A reshuffling of the radio dial is imminent in Ontonagon, Michigan, as The Gospel Opportunities Radio Network (WHWL) is set to move into the frequency that has long been home to the tiny, student-run station WOAS 88.5. WOAS, broadcasting from the Ontonagon High School building with just 10 watts since 1978, has now been urged to find a new frequency following the Federal Communications Commission’s approval of WHWL’s construction permit for two new stations.
WOAS’s station manager Ken Raisanen was notified via email about the impending change in April. As a Class D station, WOAS lacks any FCC protection from larger broadcasters who can legally take over their place on the dial or overpower their signal.
WHWL, a Class A religious station based in Marquette, operates at 100,000 watts with ten translator signals to extend its broadcasts throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. WHWL General Manager Andy Larsen told the Detroit Free Press that their expansion is simply following FCC rules and the guidance of a consultant. He insists the station did not maliciously intend to displace WOAS.
Since its establishment in 1978 by the Ontonagon High School librarian, WOAS has adapted to the times, however, this is their largest challenge to date. Station funding mainly comes from two snack vending machines in the school, and all workers at the station volunteer their time.
Through gifts from the community, since the signal news broke, Raisanen has managed to raise enough money to purchase a new transmitter, increasing the station’s signal strength to 100 watts, which would make it eligible for an upgraded FCC license and help secure its spot on the radio dial.
Who wants to hear religion crap. We need to hear more from our kids. So let the kids voice get louder. Start a go fund me page and get your 100 thousand watts.
I agree with Phil G. Let the small station continue with increased power. It’s selfish for an FM noncom (100kw) with ten translators to squeese out an established community service broadcaster. I hope the FCC allows the power increase without much difficulty.
If WHWL is running 100,000 watts, it is not a Class A station. It is Class C.
So a tiny station that is providing training for the next generation in our industry is being displaced by yet another huckster polluting the airwaves with its hypocritical religious crap. “Oh, we don’t want to maliciously displace WOAS.” Really? Then stay on your existing frequency and leave the student station alone!
Lansford and Milam were right. Too bad nobody listened seriously to them instead of flooding the FCC with hate mail thinking that these petitioners wanted to ban all religious broadcasting instead of allowing it to spread like cancer across the noncommercial allocations. (EMF, anyone?)
As for “Gospel Opportunities”. Aren’t those called “churches”?