Should the county buy 98 Star/WMDM/WKIK a generator?

[Tonio]

Originally posted by cmcdanal
And I'm guessing I missed a news article or something, but what prompted this thread, I assume someone made this to the county as a serious proposal?

Read yesterday's Enterprise. The idea of buying the Robertson stations a generator has been in discussion since after Isabel. I can't remember if they proposed it or if the commissioners proposed it. I think both agree that a generator is needed, the question is, who will pay for it.

 

[vraiblonde]

If they do that, I'm going to the Commissioners with my hand out, too. Keep me posted, please - we could use some money for stuff.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
If they do that, I'm going to the Commissioners with my hand out, too. Keep me posted, please - we could use some money for stuff.

"Oh, please, buy SOMD.com a new 5000GB Apache server with an SSL certificate and new domain names!"

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by Tonio
"Oh, please, buy SOMD.com a new 5000GB Apache server with an SSL certificate and new domain names!"

Yeah man!

 

[Christy]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
If they do that, I'm going to the Commissioners with my hand out, too. Keep me posted, please - we could use some money for stuff.

Hey, that's not a bad idea! I'd rather somd.com be up and ready to go in any disaster rather than the radio station.

#1 You hear about important news in the county within split seconds on here after it happens.

#2, Somd.com is MUCH more entertaining.

Take for instance the shooting of the school bus the other day. The radio station does one single news cast that repeats over and over and over and over. On here, it was out there for the community to see almost immediately.

Okay, my new mission in life is to put some heat on the commissioners, for somd.com upgrades. While I'm at it, I'm requesting all somd users be permitted a HUGE tax write-off for purchasing generators. WE MUST STAY INFORMED!!!!!!!

Can I hear an AMEN?

 

[willie]

Originally posted by Christy
Hey, that's not a bad idea! I'd rather somd.com be up and ready to go in any disaster rather than the radio station.

#1 You hear about important news in the county within split seconds on here after it happens.

#2, Somd.com is MUCH more entertaining.

Take for instance the shooting of the school bus the other day. The radio station does one single news cast that repeats over and over and over and over. On here, it was out there for the community to see almost immediately.

Okay, my new mission in life is to put some heat on the commissioners, for somd.com upgrades. While I'm at it, I'm requesting all somd users be permitted a HUGE tax write-off for purchasing generators. WE MUST STAY INFORMED!!!!!!!

Can I hear an AMEN?

They (WMDM/WKIK) do not do even a mediocre job of community service as the Huntingtown shooting demonstrates.

 

[libragirl]

yes they need one so how do we get them one?

 

[Kizzy]

Originally posted by libragirl
yes they need one so how do we get them one?

<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_4_41.gif' border=0></a>

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by libragirl
yes they need one so how do we get them one?

You realize they're a privately owned business, right? If taxpayers give them a generator, what should they have to give me for MY privately owned business?

 

[Dymphna]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
You realize they're a privately owned business, right? If taxpayers give them a generator, what should they have to give me for MY privately owned business?

Yes, If they get one, you should. Goodness knows, the forums have more up to date info than the radio stations do.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by libragirl
yes they need one so how do we get them one?

Well, they could simply go out and expend some of their profits to buy it themselves, like any other business would do. They could hold events to raise funds like a dance or block party, if I'm not mistaken they are DJs and this should be well within their collective abilities. They could even contact one of the many groups or performers whose music they play to come down here to the sticks and do a show, concert, or something of that nature to raise the necessary funds. The means are endless as to how they could pull it off. The idea of providing them a free system via our tax dollars is ludicrous, besides wouldn’t that tax money be better spent feeding the poor or getting everyone health coverage?

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by Ken King
besides wouldn’t that tax money be better spent feeding the poor or getting everyone health coverage?

 

[BuddyLee]

i say

i say we turn it into a rock station!!!

 

[Pete]

Originally posted by libragirl
yes they need one so how do we get them one?

I am amazed at how free you are with everyone elses money.

 

[Christy]

Originally posted by David
Can someone tell me where you saw this story? If you have a hardcopy and want some browny points, please fax it to 240-384-0724.

David, I didn't actually read the story, I did hear T-Bone and Heather discussing it on the radio show after the hurricane, when everyone was calling up wondering WTF was up with the dead air they heard when they tried to tune into the station.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by David
Can someone tell me where you saw this story? If you have a hardcopy and want some browny points, please fax it to 240-384-0724.

David,

Reading Tonio's comment he posted on 8 January

Read yesterday's Enterprise. The idea of buying the Robertson stations a generator has been in discussion since after Isabel. I can't remember if they proposed it or if the commissioners proposed it. I think both agree that a generator is needed, the question is, who will pay for it.

, sounds to me like you are looking for a 7 January copy of the Emptyprise. Sorry, but I gave up on them years ago.

 

[Nitrospeed16]

Re: i say

Originally posted by BuddyLee
i say we turn it into a rock station!!!

Bah...I say we keep it as it is and turn 98.7 and 93.3 into rock stations, or even classical or polka music stations. The new country music songs are just horrible..and that's all they play. Not to mention 93.3's Sunday coverage of NASCAR. WKIK 102.9 is the only country station that plays good country music.

 

[T.Rally]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
You realize they're a privately owned business, right? If taxpayers give them a generator, what should they have to give me for MY privately owned business?

If the county came to you and said "Look we're taking a lot of heat for not being able to get our emergency information out during Hurricane Isabel. We have devised an emergency preparedness plan that utilizes your resources, which means we need you to be able to broadcast our information even if there is no power. We don't care that there hasn't been a significant power outage other than this in the last twenty years, go buy a generator."

I'm sure you would rush right out and buy one, wouldn't you?

 

[hwyman3]

Here is the difference, SOMAR communications has a license from the FCC to use the public airwaves to broadcast their signal. Part of teh agreement they made to receive their licenses is that they broadcast in the public interest. This means in a disaster situation in their market, i.e., Hurricane Isabele, the La Plata Tornado, etc., they are to be a source of information to the community. When they received their license, did the government give them a studio? Did the government give them a transmitter? No, but these are necessary to broadcast over the air. Why then should the government be responsible to give them a generator? If SOMAR receives a generator, then other essential services should also receive free generators. By other services I mean gas stations, grocery stores, Pharmacies even hardware stores. If the government ends up giving SOMAR a generator, It will set a very dangerous precident and almost any business could argue they need one also.

 

[T.Rally]

Originally posted by hwyman3
Here is the difference, SOMAR communications has a license from the FCC to use the public airwaves to broadcast their signal. Part of teh agreement they made to receive their licenses is that they broadcast in the public interest. This means in a disaster situation in their market, i.e., Hurricane Isabele, the La Plata Tornado, etc., they are to be a source of information to the community. When they received their license, did the government give them a studio? Did the government give them a transmitter? No, but these are necessary to broadcast over the air. Why then should the government be responsible to give them a generator? If SOMAR receives a generator, then other essential services should also receive free generators. By other services I mean gas stations, grocery stores, Pharmacies even hardware stores. If the government ends up giving SOMAR a generator, It will set a very dangerous precident and almost any business could argue they need one also.

The other essential services you mention don't give away their products for free during a time of crisis. I don't see how they could make a case for being given a generator.

If I were SOMAR, my arguement would be power outages don't occur enough often enough to warrant me buying a generator. I'll broadcast your messages for free as per the FCC agreement, but if the power goes out that's on you. Besides, I'm going to petition FEMA for lost revenue while the power was out.

None of us know enough about the situation to make a logical decision one way or another. I think in certain situations it would be justified.