Hamptons Community Radio

Two other construction permits are pending.  91.7 Hampton Bays and 89.1 Westhampton.   

 This map attempts to quantify the strength of our signals from the three stations. The WEER signal is actually better than shown since the FCC allowed us 3800 watts of power rather than the 2300 watts on which the map was based. The 50% increase in power yields better reception for our radio audience.

 

 

Information as per our FCC filing:

Narrative Description of activities.

Hamptons Community Radio Corporation will serve the entire south fork of Eastern Long Island with informational and educational programming that will improve the quality of life of our listeners, and inform them about the world around them.To assist in the long-range planning of program services to be offered to the community, members of the Board have been chosen to represent a wide range of interests and abilities. The community known as Athe Hamptons@ encompasses the entire south peninsula of Eastern Long Island, and its citizens span the entire range of very rich to very poor, with a wide range of ethnicity and background. Although there are no less than four full-power NCE stations already licensed to this region, three of them are operated as satellite stations for out-of-state institutions, with NO local presence. Only WLIU at  Southampton College has a local presence and does any locally based programming. When translator stations are added to the mix, it results in over 80% of NCE programming being irrelevant to South Fork listeners.  Thus Hamptons Community Radio has to carry a heavy public service burden to serve the region.and we intend to do our best to serve that need.We intend to do so by committing to present the following types of material, tailored to the local community:

HEALTH ISSUES B HCRC has met with representatives of Southampton Hospital (the ONLY hospital in the Hamptons) to produce informative short-form programs, and to possibly develop a regular call-in Q&A program with specialists to answer health questions. Because many immigrants have health issues they are reluctant to bring into the open, we hope to devote some time to a multi-lingual forum where health issues can be discussed.

EMPLOYMENT B HCRC intends to prepare a daily segment which will provide information on job openings in the region. Depending on the response, this may be presented as a multi-lingual program, as well as incorporated into the HCRC website.

HOUSING AND ZONING B The Hamptons have some of the most expensive homes and estates in the country, located just miles from tent encampments of the destitute. Zoning laws have resulted in the unavailability of   low-cost and moderately priced housing. Although no radio program can solve this problem, we can provide an on-air forum to discuss the issues and ideas that might lead to a solution. To that end, we intend to allow community leaders to receive free air-time to present their ideas and receive comments from the public. When appropriate, HCRC will broadcast meetings of governmental agencies and discussion groups.

EDUCATION B The influx of legal and illegal immigrants into the region has resulted in the rapid growth of public school enrollment, and made demands for multi-lingual staff which has greatly increased operating budgets and resulted in tax increases. Although HCRC cannot solve these problems, we will offer a public forum for the discussion of the issues.

Further we intend to offer students the opportunity to learn about radio broadcasting by allowing them to produce programs to be aired, and to work as unpaid interns at our studios. We would consider broadcasting certain school meetings and assemblies, and even broadcast certain scholastic sports competitions of interest.

PUBLIC SAFETY B HCRC strongly believes that the fact that three out of four full-power NCE stations located here are absentee programmed can create life-threatening situations. To this end, HCRC will install and maintain EAS equipment so alerts can be broadcast that are appropriate to this area (not Connecticut as with the three satellite stations). We also intend to coordinate locally with established emergency services and establish lines of communication. Utilizing government databases and press releases we will broadcast on a daily basis, news of product recalls and other consumer information.

Weather forecasts will be for this local area, not for a region far away.

As an example of how a Connecticut station can cause major problems to Hamptonites, the is a North Haven here, and one in Connecticut. The two major designated evacuation  routes in our area are Route 25 and Route 27; there are identical road designations in Southern Connecticut. There=s an area called Northampton near Sag Harbor, and one in Connecticut. There are East Hamptons in both Connecticut and here. The list goes on, but it becomes obvious that a listener who hears evacuation instructions over one of the Asatellite@ stations in our area, not realizing that the information is not local, could make a fatal mistake. We will actively promote our station(s) as the spot to turn to for correct information.

SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE AGING - HCRC will work with local groups to develop programming of interest to this often-neglected segment of society. We will provide audio software to be installed at Senior Centers so local programs could originate from them. Additionally, such software would be made available to the handicapped so they could produce broadcast-quality programs from their home computers.

OTHER NON-PROFITS B With the power of radio, HCRC can provide free promotion and  fund-raising assistance to various not-for-profit groups in the area, to enable them to obtain funds to meet their goals. If appropriate, HCRC would provide air-time for occasional or long-term radio programs produced by such groups, and HCRC will provide training in radio techniques to their staffs.

AGRICULTURE/AQUACULTURE/COMMERCIAL FISHING B The Hamptons continue have large agricultural tracts devote to crop production and vineyards which generate local vintages. There are several Aquaculture facilities, and the region is home to a large commercial fishing fleet, as well recreational offerings. HCRC will observe the development of events affecting these industries and when appropriate offer air-time to parties involved to discuss issues and to inform the public of their concerns and needs.

GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES B HCRC will make available air-time to government agencies and bodies to present chosen programming to inform the public. HCRC will broadcast live election returns on election days.

OTHER GROUPS B HCRC will entertain applications from fraternal, cultural, and business groups to broadcast programs prepared by them, subject to suitability. Cultural events will be promoted, and local performers may be given access to broadcast time.