CORTLANDVILLE- A new local not-for-profit Christian radio station
started broadcasting Wednesday.
The station, WDRX-FM, 100.7, is based in Cortlandville on Fairgrounds Drive.
Erich Haesche, a board member for Cortland Christian Radio, Inc., is one of
the main driving forces behind the project.
"I've ,been working on this full-time from January of 2004 until now," said Haesche, who lives on 0gden Road in Groton.
His father, George, is the president of the CCR board and George's wife, Pat, is the secretary of the board.
"It's really my father's project," Erich Haesche said.
The station is registered at 100 watts, powerful enough for a radius between 3 and 20 miles,
Haesche said. But he said that in
some places it could actually.be
more than that.
According to the coverage map, it could also be heard in Ithaca, but Haesche said that's a stretch.
"You might hear it on top of some of the hills, but in downtown Ithaca, no," Haesche said.
The, station will run a mix of local and national programmmg.
The national programming will come from 3ABN, Three Angels Broadcasting Network, a 24-hour Christian radio and television station based in Illinois.
"The programming includes bible study, sermons, health,' music, and kids' programming," Haesche said.
WDRX has already broadcast its first local concert - a concert from the Bell Avenue Alliance Church.
Haesche also said he is accepting some local material from non-religious entities.
According to CCR board member David King, the station's programming director, every thing at this point is pre-recorded'material.
"Nothing is live yet, and I don't know when we'll go live.Sometime in the future," King said.
Haesche said be hopes to be able to broadcast local school concerts in the future.
"It's something to pursue," said'Haesche who before working'at the station had no previous radio experience.
When asked.. about the intended demographic for the statIon, Haesche said, "We're so amateur we don't even deal with things like that.."
He said the potential audience is 29,000 people within the broadcast area, and 29,000 more on the flinge areas.
The station originally proposecl locating its 100-foot high broadcasting tower on Blue Creek Road in Cortlandville. The tower was placed on fairgrounds Drive after neighbors of the original proposed site opposed the project, saying the tower would detract from the appearance of the area.
We went to the residents that 'were in close vicinity with the station (on FairgroundDrive) and they were all fine with it," Haesche said. "They had nothing negative to say about it at all
Monthly operating costs for the station run anywhere from $700 to $1,000, Haeche said
Despite the station's not-for-profit Status, Haesche said it would not conduct fund drives like other non-profit organizations, such as PBS.
I don't believe we'll be doing that," Haesche
"For example, have a medical person on to talk about Parkinson's disease or someone from the fire department
talking about safety," Haesche said.
said. "Listeners can donate if they want to and it's tax exempt."