KRFY prepares for a new year of broadcasting

SANDPOINT — In its first year of broadcasting, 88.5 KRFY Panhandle Community Radio has under gone some turbulent times.

Since beginning the station programing early last year, the volunteers and board members have dealt with technical difficulties, resignations and other difficulties. They’ve also enjoyed delivering months of distinctive and commercial-free content.

According to board chairman Jim Healey, the group’s current focus is to keep the station running for the next few years. And that takes money.

Despite the fact that the station operates without any paid staff, transmitting fees and other expenses still take their toll. Healey said that the station has enough money to cover its bills — about $1,600 every month — until March 31.

To stay on the airwaves, the group is working to raise enough funds for another two years of broadcasting.

“We’re undergoing a major underwriting push,” Healey said.

The station board is offering a special underwriting package for businesses that help them meet this goal. In return for contributions, supporting businesses will receive two on-air acknowledgments per days, working out to 730 in a given year. The station can also adjust its acknowledgments to certain time frames in the case of seasonal businesses. If, for instance, a contributor operates more frequently in the middle of the year, station operators can increase the number to four acknowledgments a day, ensuring that supporters get their money’s worth.

“You will not get a sweeter deal than this,” Healey said.

The underwriting campaign, along with individual donations, will keep the KRFY’s varied content on the air for years to come. Over the year, the station has featured syndicated news program “Democracy Now!, world news by Al Jazeera”, and other programs plucked from across the nation. The station operators even found a short program, only a few minutes in length, that featured a different bird call each day.

KRFY also produced several local programs featuring community members. For example, Healey himself operated a hour-long program featuring music by the Grateful Dead. According to Healey, local programming has always been a part of the station’s vision.

“One of our long-term goals is to establish a community station with airways accessible to local presenters,” he said.

However, KRFY volunteers have temporarily abandoned local content in December due to a station manager’s resignation. Since the production time involved in original content is much higher than handling syndicated programs, the manager could no longer funnel a full-time job’s worth of work into a volunteer position. After an emergency board meeting, the group pulled together a solid collection of core volunteers.

According to Healey, with a year of triumphs and tribulations behind them, the 88.5 KRFY group is eager to expand the station’s offerings.

“The most basic way to support the station is to turn on the radio and tell your friends about us,” Healey said.

To donate or get involved, give the station a call at 265-2992, send money to P.O. Box 2465, or email to info@krfy.org. Visit the website at www.krfy.org to listen and catch station updates.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly described KRFY's monthly operational expenses. The error has since been corrected.