>Hi, I was just wondering if I could get some thoughts on the matter of
 >private shortwave station cash flow.  Quite a few private stations seem
 >to be up for sale these days, even some operated by religious orgs. that
 >take on apparently pre-paid programming.
 >
 >Is it proper to conclude that the provable shortwave listener base
 >(whether as a public to do public service to, or as a viable commercial
 >market), isn't big enough to support positive cash flow through station
 >operations?
 >
 >Anybody have any other explanations or theories?
Well, I can't quote facts and figures, but there's hardly an issue of 
MONITORING TIMES magazine that comes to my mailbox that doesn't mention 
somewhere the budget problems of shortwave stations. And they also mention 
quite frequently the lack of growth in the SWL community. Considering the 
fact the there ARE so many stations up for sale, I'd say operating a 
shortwave broadcasting station is a money-losing proposition. (I'd still love 
to do it, though!) B-)
I can offer no theories as to why this is happening. It's too easy to blame 
it on the internet, and quite frankly, I don't think that's the problem. 
Considereing a person needs several hundred dollars to buy a computer, and 
then has to pay a monthly acces fee to get on the net, and a good SW portable 
can be had for less that 50 bucks, it's a whole lot easier to get into SWLing 
than it is net surfing. I think maybe the problem lies with the fact that 
shortwave just doesn't get enough publicity. I'm 37 years old, and I still 
meet folks that're a good bit older than me that have never even HEARD of 
shortwave. Or if I mention shortave radio, they automatically think "CB." 
Perhaps if radio manufacturers would start advertising their wares the way 
internet providers do, emphasizing that you can "...explore the world.." on 
less than a hundred bucks, it could get the hobby jump started again.
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