A: If your station does not stream then you will not be participating in the WiMax revolution.  Wimax is simply a delivery signal delivery system for extended internet coverage.  It’s like WIFI on steroids.  The good news is that streaming is much cheaper than trying to go HD.

Hardware and software costs are reasonable and because you're simply rebroadcasting radio content BMI and ASCAP fees are taken care of by you initial broadcast licensing fees.  Don’t worry about the impending performance fees.  That issue is going to take years to unravel.

Good reasons to be part of the WiMAX revolution include the fact that broadcast transmitters and towers are on their last legs in much the same way that broadcast TV is going to cable and Sat only in 2009.  Most major car manufacturers will have WiMAX receivers in most car manufactured after 2011.  Because signal broadcast on WiMAX are accountable just like websites you’ll be able to know how many people are listening to you just the same way websites have black and white counts on how many users they have at any moment.

If you live in a destination city like Miami, Aspen, San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu, NYC, etc etc you’ll

want to be in on the WIFI revolution because if your product is good and local, vacationers will want to to tune is to the sound of your community.  

There's a Classic Rock station I love in Moab, Utah that I would gladly tune into if they only streamed.  The music mix is interesting but the best feature is the station's down home "this is what Moab sounds like" approach.    

If your manager can't fathom a business model that would justify the expense, have him think of the Chamber of Commerce or one of the big resorts underwriting it.  Cha freakin' ching... or something to that affect.

WiMAX is only the delivery system... in captivating programming is up to you.

sd