Radio Update – Final Appeal
Kai -- October 9th, 2007
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The OrangeBand Initiative submits its application for community radio October 12-19 and we have made significant strides in only five weeks towards submitting a competitive and professional application. My name is Kai Degner, and I’m a co-founder and volunteer for The OrangeBand Initiative. I’ll give you a quick overview and update on this project and then share very specific ways in which we need your support to have the most competitive application possible.
Those supporting this project are taking advantage of a historic opportunity to apply to the Federal Communications Commission for a local FM noncommercial radio station. It’s extremely rare to have this opportunity – the last time the FCC allowed groups to apply for radio was about 8 years ago, and there’s no telling when they’ll do it again. Also rare is to have available frequency – in metropolitan areas, the FM dial between 88.1 and 91.9 is too full to allow another station.
The exciting opportunity for residents in Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and much of Rockingham and Augusta Counties is we have found a frequency and location that would let us start a new FM station that would reach these communities – our community.
OrangeBand, a nonprofit founded in Harrisonburg in 2003, also qualifies to apply and can be more competitive because it is a local organization without existing ownership of media outlets. Our mission has always been to encourage people to share their ideas and perspectives on a range of issues, and we bring that intention to this project. Just as over 3,000 people here have taken orange strips of fabric to use as discussion-starters about a topics of their choice, a new radio station could provide a mainstream outlet for people to share their ideas, talents, questions, and information. We could create a mainstream outlet for civil, respectful conversations about issues that matter to you, here.
The concept of local radio, focusing primarily on local, citizen-driven content, such as discussion shows, news, local musicians, and poets has resonated with almost everyone we’ve spoken with. People I speak with see a void in local content, especially on the FM dial, as so much of the programming is nationally syndicated. Much of the content on our local music and even FM news stations relies on syndicating music and news that while they can and do inform and entertain many of us – including myself, there are not usually produced locally or focused on the issues, interests, and artists of our part of the Shenandoah Valley. There is a role and value for the existing stations in our area. Our contention is simply this: there is a role and value in a primarily local channel, too. With technology becoming more accessible, I can see more people creating their own audio content like I am, sitting in front of my computer at my house. What would you share on the radio?
The first step in this whole process is to apply. Without applying, brainstorming about shows and how to get the resources to start and maintain the station are meaningless. We apply for a permit to construct a station, and, if we are approved, we will have three years to make the station operational. If we do broadcast within three years, we keep the license. If we don’t, we give it back. That means, if we’re approved, that we’ll have a chance before fully committing to building the station to develop a solid business plan and feasibility study.
There’s simply not enough time for that now and we might as well wait to see what happens with our application first anyway.
OK, this is where we need your help on two specific items. A number of people have already contributed nearly $2000 to pay the lawyer and engineer to prepare our application. We need another $1000. Tax deductible donations are accepted by the OrangeBand Initiative at www.OrangeBand.org.
The second item is the most important, and will likely be more relevant to only a few people listening. Part of the application requires indicating we have the financial means to start and begin operating a new station. This involves having pledge letters that are dated prior to October 19 from people saying they would be willing to donate a certain sum of money to start the station. To be most competitive, we need about $20,000 in pledges. If you support this project and have the means to promise a significant contribution of between one and twenty thousand dollars contingent on our being granted the permit to construct, we would like to speak to you immediately. Please email Kai@OrangeBand.org, and I will follow up the next available evening. If you know of someone who may have the interest and means for such a pledge, please you yourself forward this message to them.
Please visit OrangeBand.org and/or Hburgnews.com for more information, and consider putting your money where your mouth could be.
Nothing like a ten-day deadline to focus the attention. I’m assuming that this radio station would have corporate / organizational sponsorship. These are the sources of day and program sponsorship on the order of +$2,000/yr. 7 to 10 donors that see an alignment between local programming and their mission.
Who would be on that list?
1) Rockingham County
2) City of Harrisonburg
3) National Park Service
4) Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative
5) Chesapeake Bay Foundation
6) Soil Conservation Service
7) Chamber of Commerce
8) Virginia Tourism Corporation
All would sponsor non-profit programming specific to their interests.
I like the idea of this station, but here’s what I don’t like: charitable giving in this community is already pretty stretched. If this station won’t be self-sufficient (i.e. not needing contributions) after it opens, it will be one more thing competing for our area’s charity. As we hear on NPR every day during the pledge drive, they need money, as do churches, WVPT, the Boys and Girls Club, schools, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Our Community Place, etc. etc.
Is there anything the station could do to find revenue sources other than donations after it opens, or does donating now just mean creating another non-profit that will need more dollars down the road?
Between the for-profits, and the high-overhead NPR outlets lay the community radio. It could cater to those organizations that want in-depth discussion of local content at an affordable point of entry. A small overhead could support locally produced commercial-free music and news. It would solicit donations from individuals, but rely on organizational donations.
Or it could operate like WNRN
we filed.
Great news! Thank you, Kai, for spearheading this thing.