Business & Tech
Radio Group Tunes into Downtown Spot for Possible Station
A group of Port Washington residents hopes to launch a community radio station. They've got a location lined up in downtown Port Washington, now all they need is a broadcast station license.
A group of Port Washington residents aim to showcase community spirit with a planned local radio station that would operate out of a building downtown.
Michael Gasper, Secretary and Treasurer for Port Washington Community Broadcasting, Inc., is a Port Washington native who recalls listening to a local station during his younger years, the memory of which inspired him to join the cause.
"It's something that people don't really miss until it's gone," Gasper said. "We can have our station that fits our community identity."
PWCBI hopes to launch it's radio station after being chosen through an application process with the Federal Communications Commission to grant the group a Low Power FM broadcast station license. The application process starts in October; if the group would hear back by December, they would hope to be operating the station by summer 2014. Per FCC regulations, the station will operate as a nonprofit.
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A physical presence in the city will be a great way to deepen the community ties, PWCBI President Bill Lundgren said, and the station has tentatively leased a spot in Port's downtown. The building is a former tattoo parlor at 127 Washington St.; the group's lease starts in July.
While details are not set in stone, the group has some tentative plans for its local programming. The station would air for 12 hours a day, with music and talk shows from any local person with interest — and some such people have already come forward.A man in Cedarburg has a collection of old radio shows recorded in full that he would like to replay on the air, Lundgren said. Another idea is to have high school sports on air, or allowing local musicians to play live in the studio.
Lundgren called the station a community bulletin board, and Gasper echoed his thoughts saying, "it's just another band of media that'd be available in the community."
Follow PWCBI on its website, Facebook and Twitter for more updates. If you're interested in donating to the station or have a radio show to suggest, reach out to the group at info@pwcbi.org or via phone at 262-235-2526.
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