WAKT LPFM Starts July 1

After three years in the making, the Toledo Low Power FM Radio Project is now Toledo Integrated Media Education, and it will launch its non-profit community radio station on Friday, July 1, 2016 at 106.1 WAKT.

Station's Facebook page.

http://www.wakt.fm and http://waktlp.org point to the same location.

From the station's website:

We Act is an up-and-coming multimedia news outlet launching soon in Toledo, Ohio committed to bringing a culture of positive engagement to the local media landscape by helping our audience become participants - not just observers - of the community they live in.

From the Blade story

The community-driven station begins broadcasting July 1, said Sean Nestor, the station’s founder and treasurer.

The station will feature mostly original, local content as well as some syndicated programming.

“We determined we wanted to create a station that would really support really underrepresented perspectives in the media,” he said. “ … We want to fill some of those gaps by leveraging community power.”

Station planning began in 2013 when Nestor learned that the Federal Communications Commission would open a window for low-power FM station applications that November.

The station’s governing board of nine people is working to raise additional funds, setting a goal of $25,000 to $30,000 to pay for the studio equipment and the tower. The studio will be housed in the Collingwood Arts Center and the tower will be placed atop the Original Sub and Deli at 402 Broadway.

Once all of the equipment is purchased and the station established, the annual budget will be about $10,000.

The station is not allowed to be a commercial enterprise, so they can’t sell advertising. The station can, however, have underwriting for programs and also have paid memberships — much like NPR or PBS.

WAKT will have its strongest signal within three-to-five miles of the South Toledo tower, and should be listenable throughout Toledo, Mr. Nestor said.

The station's board members plan to do more online, like simulcast programs or post podcasts of each show.