Diane Levesque wrote in a message to All:
DL> Hi, I was just wondering if I could get some thoughts on the
DL> matter of private shortwave station cash flow.  Quite a few
DL> private stations seem to be up for sale these days, even
DL> some operated by religious orgs. that take on apparently
DL> pre-paid programming.
DL> Is it proper to conclude that the provable shortwave
DL> listener base (whether as a public to do public service to,
DL> or as a viable commercial market), isn't big enough to
DL> support positive cash flow through station operations?
DL> Anybody have any other explanations or theories?
   How about that Shortwave stations traditionally carry no advertising?
   Consequently, they have to be financed by other means - usually by
   governments as a P.R./Propaganda move.
   I don't know that advertising would be illegal, but most SW listeners
   would just move on once they heard commercials.  If your prospective
   advertisers knew this, there would go your market, huh?  In fact, since
   "religious" stations are really just informercials, ostensibly on God,
   but in actuality on supporting the likes of Tammy Lee's hairdressers,
   that's probably why a lot of them are biting it - they're just not
   pulling in enough donations.
   Summary:  There's no money in shortwave.  A cable station would be a
   much better bet....
cul, ps
--- timEd-B10
1:354/910.1)
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