KSVG 89.7fm Progress Blog

Kern Community Radio Press Release

2011-02-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

Kern Community Radio Inc. finalizes transfer of control of
KSVG from The Empty Space

Big plans for KSVG 89.7 from Kern Community Radio

Kern Community Radio plans big push to raise funds in 2011

Bakersfield California February 27th, 2011--- The consummation of KSVG 89.7 was finalized by the FCC on January 24 of 2011. Kern Community Radio put in to action of a transfer of control of KSVG's community radio construction permit from The Empty Space theater board. The whole intention was to transfer of control was agreed in the beginning of the project and was to take place when the KCR board was ready for business. The KCR board has recently acquired their non-profit 502(c)3 status from the IRS .
KSVG 89.7 is a community radio station project for the Bakersfield area. The programming would be close to some California college and university stations with a heavy emphasis on community issues. The Kern Community Radio board would like to start and advisory board to assist in programming ideas. KCR plans to make KSVG 89.7 a new solid institution to the arts community in town , a tool to use and raise awareness to the “goings on” in Kern County.
The KCR board plans to put in full effect a massive fund raising program to build construction funds for their Mettler transmission facility and their downtown Bakersfield offices and studio. With a big grant in the works with the PTFP (Public Telecommunications Facilities Program ) and others they plan to raise some costs on some of the big money items. Local funds will be raised by community awareness of the project through public and private donations.

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Pictures of Antenna site near Mettler, Ca

2011-02-27T10:37:00.000-08:00

These are some images of where we are placing the antenna tower and transmitter facility. It is just a few miles southeast of Mettler, Ca. and in the middle of some farms by a canal. We picked this spot because:

1. We actually had to find a sweet spot to build near the latitude and longitude locations of the FCC engineering application.
2. We had to ask land owners permission to build on their land since there wasn't any farming going on in the spot we picked we figured it wouldnt be turned down because we werent going to get rid of any product.
3. This piece of dirt was already flat and raised higher than the canal anf other farmland which keeps it less vulnerable from flooding.
5. There is power nearby as you can see from the power boxes and pumps. We were stoked to find this becasue it is very expensive to PG&E to set up power and put poles and run lines for your construction.

We are by some vineyards.

A view of the nice flat surface already graded.

Power power power!

Plenty of room!

Cunkers for Airwaves

2010-08-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

Kern Community Radio to start “Clunkers for Airwaves” fund raising drive.

“Clunkers for Airwaves “ used car donation drive to be just part of the plan to get KSVG 89.7fm construction budget funds.

Bakersfield, California August 4th, 2010 - Kern Community Radio Inc. is to start their “Clunkers for Airwaves” construction budget fundraising drive Monday August 9^th, 2010.This drive will help to partially provide the funds for the construction of the new radio station in Bakersfield, California, KSVG 89.7fm. Kern Community Radio (KCR) is to target local businesses in a unique car donation program, this program will give back to businesses participating.

Members of the board of KCR will solicit local businesses to donate used cars in trade for a tax write-off and some “on-air” radio sponsorship. Business owners will receive a receipt for a IRS tax write-off and a voucher for “on-air” sponsorship for a minimum of one month and multiple months depending on final sale price of vehicle.

All donations will be handled by CARS (Charitable Auto Resources Inc.). CARS handles many national community radio stations and other charities car donation programs around the country.

The “Clunkers for Airwaves” car donation drive will last until January 9^th, 2011 and should round out the construction costs applied with grants, and philanthropic donations. KCR plans to have KSVG 89.7fm on the air by early next year.

Pirate radio pair going legit with new station - Bakersfield.com

2010-01-27T17:13:00.000-08:00

Pirate radio pair going legit with new station - Bakersfield.com

Press Release

2009-12-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

KERN COMMUNITY RADIO
KSVG 89.7fm KSVG.ORG
706 OAK ST. BAKERSFIELD, CA 93304

PRESS RELEASE

Bakersfield, California to Receive New Community Radio Station.

