Week Five 2/2-2/6

Shake 108 FM: New Non-Profit, Local Radio Station Launches in Miami

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2014/09/shake-108_fm_radio_station_miami_2014.php

Shake 108 FM: New Non-Profit, Local Radio Station Launches in Miami. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2015, from http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2014/09/shake-108_fm_radio_station_miami_2014.php

In this article it talks about a 44 year old man who wanted to start up his own radio station. He talked about how "When I first looked into opening my own station, I found that it's pretty much impossible,"  Stebbins remembers. "You need about $20 million to start a Y100. I didn't have $20 million." Stebbins looked into alternative ways to start up his radio station but everything seemed impossible. "Then Congress passed the 2010 Local Community Radio Act to give small-time radio operators a chance against the Clear Channels and Cox Radios of the world. " After his opportunity came around Stebbins took advantage of it and created shake 108 FM. 

"So I started to think about becoming a pirate [radio operator]. And then I thought about opening a station in Bimini -- they get our signals, so I thought maybe I could open there. But it turns out I would have to build a really tall antenna."

I think it's crazy to think how to start a radio station it seems impossible to an ordinary person. Then again with all the new technologies and competition you need to know the best to be the best. There's a lot of production and distribution involved to put together a whole radio station. Not everyone gets a special chance to build up there own radio station if they just feel like it. That's why its was a good idea to have a law passed in 2010 called the Local Community Radio Act. It gives small time radio operators a chance against the big popular companies. That way getting there voice out there can open doors full of new opportunities for people.