Microbroadcasting vs. traditional radio stations: both serve a very different purpose, but both are equally important to the community.
Microbroadcasting and a traditional radio station – spot the difference. Well, the chances are that if you’re located within 3 miles of the microbroadcasting station, there might not be much of a difference, but if you’re a bit further away then only station you can probably hear is traditional.
So what are the differences between microbroadcasting and traditional radio stations, and which is best? Well, in the words of a popular TV comedian, “there’s only one way to find out – FIGHT”.
Microbroadcasting vs. Traditional Radio Station
Basically, although a radio station is a radio station is a radio station, they all serve very different purposes for many different people. Traditional radio stations are great aren’t they, we’ve all grown up with them, listening to the latest ‘Top 20’ chart toppers, taping them on our old cassette players (oops, that’s given the game away – illegal downloading alert) or switching on the local radio station to check out the weekend weather report or the traffic jams to be expected on the drive to work.
Microbroadcasting would really like to go one step further, but very often its path is blocked by the FCC. Microbroadcasting is, by design and necessity, only able to broadcast for about a 3 mile radius, so if you want real ‘local’ information, you can’t get much more local than that can you? Local musicians (yes, from your very own neighborhood) can thrive on these stations, often using them as a stepping stone to international stardom, but there’s a problem. The licensing laws of the FCC have driven many of these microbroadcasting stations underground, as they have to broadcast illegally. Whilst many of them would be happy to ‘legalize’ the situation if possible, they are just not given the opportunity to do so. The license fees are inhibiting, for a start.
There is a great movement towards trying to make these smalltime but much loved pirate radio stations legal, and hopefully sometime soon the whole thing will be resolved – but don’t hold your breath.