WOU Radio Station

A non profit student

radio system

The Idea
A low cost student ran radio station
Streaming web simulcast

Scenario one

Build an AM radio station on campus

Pros
Would be able to reach the community
and students.
Lower cost than a full fledge FM station.
Provides students with valuable training.

Cons
Expensive to build
Licensure proved costly
High voltage safety concerns
RF hazard makes antenna location
difficult.
Height of antenna makes construction
difficult.

Scenario Two

Build a low power FM radio Station on

campus.

Pros
Would be able to reach the community and
students.
Lower cost than a full fledge FM station.
Lower cost than a full fledge AM station.
Antenna smaller with lower RF.
No high Voltage
Provides students with valuable training.
No licensing --- just royalties

What the FCC thinks

Low Power FM Broadcast Radio Stations

This page contains information about the Low Power FM (LPFM) radio service, which was
created by the Commission in January 2000. These stations are authorized for noncommercial
educational broadcasting only (no commercial operation) and operate with an effective
radiated power (ERP) of 100 watts (0.1 kilowatts) or less, with maximum facilities of 100 watts
ERP at 30 meters (100 feet) antenna height above average terrain (HAAT). The approximate
service range of a 100 watt LPFM station is 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles radius). LPFM stations are
not protected from interference that may be received from other classes of FM stations. A
construction permit is required before a LPFM station can be constructed or operated.
LPFM stations are available to noncommercial educational entities and public safety and
transportation organizations, but are not available to individuals or for commercial operations.
Current broadcast licensees with interests in other media (broadcast or newspapers) are not
eligible to obtain LPFM stations.
LPFM stations must protect authorized radio broadcast stations on the same channel or
frequency (cochannel), as well as broadcast stations on first, second, or third-adjacent channels
above or below the LPFM station's frequency. This protection is accomplished through the use
of minimum distance separation requirements, which are set forth in 47 CFR 73.807 [PDF].

Cons

Lower output wattage ~ travels under 10

miles.

LPFM radio station

What is in it

50 watt FM Stereo Transmitter

Integrated CD Player
Integrated Cassette Player
Built In Audio Mixer
Professional Microphone and Cables
Omni directional 3.4db Gain Antenna and Coax
Installed and prewired in a high impact road
case!
Dedicated media server for simulcast.

Why not LPFM?

The FCC is currently not taking

applications for LPFM radio licensing.

Why Streaming Web cast?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Unlimited listening audience

No FCC Licensing or involvement.
There are more than 12,000 radio stations online; it is
the future of broadcast.
U of O, OSU, PSU, SOU, EOU, all have a radio
station presence.
All of the equipment can be used in a full fledged
radio station in the future.
Excellent training opportunity for students who are
interested in radio broadcasting.

What do students think about a

WOU internet radio station?

Out of approximately 150 students polled in a

recent survey:

86% Listen to the radio 1-10hrs a day and another 2% listen even more.
Over a third of the students could see themselves listening to a WOU internet
station.
A small number of students expressed interest in hosting their own radio show.
When asked if they would prefer a mix or different music in timeslots. WOU
students were split right down the middle.
Most students would like to hear WOU sporting events online.
Most students also said they would be more likely to attend campus events if
they heard them on the web cast.

Webcast system needs

Computers:

3- CPUs64 Bit Bus 3.46 GHz with 2 GB RAM

PCI express slot
17 Monitors
Windows server 2003
500 GB Hard drives
CD/DVD RWs
PYRO1394b PCI Firewire 800 card
Primary Computer has these differences:

1@ Audio Science ASI6544 professional PCI sound card (See Slide)

1@ External 250GB Hard Drive USB

DSL Internet connection

A direct IP connection.

Webcast system needs

Software:

Adobe Audition 3 Broadcast creation tool

Simian 1.8 Professional Radio Automation Software
Natural Log Professional Reporting Software
Natural Music Scheduling Software
Natural Grid Log Builder

Webcast Hardware needs

Broadcast:

360 Systems Instant Replay audio clip player

Adds Ethernet networking that lets you

control internet and email technology
for on-the-fly updates to your stored
sound clip library. Audio clips can be
transferred to and from a PC with
point-and-click ease. Last-minute
additions can be rapidly retrieved over
the web, and instantly uploaded. Fast,
one-touch back-ups can also be
performed, providing an extra
protection for critical content.
The hard drive will hold 1,000 minutes
of sound clips at your touch.

Webcast Hardware needs

Broadcast:

Audio Science ASI6544 professional PCI sound card

designed for use in radio

broadcast automation.
Providing 12 play streams that
are mixed to 4 balanced
stereo outputs and 8 record
streams fed from 4 balanced
stereo inputs. PCM, MPEG-L2
and MP3 formats with sample
rates to 96kHz.

