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International Georgia: Georgia radio stations give power to the people
International Georgia: Georgia radio stations give power to the people 
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| Georgia: Georgia radio stations give power to the people |
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Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee) March 1, 2005 Tuesday SECTION: FAITH; Pg. E1 LENGTH: 697 words HEADLINE: Georgia radio stations give power to the people BYLINE: By Clint Cooper; Staff Writer BODY: Jim Price said he's been installing radio stations for 40 years, but he always wanted one of his own. Last summer, WBFC-LP (103.7 FM), Mr. Price's noncommercial station that broadcasts music and educational information, went on the air. As a low-power station, its range is limited to an area from Ringgold to Fort Oglethorpe. It is broadcast out of the second story of a building behind a private home in Ringgold, Ga. "It enhances the area and ministers to people," said Mr. Price, 58. "We've received a lot of feedback. It's been encouraging." Low-power FM radio service was created by the Federal Communications Commission in 2000. "These stations are available to noncommercial educational entities and public safety/travelers' information entities, but not individuals or commercial operations," according to the FCC Web site. There are 568 such stations in the United States, according to the government agency. The Chattanooga area has two, both serving virtually the same area. In addition to WBFC, WAAK-LP (94.7 FM) went on the air Thursday. The second station is licensed to the Boynton community, between Fort Oglethorpe and Ringgold, but its tower is closer to Ringgold, said owner Marshall Bandy. Mr. Price said his station is on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Part of the broadcast day is originated from the station. At night, it is computer run, he said. Much of its programming is Southern gospel music, he said. The station is an affiliate of the Salem Music Network, using its Solid Gospel format. The religious educational programming, featuring testimonies, devotionals and advice, includes "Decision Minute" (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association), "Heartbeat" (Salvation Army)," "Seeds From the Sower" (Michael Guido), "Need Him" and "Winning at Home." Other programming comes from National Right To Life, Legal Alert (Christian Law Association), Mission Network and Voice of the Martyrs. Mr. Price said the station is allowed to broadcast commercials from any nonprofit group. Mr. Bandy, 55, said he wants WAAK to be a "community based radio station" for Catoosa County. He said the music format of his station is "not rock 'n' roll" but "all-American cool" and will include current and former singers such as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra. He said from 7 to 10 p.m. the station broadcasts old radio shows such as "Bob Hope," "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," "Gunsmoke," "Family Theater" and "The Goon Show" from the British Broadcasting Corp. He said it also is on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is run by local volunteers. Mr. Price said he doesn't know how many listeners he has, but he knows his potential audience is the population within a 10-mile radius of his Dodd Road station. According to the FCC, a low-power station can have a maximum of 100 watts at a height of 100 feet. If a station's antenna is on higher terrain, the requested wattage -- based on a mathematical formula -- may be less. In the case of WBFC, because its 40-foot antenna is located on Peavine Ridge, the station's 37 watts are the equivalent of 100 watts at 100 feet. "We're no threat to J103," Mr. Price said, mentioning the area's top Christian FM station. Gerald Blevins, owner of G&W Construction, said WBFC is the only radio station he listens to. "I'm a Southern gospel music fan," he said. "The music is just tremendous. I agree with the commentaries. It's a great station. I haven't heard anything better." Mr. Price said he has approximately $40,000 worth of equipment in what he said was a "full radio station." He also must pay for costs to maintain it. Once he obtained a construction permit from the FCC, and with the experience of owning Sterling Communications, which installs radio and television stations, he was able to get WBFC up and running. "I've done it before," Mr. Price said of a career in which he once installed and ran 100,000-watt Class C FM station. "This was a chance to do it again." Both low-power station owners say they hope to train and involve students and other volunteers in their operations. E-mail Clint Cooper at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it LOAD-DATE: March 1, 2005 |
