An article on WGMS noted the following:

>According to BIA, Z-104 had revenue of $9.9 million in 2004, slightly
>more than WGMS's $9.3 million.

One's jaw drops.  A non-commercial station in Seattle which lasted from
the 1960s to the 1980s used to have a total budget in the vicinity of
$70,000.  Double that for inflation, and we have $140,000 in today's
dollars.  Since the station was always on the ropes financially (although
it lasted for more than 20 years), let us TRIPLE that amount to estimate
a reasonable cost of running such a station.  That estimate, $420,000,
is TWENTY FOUR TIMES SMALLER than WGMS' current revenue.

It follows that, far from being an efficient use of resources, commercial
broadcasting is fabulously wasteful, compared to a demonstrated alternative.

Jon Gallant
Department of Gnome Sciences
University of Washington