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

[hwyman3]

SOMAR does not give away is product for free. It collects from advertisers who pay for the information being distributed. Even though the other businesses that could claim to be essential services charge directly for their services, they are still just as dependant on power as SOMAR. Without gas stations, how could utilites restore power to the community or how would emergency providers such as police, fire and EMS be able to respond to those that require their services. Not every fire station in Southern Maryland has it's own refueling capabilities, thus relying on commercial gasoline stations the same as you and I. Furthermore, without operating fuel stations, how would SOMAR be able to keep their generator running? After Isabel, when they discussed the government providing a generator for SOMAR, it was suggested that a portable unit be purchased taht the county could drop off at the studios. If it is a portable unit, it cannot be piped into the LP Gas line, so it would require gasoline.

 

[T.Rally]

Originally posted by hwyman3
SOMAR does not give away is product for free. It collects from advertisers who pay for the information being distributed. Even though the other businesses that could claim to be essential services charge directly for their services, they are still just as dependant on power as SOMAR. Without gas stations, how could utilites restore power to the community or how would emergency providers such as police, fire and EMS be able to respond to those that require their services. Not every fire station in Southern Maryland has it's own refueling capabilities, thus relying on commercial gasoline stations the same as you and I. Furthermore, without operating fuel stations, how would SOMAR be able to keep their generator running? After Isabel, when they discussed the government providing a generator for SOMAR, it was suggested that a portable unit be purchased taht the county could drop off at the studios. If it is a portable unit, it cannot be piped into the LP Gas line, so it would require gasoline.

If I am a private business, no matter what type, and I am mandated to provide some type of public service, whoever is doing the mandating is going to pay for it, period. Do you not agree? Do you think the government should be able to enforce their will upon anyone they choose?

 

[hwyman3]

The government is not forcing it's will on SOMAR. SOMAR agreed to provide this service when they received their license. If SOMAR does not wish to provide this service, I'm sure the FCC can find someone else who can. It is not the government's responsibility to keep SOMAR broadcasting. If SOMAR's transmitter broke, it that the government's responsibility to repair? Does the government pay SOMAR's electric bill? No, so where is it the government's responsibility to keep SOMAR broadcasting?

From a business standpoint, it would make sense to keep your business running as long as possible. When they cannot broadcast, they cannot run advertisements. Without advertisements, they do not earn money. Therefore, wouldn't you agree it is in SOMAR's best interest to assure they can continue to broadcast even if they have lost power to their studios and/or transmitter sites? Many of the stations in teh Washington, DC market have their own backup generators and even backup transmitters for just that reason. They were not bought by the government, they were bought by station owners who wanted to make sure their stations can broadcast even during a disaster.

 

[Dymphna]

Why does communication have to hinge on that one set of radio stations? In the event, that station is down why can't the county call 104.1 or 98.7 or any and all of the DC stations that have signals strong enough to reach us?

The Mechanicsville stations are not the only source of communication. It's not like we live at the end of the earth, even if some people would like to think so.

 

[Tonio]

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.

That was my point, too.

 

[T.Rally]

Originally posted by hwyman3
The government is not forcing it's will on SOMAR. SOMAR agreed to provide this service when they received their license.

They agreed to stay on the air if the power goes out? I find that hard to believe.

Originally posted by hwyman3
If SOMAR does not wish to provide this service, I'm sure the FCC can find someone else who can. It is not the government's responsibility to keep SOMAR broadcasting.

If they wish to use their resources during any emergency, than yes it is.

Originally posted by hwyman3
From a business standpoint, it would make sense to keep your business running as long as possible. When they cannot broadcast, they cannot run advertisements. Without advertisements, they do not earn money. Therefore, wouldn't you agree it is in SOMAR's best interest to assure they can continue to broadcast even if they have lost power to their studios and/or transmitter sites?

I would say yes off the top of my head but I don't know how insurance would work in that situation or if you can collect from FEMA for lost revenue.

Originally posted by hwyman3
Many of the stations in teh Washington, DC market have their own backup generators and even backup transmitters for just that reason. They were not bought by the government, they were bought by station owners who wanted to make sure their stations can broadcast even during a disaster.

Apples and oranges. You are comparing large market with small market. Besides that, its unprovable.

There are just too many variables here. Are you saying that under no circumstances the goverment should ever subsidize the purchase of a generator? I have to disagree, under some but not all it is justifiable. I'm out.

 

[hwyman3]

It all boils down to this, if the government provided an emergency generator to a private, for-profit business (SOMAR Communications), just think of all the other busniesses that would jump into that line. I don't blame SOMAR for trying. Hey if I could get someone to buy me a $25,000 generator (price quoted by T-Bone and Heather on thier program after Isabel), I would do it too. The only real question you have to answer is who is responsible for keeping those radio stations on the air? Since I don't believe the electric bill is delivered to the government, I would say SOMAR has the responsibility to keep the station on the air. As was stated in this thread beofre, I have no problem with the government giving SOMAR a loan to purchase the generator, but a government provided generator is not an appropriate use of taxpayer money.

