http://www.part15.us/node/2517#comment-10024
In my experience and opinion, there are huge opportunities in partnering with an existing EO and getting that group excited about LPFM - much easier than starting a new EO. In a previous job I researched the number and range of EOs in a medium sized city. This city had over 500 EOs over and above churches, local chapters of national groups and similar types of EOs. Of those 500, 250 were general enough in purpose to apply for an LPFM.
SCWIS, your advice is, of course, correct. One might be able to sway an existing org to become an LPFM applicant. It happens and can work.
But it can also not work, at one's own peril.
In the 70s a local college granted me audience at the time a high school had vacated an FM frequency, and I proposed applying for the license, and of course hoped I would be the leader. Well, the 2nd ranking man in power said, "I don't like music," and for some reason the fact that he didn't like music ruled out having a music station, and another member said, "We don't want to compete with the NPR station," which had the effect of disposing any notion of talk radio. The result: nothing.
In another situation I proposed supplying programming to a non-commercial station under contract to help them through budgetary difficulty, and a board member phoned me at home and said, "Thanks for telling us how to do it, but we may not need you."
Failed philanthropy.
If philanthropy means giving for the benefit of others, it looks like you did good 🙂
Let me offer first, it is never a good practice "to spill your candy in the lobby." That is an age old sales term. In other words, don't tell anyone what you can do for them until you help them clearly identify their need for what you have. Then, ask if you can help. Before you make a presentation, ask lots of questions. If an organization and its leadership doesn't see the need for your services, you were never in the loop. You didn't ask enough questions or the right questions.
I would strongly suggest to all, read the book, "Tribes" by Seth Godin. Its a short read and it differentiates between managers and leaders. The Internet has changed the way organizations work. Social media has made that point stick. Their are no more kingdoms and monarchies in the world except for the very rich (Saudis). NPO's and EO's are not the very rich, at least not in this economy.
I would suggest before you indict the entirety of humankind to the ash heap, please consider getting on the other side and do a needs analysis of the organization and the leadership's biases before jumping off the pier of perception. Do your homework. Carpenters are known to say measure twice, cut once.
And finally, those who give up too quickly never reap the benefits of their own passions and talents. Hang in there. Keep trying to reach your goal. I recommend not finishing life with the regret of not trying something, just one more time. Edison tried to invent the incandescent light bulb hundreds of times until the last try, that worked. Aren't you glad he didn't quit?
Marshall, you have scared the silliness in me be conjuring the "pier of perception." I can't swim!
And, SCWIS, my philanthropy does continue despite any past road bumps by prompting people to build personal radio stations, at least one per block, so we may control our media life.
I've shared my "wordly tales" to caution those today who might undertake similar proposals, which Marshall suggested, that could result in a way other than expected.
Also, going back to the college which took no action, that is an example of a committee that really didn't grasp what was been suggested to them.
The other guy, the board member who thanked me for telling them what to do, he was unemployed at the time, which he didn't know I knew. Oh, and that station sold for 1-million dollars, but they could have gotten 16-million.
The lesson for everybody is, keep pressing toward your idea.