The competition for a new low power FM (LPFM) radio license in San Francisco is even tougher than I thought. Earlier this week I took a look at the 15 applicants who are seeking LPFM licenses in San Francisco proper.
It turns out, if one looks outside the city, there are additional applications for the same frequencies, meaning that some LPFM seekers just outside of San Francisco are in competition with applicants in the city. Thanks to REC Networks for breaking down the mutually exclusive (MX) groups so that we can take a closer look at who is competing for the same channels.
See my post earlier this week for a more in-depth look at the San Francisco applicants, including the applicants for 90.9 FM and 102.5 FM, which have no competition from outside the city. To recap, Noisebridge in San Francisco applied for 90.9 FM and San Francisco applicants San Francisco Community Radio, SF Indiefest, San Francisco Hispanic Community Radio, The San Francisco Public Press, Independent Arts & Media, Outsound, CounterPULSE, and LYRIC are applying for 102.5 FM.
Here’s a quick look at the competition in San Francisco and immediate environs:
93.7 FM:
In competition with San Francisco-based Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) and World Peace Through Technology Organization is the Clifford Brown Jazz Foundation, requesting a frequency in Berkeley. According to its application, “In 2010 CBJF’s mission was expanded to include teaching youth and young adults recording and broadcast studio skills, news gathering and presentation, as well as announcing. The low power FM would aid the instruction of both prongs of our mission, Jazz and Education, while providing the immediate community with local news and music services.”
96.1 FM:
In addition to three San Francisco applicants (California Institute of Integral Studies, New Beginnings Immigration Services, and M&M Community Development, Inc – San Francisco Branch), six other applicants outside the city are vying for 96.1 FM. They are:
Alameda Community Radio (which already runs an online station) in Alameda, CA. According to its website, “Alameda Community Radio is a non-profit, listener-sponsored, grass-roots radio station currently offering locally-produced programs on the Internet. As an alternative to current media that targets the broader Bay Area audience ACR’s goal is to entertain and engage our listeners while providing broadcast access for Alameda.”
Alameda Unified School District is proposing a LPFM station at Encinal High School in Alameda “for the purpose of creating a high school radio station. The radio station will provide both service learning and Career Technical Education for students through a radio journalism course,” according to its application.
South San Francisco Hispanic Community Radio is applying for a LPFM license in order to create a new station at the Airport Church of Christ in South San Francisco. As with the similarly named San Francisco Hispanic Community Radio, this non-profit was formed in Texas last month by Antonio Cesar Guel of Hispanic Christian Community Network.
Poor Magazine is applying for a LPFM license and intends to “provide media access, education, art, and community to poor people and people of color struggling with poverty.” Its proposed studio location is in Oakland at the magazine’s Homefulness Project’s headquarters. The Homefulness project is a “permanent co-housing, micro-business, education, arts, and social change projects for landless/homeless and formerly homeless families and individuals,” according to Poor Magazine’s application.
East Bay Oriental Radio, Inc. in Oakland, CA is a new non-profit formed in October, 2013 and it proposes a low power FM station at 2042 International Blvd. in Oakland that will promote “the interests and needs of the Chinese language population in Oakland.” Its proposed program schedule mirrors a similar application from Millbrae Radio (below) and it also lists an additional corporate office in San Mateo (the same address is listed on the Millbrae Radio application).
Millbrae Radio Inc. in Millbrae, CA just filed its non-profit paperwork a few weeks ago and is proposing a station in South San Francisco at 988 Sandra Court, #1 with basically the same mission and proposed programming as East Bay Oriental Radio.
96.9 FM:
In addition to Sound of Hope Radio Network, which is applying for a license in San Francisco, there are 5 other applicants in the East Bay:
Peralta Community College District is applying for a LPFM station in Oakland in order to “transform its Internet radio station [at Laney College] to a FM broadcast station…” Laney College’s Internet radio station 9th Floor Radio was founded in 2006.
Prentiss Woods applied for a LPFM station in Oakland, but did not indicate a non-profit organization that the application was intended for, so it’s likely that this application will get thrown out. The application doesn’t provide any supporting information, but states, “MORE Public Radio has been serving the community of Oakland California…for more than 10 years. Our educational programming and services are requested in communities that are not being served.” It’s likely that the intended non-profit is MORE Public Radio, which runs Jazz Beat Radio.
Causa Justa :: Just Cause is proposing a LPFM station in Oakland. The non-profit works with low income residents in order to help educate about “issues of social, racial, and economic justice.” According to its application, “…the station will address issues of economics, culture, education, and social issues…” and will “develop a training program for community members…” The new station plans to air music, public forums, town hall meetings, and community-produced programming.
Golden Gate Society for Coatings Technology is applying for a LPFM license in Oakland. One of the more intriguing applicants to me, this group is focused on the field of “protective coatings engineering” and it hopes to build a radio station that will broadcast “public affairs, news, free speech discussions, music, the arts, as well as technical discussions, lectures and symposiums with coatings technology as well as other science issues at their heart.”
Calvary Chapel of Hayward, Inc. is proposing a new LPFM station at 1244 B Street in Hayward. A familiar name in radio, Calvary Chapel owns radio stations all over the country under the auspices of its local churches. Additionally, around 53 Calvary Chapel groups submitted LPFM applications in this 2013 filing window. One of the Hayward Board Members, Matt Tuter is party to AM radio applications in Lovelock, Nevada and Alturas, California.
