A low power, 50-watt FM station with the call signs KBUU has been allocated/licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to serve the Malibu area. The station will be on the FM dial at 97.5 and according to the application, the transmitter will be located on a hillside overlooking Kanan-Dume Rd.
The low power stations, which are being allocated by the FCC are not allowed to sell advertising. However, it is permissible to sell sponsorships with only sponsor identification mentioned. Many of these low power frequencies have been requested by educational institutions/organizations and religious organizations/churches, etc.
It appears people involved with this project have little or no experience in the radio industry and they seem to believe that a radio service is much needed for residents of Malibu. They are wishing on a star. Malibu is a small city with about 15,000 residents and there are no major businesses or retailers in Malibu.
50 watts is very low power and the signal will not reach all of Malibu because of the physical terrain and low power. There will be minimal listenership. Also, many people are now getting traffic/ weather reports from the internet, smart phones and Los Angeles-based stations that provide coverage of Malibu. And there are music sources available from Sirius/XM, Pandora, Spotify, etc.
Malibu is a bedroom community and most residents work elsewhere. Consider the traffic congestion on PCH in the morning and late afternoon. I spent decades in the radio industry including more than 30 years as a licensee/owner, and served as Chairman of the Southern California Broadcasters Association and Chairman of the Radio Board of the National Association of Broadcasters Association, etc.
It is my opinion that KBUU and its founders are going to be faced by overwhelming challenges—financial, programming and listenership. Because of many factors, including the economy and the internet, radio is considered a non-growth industry and several of the major groups may be facing bankruptcy. Has anyone noticed what has happened to newspapers and other traditional media?
Robert L. Fox