quality, especially for the AM’s would become 100% digital stereo thus producing an even playing field when compared to conventional FM. I am not too excited about this due to the non-existence of receivers. Although; as a former AM broadcaster myself, pristine digital quality would be heavenly. It would take years for the electronics industry to catch up. (Frankly, I hope that AM disappears entirely. It is 80+ year old technology 30 years past its prime.)

Internet radio faces many hurdles as well. Most listeners are tied to a PC. Live streaming over the Internet must become more portable before it catches up with terrestrial AM & FM. WiMax and Wi-Fi show promise. But, I would wager that most folks would rather have their radio free of a monthly fee. I have reasoned that combining both LPFM and Internet steaming are a great strategy for a budget minded broadcaster such as myself. The GRIN will return. Just what type of carrier or simulcast combination is yet to be decided.

Stay tuned

Flashbulb Elvis

An earlier generation would ask, "Do you remember when JFK was assassinated?" The inevitable response was a detailed recollection of exactly where one was and precisely what one was doing when the tragic news struck.

Well, I was born three years after that black day in Dallas. So my personal flashbulb memory is the passing of the King of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley, on August 16, 1977. I was eleven; buying a 35 cent comic book at Reddings supermarket in Savannah, Georgia, when I overheard Beth, the cashier saying, "I can't believe he's dead." Not knowing who she was referring to I paid for the comic book and ran home. There, my mother was on the phone with my friend Daniel who had broke the sudden news to her. She was incredulous, Daniel had been known to stretch the truth a time or two. The pieces of the puzzle fit and we all realized he was not lying.

Today is the King's 75th birthday so happy birthday Elvis; your fans still miss you. 32 years later and his popularity has not diminished.

stay tuned