Freethought & Rationalism Archive

SynchroKnight · 09-15-2002, 09:43 AM

It appears some smaller NPR stations are being pushed off the air by christian radio stations.

<a href="http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/4076159.htm" target="_blank">details here.</a>

Quote:

This is happening nationwide. The losers are so-called translator stations, low budget operations that retransmit the signals of bigger, distant stations. The Federal Communications Commission considers them squatters, and anyone granted a full-power license can run them out of town.

The article goes on to say that public stations usually carry more local news and programing than their christian counterparts. Now some public stations are in bidding wars that reduce their local programming budget.

Has anyone here lost their public radio station to these tactics?

What are your thoughts on the future of NPR?

Zimyatin · 09-15-2002, 10:11 AM

I for one love NPR - althought I don't listen everyday. If it came to the point that only right-wing christan stations filled the airwaves it would definitely be time to pull out my razor blades. But I don't think NPR is going anywhere.

Ab_Normal · 09-16-2002, 08:40 AM

And still some Xians will complain that they can't get a voice in the media. Sigh.

crazyfingers · 09-16-2002, 10:47 AM

I can't say that I know much about the spread of NPR except that I travel quite bit for business and that I'm usually successful finding an NPR station wherever I am. Given that I'm an NPR addict and that all 5 radios in the house are only tuned to 90.9FM, I've very happy about that.

I have heard something about NPR having a westward push going on. To me that implied that they are expanding. I hope so. It's the only decent news on the air (radio or TV)

HelenM · 09-16-2002, 11:23 AM

I read this on Christianity Today's site today, on this topic:

Quote:

In Lake Charles, Louisiana, American Family Radio replaced two NPR stations on the radio dial last year. "Religious broadcasters have done this to public radio stations in Oregon and Indiana, too," writer Blaine Harden says, "and many large-market public radio stations, like WBEZ in Chicago, complain that new noncommercial stations, most of them religious, are stepping on the signal at the edge of their transmission areas."

[...]

NPR admits that it was caught off-guard in the battle for frequencies. Said Dana Davis Rehm, vice president for member and program services at NPR in Washington: "[Christian broadcasters] have employed a long-term strategy, where we have failed to do that."

<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/136/12.0.html" target="_blank">quotes are from this page</a>

I don't listen to NPR much although I've heard good things on there when I have. I agree that it has the best news of the radio stations I can receive.

Helen

Corwin · 09-16-2002, 11:31 AM

I just have to wonder how 'non-profit' religious organizations can afford to do this.... curious, no?

simian · 09-16-2002, 11:57 AM

And I thought I was just being paranoid a decade ago when a Christian station was close to an NPR station on the radio dial (0.2 MHz off, if I remember correctly), and the Christian station tended to override the NPR signal where I was.....

Simain

GaryP · 09-16-2002, 01:56 PM

I read someplace a few years ago that the %tage of christian stations in the US was around 14%.

It could be even a little higher if this keeps up.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

09-15-2002, 10:11 AM	#2
Zimyatin Regular Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 308	I for one love NPR - althought I don't listen everyday. If it came to the point that only right-wing christan stations filled the airwaves it would definitely be time to pull out my razor blades. But I don't think NPR is going anywhere.

09-16-2002, 08:40 AM	#3
Ab_Normal Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,842	And still some Xians will complain that they can't get a voice in the media. Sigh.

09-16-2002, 10:47 AM	#4
crazyfingers Contributor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 13,699	I can't say that I know much about the spread of NPR except that I travel quite bit for business and that I'm usually successful finding an NPR station wherever I am. Given that I'm an NPR addict and that all 5 radios in the house are only tuned to 90.9FM, I've very happy about that. I have heard something about NPR having a westward push going on. To me that implied that they are expanding. I hope so. It's the only decent news on the air (radio or TV)

09-16-2002, 11:31 AM	#6
Corwin Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 4,369	I just have to wonder how 'non-profit' religious organizations can afford to do this.... curious, no?

09-16-2002, 11:57 AM	#7
simian Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO area Posts: 1,924	And I thought I was just being paranoid a decade ago when a Christian station was close to an NPR station on the radio dial (0.2 MHz off, if I remember correctly), and the Christian station tended to override the NPR signal where I was..... Simain

09-16-2002, 01:56 PM	#8
GaryP Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lancaster, OH Posts: 1,792	I read someplace a few years ago that the %tage of christian stations in the US was around 14%. It could be even a little higher if this keeps up.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.