KDGZ 98.3 School Radio’s Future Explored
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
KDGZ 98.3 School Radio’s Future Explored
MT 43 News Staff Reporter
Townsend school board members and stakeholders bounced around ideas about whether to save the school’s low-power radio station at a meeting on Monday, Nov. 6 in the Community Room at the school. The station is currently used only for broadcasting some sports activities and is no longer used for county emergency service announcements and very little for classroom work.
According to Luke Carr, technical coordinator for Townend Schools, the radio station is programmed by Lee Goode of Telesystem Services in Whitehall. In a handout from Superintendent Susie Hedalen, costs for upgrading the station are estimated at around $6,000. Last year the school’s general funds covered $9,525 for the costs of licensing, internet connection and music programming. A portion of that was reimbursed through donations from local businesses that advertised during ballgame broadcasts. “That’s a lot of money being spent out of our budget for a program that is being utilized very little and could be replaced through the internet and our website,” Hedalen said. She pointed out that Middle School Principal Brad Racht uses the station to broadcast his class’s Holocaust Study.
Carr explained one problem with the station now is that incidental information cannot be inserted into everyday programming. Any programming or advertising must be loaded into a wave file and then sent to Whitehall. The staff there loads the wave file when and where they decide. “We have no control over the content or when it will be aired,” he said. Carr said he is working to line up software to gain better control of advertising and programming.
The gathering of about 30 people included two county commissioners and city council members. Duane Halvorsen, who lives 15 miles from town, said he considers the station a community asset and the school should get businesses involved as well as using school money. “We spend a lot more money in this community on things not nearly as important as this radio station,” he said.
Townsend businessman JB Howick suggested the school should drop the radio station to go to cell phone communication in the community and use the $9,000 to teach journalism.
Many questions remain, such as who owns the station’s license and how could the station be staffed? Hedalen explained that in the past programming was covered by a part-time person who had other duties in the school. That position no longer exists.
Another question explored by the group is: Who currently listens to the station? Hedalen took note of various suggestions for reaching out to the listening public through programming during the games broadcasting and asking parents who use the Townsend Schools website to comment. Kevin Flynn, one of the sports broadcasters, pointed out there are times when the internet is not working, but the radio station does. He suggested that closing the station would disappoint folks who depend on the radio station for music and listening to the games. Racht echoed that sentiment, saying the station streams online and that military members and people overseas do listen to the games.
Long-term strategies for running the station included setting up a cooperative with the county’s many nonprofit organizations to be paid for and used by them. Howick also suggested Hedalen research whether there is a high school association of broadcasting that might have avenues for funding.
Hedalen said she would put together some facts for a survey of listeners and what it would cost to operate the station.
