1 of 1- RadioActive
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Want To Buy An FM Station Cheap? Here's Where They Are.
It's not in Canada, but the FCC in the U.S. has released a list of 132 "construction permits" that are for sale down south, all FM and many of them relatively cheap.
Safe to say none of the frequencies up for grabs are in big cities, but for an opening bid of as low as $750 U.S., you can potentially win an auction to start your own station in a small town. I've checked the list and none of the ones up for grabs are in New York State, which means we're never likely to hear them here, unless tropo is really exceptional. (The largest number appear to be in Texas)
Bidding increments range from between $750 to $25,000, but with the industry in its current state and all of these in small towns, it's hard to say how many bidders will actually make a play for them. It's rare so many frequencies come up, and it's telling that some of the prices being asked aren't exactly what stations used to be worth.
Still, the ones on offer in Hawaii are certainly tempting, especially after the endless winter we just had! You can see all the places on offer here
FCC Plans an FM Auction in February
- mace
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Re: Want To Buy An FM Station Cheap? Here's Where They Are.
Actually there is one New York State permit up for grabs. Not cheap either at 25K. It is for the the tiny hamlet of Keeseville which is located a bit south of Plattsburg. We will never hear it because the frequency is 94.1.
- Shorty Wave
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Re: Want To Buy An FM Station Cheap? Here's Where They Are.
My pipe dream would be to somehow buy a FM station in a decent size market and have a station like the ones I used to listen to, with a mix of music, news and talk. I would of course be the music PD and would schedule a cross section of album tracks and slightly obscure hits, songs that don’t get airplay any more, and some world beat and the odd vintage country song. And this is why I occasionally buy a lottery ticket!
Last edited by Shorty Wave (May 12, 2026 8:04 am)
- tdotwriter
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Re: Want To Buy An FM Station Cheap? Here's Where They Are.
From what I understand a construction permit in broadcasting essentially just means a secured legal opportunity to build a new station with an over-the-air transmitter facility. This will come at the massive further expense of whoever purchases the CPs. I'd imagine those figures would reach into the five or even six figures depending on location (topography and/or geology of the transmitter site), transmitter power and antenna height. Equipment and construction isn't cheap, especially these days. Hopefully these prove to be viable and ultimately successful business opportunities for those able and willing to make the moves.