KSVG Radio 87.9fm Receives FCC NCE Construction Permit. Starts Fund Raising Drive to Acquire Construction Costs.

Bakersfield, California December 21. 2009 --- The FCC on November 5th of 2009 granted KSVG Kern Community Radio a NCE (non-commercial educational) permit to construct a new community radio station in the Bakersfield area.

With a FCC deadline to be on the air in full operation of November 5th, 2012, the Kern Community Radio organization along with The Empty Space as its governing board will go ahead with putting on the air, what could be possibly be, the last new radio station in the Kern County area. There is no more room on the FM spectrum to accommodate any new full operational radio stations. KSVG fm plans to provide local community radio programming, which the Kern county area is lacking in such an area. Apart from FM commercial broadcasting there is no local representation or programming, and with the NCE stations Kern County currently has, all programming is piped in from outside organizations from Fresno and national religious interest groups. The city of license is Mettler, California, with broadcast power of 180 watts ERP. Antenna power will be solar to save costs and help the environment.

KSVG is founded by Jake Chavez and Greg Looney. Jake and Greg started this project July 11th 2006 with interest in the FCC opening their last application windows for starting a new NCE radio station. The last NCE window was over 25 years ago The KSVG application was submitted October 18th 2007 and was dismissed a month later. A Petition for Reconsideration was filed then accepted for filing on December 10th 2007. The application then remained in the FCC office for nearly two years until being granted November 5th 2009.

With a organizational deadline to be on the air by January 2011, KSVG is to start fundraising immediately ,and will plan on many different ways to raise funds to build the new community radio station. Grant writing , fundraising events, and monetary and car donations will be part of the fundraising effort. With the combination of funds raised and grants matching funds it is possible to raise the money quickly. KSVG plans to raise $300,000 to complete construction, and a starting yearly budget will of $90,000. Operational costs will be raised by a combination of underwriting sponsors, donations and grants. KSVG plans to use their website KSVG.ORG as a main focal point in the fund raising plan. All the information needed will be provided at the website.

Community involvement is the key. This radio station is for the people of Bakersfield and they may mold it as it grows. What the people put into it is what they will receive. The staff at KSVG want to bring people back to radio. Today’s radio is formatted and mass produced and even in the non-commercial radio spectrum has been overrun by big money religious groups and public radio non-profits. KSVG plans to provide an eclectic music format and educational programming and talk. Some national radio shows will be available. The new radio station will also encourage Bakersfield College or California State University Bakersfield to start broadcast courses and will set aside time to allow their students to use KSVG as a lab for hands on broadcast training.
KSVG is a local non-profit radio station looking to raise construction costs. The plan is get on the air as soon as possible and give the people of Bakersfield a new and exciting radio station.

KSVG 89.7fm
Kern Community Radio
661-301-6916

Contact:
Jake Chavez
General Manger
bovver70@yahoo.com
661-301-6916
http://www.KSVG.ORG

KSVG website is up!

2009-12-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

Well everyone the KSVG.org website is up. It is still under construction and we will be adding to it here and there. Check it out.

KSVG.ORG

Day off turns to busy day.

