January 21, 2005

Radio idea gets nod from FCC

By Bill Choy
Ashland Daily Tidings

An independent radio station, designed to give a voice to those not normally heard in the mainstream media, is one step closer to reality.

On Dec. 21, the Federal Communications Commission granted a license to build a 100-watt LPFM radio station in the Rogue Valley.

The idea was started by Media Eye of Oregon, a local watchdog group, with help from the Multicultural Association of Southern Oregon, the main license holder, along with Peace House and the Talent United Methodist Church.

In November 2003, an application was submitted to the FCC, with the multicultural association as the main license holder. The group now has 18 months to get the radio station up and running.

On Saturday, Media Eye, along with the multicultural association will conduct two workshops in Ashland to drum up support to raise $10,000 to start the station and to address the process and technical structure of a FM radio station.

Suzie Aufderheide of Ashland, one of the co-founders of Media Eye said the radio station is designed to give a voice to everyone in the community.

Ideas that have been discussed include having live music and concerts, religious and spiritual programs, community service announcements, local issues, and interviewing hitchhikers.

"We're so excited that this is finally happening," Aufderheide said. "We want the entire valley to have a voice and not be one-sided, but to be multi-faceted and to be able to reach out to everyone."

She hopes by having this new radio station, it will help "to further understand each other and encourage independence of thought, autonomy and diversity.

"Historically, early radio was presented to the people as 'airwaves promised as the new frontier of democracy' with people in the community speaking to and educating each other, and thus becoming significant participants in democracy. We in the Rogue Valley have that chance again. We can roll up our sleeves and get ready for the long-term exciting activism that building our own media from scratch means."

Don Center, president of the Rogue Valley Multicultural Association said they believe the radio station is a great way for local groups to have their voices heard. Center said when the multicultural association heard about the radio station, they wanted to do their part to help make it a reality.

"It's important to promote cultural diversity," he said. "Our Valley is growing and becoming more diverse. ... We want to be proactive and to head off stereotypes."

Aufderheide said there is no exact timetable to get the radio station up and running, but they have 18 months to get it done. She said they are still working with the Talent United Methodist Church on the possibility of using their facilities for the radio station. Aufderheide is hopeful community support and feedback will help raise money and to come up with a name, a call sign and the technical support in getting the station operational.

To Aufderheide, there are not enough places for independent voices to be heard in the area. She said she believes that National Public Radio (NPR) is "not honest anymore and has succumbed to big dollars."

When asked what he thought of the new radio station, Ron Kramer, executive director of Jefferson Public Radio, the local NPR station, said they have a policy not to comment on other radio stations activities.

The workshops will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the Gresham Room at the Ashland Public Library, located at 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

Aufderheide encouraged the public to attend.

"The more input we have, the better the station will be," she said.

For more information, call Aufderheide at 482-0102.