Webcast Hardware needs

Broadcast:

1- Mackie Onyx 1640 16-Channel Mixer with Firewire option

Premium 16-channel / 4-bus smallformat analog mixer

16 mic preamps comparable to
boutique preamps
4-band Perkins EQ with dual
sweepable midrange controls provides
warm, musical sound
96kHz FireWire option for streaming
18 independent channels of audio to
computer with near-zero
latency

Webcast Hardware needs

Broadcast:

2 Mackie 4-channel 402-VLZ3 Mixers

Premium 4-channel analog mixer

2 studio-grade XDR2 Extended
Dynamic Range mic preamps
2-Band Active EQ
High-resolution 8-segment stereo
meters

Webcast Hardware needs

Broadcast:

Harman Kardon - 300W 5.1-Ch. A/V Home

Theater Receiver
4 sets JBL - 4" 80W 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers

300 watts total power: 60 watts x 5

Surround sound decoders: Dolby
Digital, Pro Logic; DTS, Neo:6 and
96/24

Webcast Hardware needs

Broadcast:

4- pairs of Bose TriPort Headphones

Through acoustic equalization,

these headphones mimic the
worlds most advanced fullsize speakers to deliver
exceptional sound. Small,
comfortable earcups cradle
your ears and surround them
in rich, full sound while they
lessen outside distractions.

Webcast Hardware needs

Broadcast:

4- Marshall MXL990 Professional Microphones

20mm Gold-sputtered, 6-micron

diaphragm
FET preamp with balanced output
Supplied with shock mount and mic
stand adapter
Legendary MXL sonic characteristics
Comes in rugged carrying case

Webcast Furniture needs

2 Large desks for equipment

1 Custom half octagon broadcast booth
3 Office chairs
Auxiliary lighting (on air etc)

Webcast Building needs

3 Rooms:

1 DJ Broadcasting room 200 Sqf

1 News booth 100 Sqf
1 Production / engineering room 200 Sqf
Acoustic Tiling for sound proofing
Booth / Desks
Five hundred square feet total

Layout

Reason for webcast studio design plan

The design of the radio station as envisioned by the group

is a fishbowl that students and prospective students alike
can see in its daily operation.
The layout is borrowed from an actual radio station design.
With the design outlined in our study we believe that we
can create an unparalleled environment for learning in a
true to life broadcast center.
Students will leave the WOU studio with the tools that they
will need to be successful in a career in broadcasting and
radio production.

Content Licensure for Radio

Stations

Regular multicast (Radio and internet)

broadcasting licensure
Licensing through the BMI
BMI is a performing right organization: It
collects license fees on behalf of its
songwriters, composers and music publishers
and distributes them as royalties to those
members whose works have been performed.

Content Licensure requirements

All campus radio stations will furnish BMI weekly
lists of each stations performance of all musical
works. These lists will include information as to
whether or not the stations performances were
transmitted over the Internet. The compositions
performed will be indicated by title and
composer upon written request by BMI with not
less than two weeks notice. Such lists need not
be furnished for more than two weeks for each
contract year.

Content Licensure requirements

cont.

The Two-tier Option is for colleges with lower full-time enrollment

and fewer musical attractions than larger institutions. This option
requires that each musical attraction (that is, those only promoted
by the school) be reported separately.
This option consists of a two-part license fee:
(A) The first part is an annual payment, calculated by multiplying the
Per Student Fee times the full-time equivalent (FTE) student
enrollment in the fall academic term. There is a minimum fee for this
option for each contract year.
(B) The second part of the fee structure for the two-tier option is a
fee for any musical event presented on the college premises and
promoted only the institution itself and where the entertainment
costs total $1500 or more. This fee is determined by two factors:
- the seating capacity of the facility; and
- the gross ticket revenues.

More

requires the payment of an annual CPI-adjusted fee.

This compulsory fee is charged for each campus radio
broadcasting station which does not receive revenue
from the sale of air time and which is not licensed under
the terms of any license agreement between BMI and
NPR.
On an annual basis, you will be asked to submit an
updated Exhibit A to assist BMI in identifying web sites
affiliated with your college or university that use music so
that BMI will know to exclude them for its routine Internet
licensing sales efforts.
-BMI

Cost projection
$18,100 for station Hardware
$3937 for station software
$500-1000 a year in Royalty licensing
$15,400 est. labor & materials for initial
setup / construction.
Total= Estimated $38,437 and the yearly
cost of BMI thereafter.