2009-12-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

It was slow at work today so I took off early. Ran some errands and then decided to see what I can get done by email and research for the radio station. Alot can be accomplished in front of the computer.
I first called our lawyer to see if our ownership report was getting done. It is due this Friday at the FCC office. He told me it was on schedule and it should send tomorrow. Great.
I knew i needed to contact the company whose land our antenna site is designated to be on. They haven't heard from us in nearly two years to the day. In December of 2007 we had to amend our FCC application.(Long story I will feature in one of the History of.. parts)We also had to find a new transmitter site and ask the people who own the land if we could park our stuff on it. It is harder than you think. It is actually hard to find out who owns a parcel or a property. After I did the research and found out the owner of the parcel near Mettler, Greg and I set out to ask them to sign a letter of Reasonable Assurance. It is a letter telling the FCC that they will or will think about letting us park our antenna on their land.Well the gist of this is, two years ago December 5th we received or Reasonable Assurance. I was hoping they would remember. They did.
After a little email exchange we are to meet with them soon on inspecting the location,insurance, lease and then their board approval.
I emailed a local politician who could help us. I've already known him for years and gave him a heads up on the station a few years ago.He sounded excited then and still sounded excited now. I hope he introduces me to some more important people and we can network and find some money and support out there. I want to get all sides liberal, conservative, in the middle involved, it wouldn't be a true community radio with all voices. Don't get me wrong the music will be cutting edge,new, eclectic and different.
Old contacts, I got a hold of Todd Urich and updated him on what's up. And I sent an email out to Martina from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. The NFCB i feel will be a great support group. They have seminars on all things community radio from grants, fund raising,management etc. We have been wanting to join but we weren't ready yet. So now that we have our CP we can talk business, I think they will be a big help in the future.
Speaking of grants the big one was announced today. The PTFP announced the deadline to the 2010 grant(the grant is specific to the building of new community radio stations) submission window. Two years ago we applied and we were turned down. At that time we only had our application approved by the FCC not granted and it was sitting on their desk. Also I was only told about it 17 days before the deadline. I was told it is one of the hardest grants there is to write out there. When I sent it by Fed Ex it weighed 3 pounds!!! Anyway I just found out today when it's due and now have 79 days to get it right. Whew! This time around we hope to receive it. It could mean 50% of our construction cost. Anyway busy day.

A Little History Part I "the secret project"

2009-11-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

I was owner of Downtown Records for a number years, about 7. The record store in any community is a good place to network and find out what is going on. I have meet several great people this way. Anyway my manager Dave Montoya told me about this guy who looking for people who are interested in starting a new radio station, a community radio station, also known to the FCC as a NCE radio station. Dave told me that he told the guy that I was a former pirate radio guy and that I have some interest in the deal. That's where it all started.
I received an email from Todd Urich on July 11th,2006. It was asking if i was interested in starting a NCE radio station and he could send me some info. I received a wealth of info the next few days. Maps of all kinds on Kern County, regional, antenna locations , possible broadcast locations. Lists and manuals and contacts on how to start a radio station, budgets, equipment, engineers, organizations, the works. Todd was from Common Frequency in Sacramento, a grassroots org that want to help communities get a radio station on the air. Also to make sure that the application window wasn't totally flooded by religious orgs and ministries. Not that they are bad, but they are bad for the airwaves and they are hoarding up all the good spaces.
I wanted in! This is my big chance to do something that nobody has done here in Bakersfield before, start a community radio station. It is going to take a lot of work and money to get this going, I have a full time job as a steel worker for about 15 years at the time, I own a record store and now this! I was gonna be real busy. That's when I called Greg Looney.
I know he would love to help, I just knew it. We have the same vision on this town and we worked together at KBCC (the now defunct cable access college radio station) at Bakersfield College. He did some pirate stuff on the side too, and had a great radio show. I told him right off the bat that it was just us two working on this project and we have to keep this on the "down low". For when the FCC opens that application window, we have as little application competition as possible. We didn't know when the window would be open, but it would be coming soon we heard. The FCC was accepting apps for new NCE radio stations for the first in 25 years and the last time ever. Greg speculated we will be on the air in about a year and I speculated two. Little did we know we would still be working on it.
We had to keep this a secret, we didn't know for how long.

Happy Birthday Greg!

This is our first blog

2009-11-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

Well this is just to say that Bakersfield and Kern County will be getting a new community radio station. The FCC granted our construction permit November 5th 2009, after it was sitting on their desk for nearly two years after being approved.

The purpose of this blog is to tell a little about the history of the making of an application to start a NCE radio staion and the building from ground up there after. You can follow our progress of building and raising funds to build an new community radio station.
Jake