Staff Photo/Nick Brothers
Moshe Newmark (left) takes community members on a tour of the in-progress studio space for KPSQ 97.3 FM. The station will feature locally produced programs and serve as a self-proclaimed “voice for the people.”
Community members have completed much of the heavy lifting for establishing a non-commercial, locally programmed radio station at the Chancellor Hotel in downtown Fayetteville.
The biggest milestone came after two years of working out of the Omni Center, when the FCC granted the station its call letters and frequency, KPSQ 97.3, in January. Not long after, the Chancellor Hotel offered to provide the radio station a free studio space and allowed them to place their antenna atop the main tower in exchange for underwriting.
The studio space on the third floor of the hotel used to be an unfinished storage closet. Construction is already underway for the station to include two studios, a work space and storage room for equipment, and it will be completed in two phases as funding comes in.
With the FCC license award, call letters, studio and tower location confirmed, KPSQ 97.3 FM plans to start broadcasting by late summer or early fall depending on availability of funds, said Joe Newman, station manager and project lead at last week’s announcement party.
“The idea we’re going with for KPSQ is public square,” Newman said. “We wanted to be downtown. That’s where the people are, and we wanted it where they could walk in.”
KPSQ 97.3 is a low-power FM community radio station, sponsored by The Omni Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology. Once the station gets up and running, it will broadcast local programming such as news, commentary, music, cultural shows, literary programs or whatever someone comes up with that meets FCC guidelines.
Similar to Fayetteville’s Public Access Television or the University of Arkansas student radio KXUA, the radio station will be a free resource for community members looking to get experience and training in broadcasting.
“Community radio is important to expanding community knowledge,” said Moshe Newmark, a member of the radio steering committee. “Having a diversity of voices will enrich our community conversation.”
Because it is a low-power FM station, the signal will reach most of Fayetteville, but its broadcast range could get limited by the varied terrain of the region.
In order for the station to get on air, there are still several things the operation requires such as a telephone converter for call-ins ($150), music streaming royalties for a year ($740, $1,278), polarized antenna ($740), various renovations, etc.
“Three or four of us can’t pull this off on our own,” Newmark said. “Now is the time we really need your help.”
Newman announced that KPSQ has become a Pacifica Network affiliate, which will allow them to broadcast their national syndicated programming that wouldn’t otherwise be in our area. “Democracy Now” is one of the more popular programs on Pacifica, and other programs are being evaluated for broadcast, Newman said.
For those who would like to help further the cause for community radio, donations can be sent to P.O. Box 392, Fayetteville, AR 72702.
This month, there will be a community meeting at the Omni Center, 3274 N. Lee Ave. on Tuesday, July 14, at 6:30 p.m. Also planned will be a training session for community members seeking to be trained to be DJs, hosts and producers. If you’ve ever had the inclination to be on the air, this is your chance.
KPSQ 97.3 Community Meeting
For those interested in joining the radio team or would like to help get the station on air.
When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 14
Where: The OMNI Center, 3274 N. Lee Ave. (Near Office Depot)
