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Newark is a step closer to a low-power FM community radio station, with the Federal Communications Commission okaying a license, pending a 30-day period for public comment.
Steve Worden, who has a background in radio and information technology, launched the effort to get a nonprofit station on the air under the name of Newark Community Radio.
He made a bid for the 99.9 frequency in a rare auction by the FCC. He was the only applicant for Newark and saw the application approved on a day when 465 submissions were denied.
In 2011, Worden launched Radio Newark, which streams science programming from a wide range of sources, including the Voice of America. A science enthusiast, Worden’s station has gained a worldwide audience. Worden said the approval for the FCC license came far more quickly than an earlier 501 (c)(3) nonprofit status request from the government.
Once the comment period expires and barring any challenges, Worden will go to work to raise the $30,000 or so needed to put the station on the air. The station would be based at Worden’s Newark home, but would have to meet FCC requirements such as back-up power. “We already have a track record of broadcasting, so the likelihood of getting on the air is pretty high,” he says of the FCC approval.
While having a firm grasp of the technical issues – Worden also hired an engineer in making the application – the next job is to come up with programming. Worden says he will be looking for high production values that capture the “textures of Newark,” rather than simply turning over the microphone to whoever wants to be on the air. Sports and news programming are possibilities, including broadcasts of events and games. Technology has advanced to the point that major expenditures are no longer needed for such equipment.
Preliminary engineering work indicates the station’s signal will cover the city and could go much further, although Worden cautions that more work will be needed to determine the true reach of the signal.