 

[justin anemone]

Originally posted by T.Rally
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?

EXACTLY!!!

The government gave the airwaves to stations for free many years ago. It's their responsibility to do what they can to provide for the public safety and welfare. They have very big maracas to ask for donations for a service they OWE us in return for their free use of the airwaves.

 

[mondoman]

WHAT IF

Since the emergency services for the State and County have emergency backup power ? Could they offer the same emergency broadcasting in the event of a disaster, on a available AM/FM frequency?

 

[SurfaceTension]

IIRC, I believe 104 (et. al) remained on the air.....If they did not broadcast enough information for our region (though they probably would if supplied/encouraged) then our emergency services could even go so far as to purchase airtime on a limited basis. Reward those that have the wherewithall to operate a reliable business. It would likely still be a lot cheaper than $25k.

Certainly us SOMD'ers have the ability to change the radio dial if one station is inoperative, don't we? We might even like what we find better than what's programmed into our old button pre-sets.

 

[hwyman3]

Re: WHAT IF

Originally posted by mondoman
Since the emergency services for the State and County have emergency backup power ? Could they offer the same emergency broadcasting in the event of a disaster, on a available AM/FM frequency?

They would not be able to do that. For one thing, being close to 2 large markets (Washington and Baltimore) there realy isn't any available frequencies available for use.

 

[mondoman]

My 2 cents worth

The taxpayers do not need to expend our dollars for a private business's benefit.

Also, they might need more than one generator, one for their studio/admin bldg, their tranmitter site/towers are powered by electric, how many of these sites need a generator along with an annual service contract, repairs and fuel for each generator. Generators should exercised weekly and the transfer switch exercised monthly.




OR MAYBE THESE FOLKS CAN BUY THE GENERATORS

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
Emergency Alert and Notification System


Warning sirens are strategically located within a 10-mile radius of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. If you should hear one of these sirens sounding you are instructed to tune to one of the local Emergency Alert and Notification System (EAS) radio stations for information and instructions.



Periodic siren tests are performed on the following schedule:



1. Full Cycle Audible Test -- The first Monday of every November at 12:00 noon. (3-5 minute blast)

2. Growl Test -- The second full week of February, May, August and November. Each siren tested individually. (1 minute blast)

3. Silent Test -- Every Monday evening. (No audible sound)




Local EAS Radio Stations

· Western Shore
WWZZ 104.1 FM Waldorf
WKIK 102.9 FM California
WKIK 1560 AM La Plata
WMDM 97.7 FM Lexington Park
WPTX 1690 AM Lexington Park
WSMD 98.3 FM Mechanicsville


· Eastern Shore

WCEI 1460 AM Easton
WCEI 96.7 FM Easton
WCEM 1240 AM Cambridge
WCEM 106.3 FM Cambridge


This would be definately be categorized as a EMERGENCY situation.



There is an ample supply of possible solutions....people need to get all the facts, put together a committee that has input from the Taxpayers, State and Tri County Emergency Services, FCC, SMECO, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, NavAir and whoever else that needs to be involved and put this IMPORTANT issue to rest.

IMHO....just my 2 cents worth

 

[justin anemone]

It's not like their local coverage is all that good anyhow.
Just TRY to get some local information during snowstorms, etc.

 

[James White]

Whatever if anything happened with this issue ??

 

[RoseRed]

Probably nothing until the next catastrophe. :shrug:

 

[willie]

Who cares? They don't provide any community service anyway. Local news is sparse and at least a day late. The recorded morning news is also the afternoon recorded news and one day last week it was the next days recorded news. If any traffic problems occur, they don't seem to know about them. SOMD is a better source of info, like bridge closings

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by willie
Local news is sparse and at least a day late. The recorded morning news is also the afternoon recorded news and one day last week it was the next days recorded news.

Yep, it seems like all they do is "rip 'n' read" from the local papers.

 

[Aimhigh2000]

buy it themselves

Let him buy his own. I mean, these are stations that only have live DJ's like in the morning, and they broadcast the same news cast the entire day! And it is usually the same story! Like nothing else happens in the tri-county area. He has the money, let him get his own generator. And maybe some real DJ's, and......oh let me stop.

 

[Aimhigh2000]

and one more thing......

And a larger part of the problem is the fact that in somd, we continue to do business as usual. We don't plan smart growth, we elect officials with good ole county names and it seems like all they want is to put money in the county pockets and their own. Let them take a clue from DC, Baltimore, Boston, Seattle.........there is real life beyond the county lines.....I have seen it....I have proof!

 

[hwyman3]

The biggest problem is that of the 7 radio stations licensed to Southern Maryland, 5 are owned by the same company (Somar). 92.7 moved their transmitter closer to DC and tried to rimshot into Washington as a Spanish station and there is a new Low Power FM just licensed to Prince Frederick. Good luck picking that up in Lexington Park, Waldorf or La Plata. Somar has no competiton. Now if running 5 radio stations has Somar so strapped, then maybe they should divest some of there licenses then they could afford to make 1 or 2 stations a good resource for Southern Maryland.