KQKE Community Radio — “The Quake” — seeks additional support by both the community and federal government to keep a local-broadcasting dream alive.
The proposed radio station’s future now hinges on the Community Media Access Partnership (CMAP) and the Federal Communications Commission, which remain in charge of a permit in need of extension for the construction of a transmitter, and an antenna and other equipment.
CMAP Executive Director Becca King Reed told BenitoLink May 6 that CMAP’s directors last month voted against building a radio station for KQKE.
“CMAP recognizes that the community wants a radio station; and we’re disappointed that we haven’t found more support to carry on; but we can’t take on excessive risk,” she said. “We hold the permit that must be acted on by August. We can apply for an extension. Radio Committee Chair Rob Campbell and I plan to speak with the board Monday about whether CMAP should pursue the extension so that the community members who have been excited about this all along have a chance to find either the financial support or another nonprofit partner that can take responsibility and work with us. We probably will speak with others to see whether someone can step in and take the reins on this project.”
Bob Reid, a former content director of BenitoLink and local resident who has spearheaded KQKE’s project, said that that permit is currently set to expire in August.
“KQKE has been granted a construction permit to build our Low Power FM station serving Hollister and San Juan Bautista,” said Reid. “We (had) 18 months to begin transmitting 36 hours a week of locally produced content.”
The radio station, according to a video last year on Vimeo, has considered providing an array of programs — community bulletins, music, history, sports, business news, ag reports, youth programs and whatever else desired by local residents.
In a statement Wednesday, Reid said that the project recently lost support by CMAP, a not-for-profit corporation legally based in Gilroy.
“CMAP decide not to continue participating in the project,” claimed Reid. “I would like to have the first option of finding another appropriate organization. This will require CMAP applying for the extension of the permit, or us doing it for them. Apparently we need to demonstrate the strength of the public support for Community Radio in San Benito County.”
In contrast to Reid’s statement, the active permit suggests that that partnership remains intact.
Reid told BenitoLink May 6 that even though the project has made progress, more remains necessary.
“Due to the slow pace of accomplishing the antenna placement and purchase of equipment, and the additional space requirements of CMAP’s participation, it was expected that we would have to apply for an extension of six months, and perhaps the maximum of an additional six months,” said Reid. “If an extension is not granted, we will lose the permit.”
“We don’t yet have a license,” said King Reed. “In order to get the license, we need to install the transmitter, put up the antenna and install the rest of the station equipment.”
A recent study by CMAP assessed the demand for a community radio station in Hollister: A market researcher distributed a short survey on Facebook, geographically targeting a total of 349 respondents. The report found that even though locals overwhelmingly support the idea of a local radio station, they don’t want to pay for it.