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| Illinois: Area getting two low-power radio stations |
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The State Journal-Register(Springfield, IL) December 28, 2000 Thursday SECTION: NEWS, Pg. 1 LENGTH: 738 words HEADLINE: Area getting two low-power radio stations BYLINE: LISA KERNEK STAFF WRITER BODY: A Pana church and a Taylorville group of ham radio operators are in line to receive licenses to operate low-power FM radio stations. The Federal Communications Commission said this week the two applicants were among 20 statewide and 225 nationwide that qualified for the low-power licenses, which were created last January to bring new voices to the airwaves. A third successful Springfield-area applicant, Wayne Childers, lived in Athens when he applied for the license, but he reportedly has moved to Florida. Childers filed his application on behalf of the Athens Broadcasting Foundation and would have to file for an amendment if he wanted to operate a station in Florida, an FCC spokeswoman said. The other eligible applicants were the First United Methodist Church in Pana and Langley Park Telecommunications, a non-profit group of ham radio operators in Taylorville. More applicants would have been eligible for the licenses had Congress not voted in the final days of its session to tighten standards. Broadcasters, including the National Association of Broadcasters and National Public Radio, complained of possible signal interference. The FCC received 84 applications from Illinois. "This is a nice Christmas present," said the Rev. Walter Carlson of First United Methodist Church in Pana, a town of 5,800 about 40 miles southeast of Springfield. Carlson said his congregation conceived of the radio station about a year ago after learning of the creation of the low-power licenses. The church members were reacting to the 1997 sale of Pana's only commercial radio outlet, country music station WXKO, Carlson said. After the sale, the station's coverage area was expanded to six counties under the new name WEGY. "We thought we needed something very specifically aimed at Pana," Carlson said. Plans for the volunteer-run station include coverage of high school football, basketball and volleyball games and concerts. Other tentative plans include a talk show hosted by a retired pastor, a pop-music show hosted by local teenagers and broadcasts of church services. But first church leaders must raise money, possibly through grants, to buy radio equipment. "I certainly don't see them as competition, and I wish them all the best," said Randal Miller, president of Kaskaskia Communications of Taylorville, the owner of WEGY. FCC officials tentatively issued the non-commercial licenses last Thursday, pending a 30- day public comment period. If no objections are filed, the applicants will receive permits to build antennas for 100-watt stations, which can broadcast in a radius of up to 31/2 miles. They would receive their licenses after their facilities are built. Todd Daugherty of Taylorville filed the application on behalf of Langley Park Telecommunications. "I've always wanted to go into radio broadcasting since I was little," said Daugherty, who works at Wal-Mart in Taylorville. Daugherty said his group plans to stage dramas, play music and offer the airwaves to members of the public who want to host their own programs. Daugherty said the group has raised more than half the $5,000 needed for equipment. He and his friends plan to broadcast eight hours daily from a studio in his home and hope to be on the air by March. "You can send a tape in - we'll air it free of charge," Daugherty said. Pirate radio operator Mbanna Kantako of Springfield did not seek a low-power license. Kantako's station, Human Rights Radio 106.5 FM, was shut down by federal authorities in October and, after a brief resurrection, again in November. Kantako opposes any government regulation of the airwaves. The other winning applications in Illinois were filed by: Christian Fellowship Church, Du Quoin; Southside Baptist Church, Effingham; Cross Roads Family Broadcasting, New Carmi; Eureka College, Eureka; Faith Fellowship Ministries, Fairbury; Day Star Christian Broadcasting, Centralia; West Frankfort Christian Radio, West Frankfort; Word of Life Christian Radio, Thompsonville; Marion Christian Radio, Marion; T and D Communications, Macomb; Grant Park Community Unit School District, Grant Park; Christian Lifestyle Communications, Galesburg; Three Angels Broadcasting Messengers, Quincy; Calvary Fellowship of McHenry, McHenry; Anchor Broadcasting of Channahon, Channahon; Limestone Community High School, Bartonville; and Geneseo Community Radio Group, Geneseo. NOTES: ON WEB SITE LOAD-DATE: January 8, 2001 |
