HUNTLEY – Allen Pollack has the perfect metaphor for Huntley Community Radio’s transition to live broadcasting: “It’s like that movie, ‘Field of Dreams.’ We’re hoping because we built it, [the license] will come.
“I would hope that would be the case, but we’re facing challenges. We have a great resource here, wonderful programming – we’re adding new programs all the time – but the challenge is, because it’s Internet-related, it’s not that we’re having trouble finding people, it’s that there’s a confusion that follows the medium,” Pollack, executive director of HCR, said.
The online radio station is planning on taking the next step later this month by applying for an official low-power FM broadcasting license.
The license, available through a program provided by the Federal Communications Commission, allows local and education radio stations to expand their coverage zone by providing a new medium but only if it meets a certain criteria first.
Sun Day File Photo
In order to apply for a license, the organization must either qualify as: a non-profit association or corporation; a full-time school, college or university; a public safety organization; or a federally-recognized tribe. Additionally, the proposed station must meet a criteria of requirements, from installation of the antenna in relation to the broadcasting location to providing a detailed description of the proposed programming and, if possible, the schedule.
The full criteria is available online at prometheusradio.org/checklist, as well as the FCC website. However, due to the government shutdown, the FCC website was offline at press time.
Pollack believes the shutdown could affect the actual application date – currently slated for Oct. 15 through Oct. 29 – but both he and Dorothy Litwin, HCR director of Program Development, still plan to submit their application on the first official date – whenever it may be.
“We’re going to be ready. October 15 is our [proposed] filing date, and we plan to apply right away. No waiting,” Pollack said.
The radio falls under the non-profit educational association category, having officially become a 501(c)(3) Illinois non-profit organization. Pollack believes HCR meets the other application components, and said once they’re granted a conditional broadcasting construction license, they will begin to raise funds for the actual hardware.
He adds that the FCC stipulates an up to 18-month period following the application to construct and install the antenna and all necessary components for broadcasting.
“The thing is we’re just not sure how long it will take. It could take as short as six months and as long as two years. So we can’t really give an idea of when we’ll officially hit the airwaves, but we’ll continue to broadcast over the Internet until we officially get our license,” Pollack said.
The call sign and frequency have already been designated, Pollack said. If HCR officially goes to air, audiences can tune in to FM 101.5 to WHCR-LP.
The brain child of Litwin and Pollack, the radio station recently celebrated its first anniversary – though it was more a five or six-year project, according to Litwin – and won’t change too much once they hit the airwaves.
According to Litwin, the station currently hosts around 23 different programs, but is always looking for ways to grow. She added that, through independent study programs with both McHenry Community College and Huntley High School, the station will receive several interns in the coming weeks, who, while learning the basics of radio broadcasting, will produce and broadcast a show about “the happenings at the college and the high school.”
“Aside from that, we don’t plan on making too many changes. We’ll definitely add to it, maybe a current news program and some humor-based programming, but that’s it,” she said.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed, but we think we’ll get it,” Litwin added. “We’ve been operating for a year. We believe we should qualify, and we’re doing everything that they [the FCC] like and that we like. So we’re hoping that helps.”
Pollack said any additional information can be received by calling the station at 847-802-4641, accessing the radio’s website at huntleyradio.com, or by physically visiting the building – located in Deicke Park.
