FCC approves WCRS-LP license transfer

On November 2nd, Peter Doyle, Chief of the FCC’s Audio Division, Media Bureau, approved Simply Living’s (SL) request to transfer our community radio broadcast license to The Neighborhood Network (TNN). The transfer will become effective when legal and liability arrangements have been finalized by TNN and SL, and we notify the FCC.

Bexley Public Radio Foundation, SL’s timeshare partner on 102.1 FM, will now work with TNN to seek agreement for assigning all hours of the 24/7 broadcast clock. Currently WCRS broadcasts from 3-8 p.m. daily and WCRX, Bexley’s station, broadcasts from 11a.m. – 1 p.m. weekdays.

As a community asset, WCRS, in its short 40 months of broadcasting, has provided unique and valuable programming to Central Ohio, the majority of which is locally produced. Especially noteworthy are the following Central Ohio firsts:
First to air Democracy Now!, the nation’s premier independently produced news program
First to air Somali language programming, serving the 2nd largest Somali population
First to air a locally-produced youth radio program, Youth Beat Radio
First to air Pacifica programming

“The FCC’s decision is a victory for more full-bodied community radio in Central Ohio,” notes Marilyn Welker, Executive Director of Simply Living. “Accessibility to people and viewpoints who are otherwise not represented in today’s radio environment is more critical than ever for informed and engaged citizens. Community radio can provide this unique and valuable medium.” WCRS with its rebroadcast on 98.3 FM, the translator station owned by Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism, enables much wider listenership for the station. Central Ohio, in fact, is the largest metro area in the nation to be served by low power radio, and WCRS is the nation’s only low power station to be rebroadcast on a translator station.

With several of TNN’s board members integrally involved in broadcast operations of WCRS, we anticipate continuity in programming priorities for the station and a strong commitment to expand locally produced programming.