Our History

From A Co-Founder - Matt

 

Hamptons Community Radio Corporation is the direct successor to Hamptons Public Radio, an informal ad-hoc group of radio enthusiasts, both industry professionals and listeners, who had become alarmed at the dominance of the East End radio dial by out-of-state “public” broadcasters, primarily from Connecticut. Those stations occupy some 10 different radio frequencies on the East End of Long Island (and have pending applications for more channels at the FCC), but without any local presence. By no local presence we mean that there are no local studios and offices, no paid staff of local workers who stimulate the local economy, and provide a local view of events taking place in the Hamptons.  By contrast, the out-of-state broadcasters rarely show their faces or microphones on the East End, and even then it is only to raise money so they can serve their Connecticut constituency.  We have always supported WLIU because it was the only truly local “public” radio station. But we thought more was needed, so we initiated efforts to bring a second (or third) public station to the Hamptons.

 

As early as 2003, members of Hamptons Public Radio, started a website (www.HamptonsPublicRadio.org) and approached elected officials to air their concerns. Letters to the Editors of local publications were written to bring the issue to light. In 2007, the group expanded and became Hamptons Community Radio Corporation (HCR), and obtained a recognition of its non-profit status by the IRS under regulation 501c3. Under IRS regulations the group was no longer able to “lobby” for its cause. Action was taken.

 

In October 2007, HCR filed three applications with the FCC for new FM stations at

East Hampton (90.7), Hampton Bays (91.7), and Westhampton (89.1). The first license to be granted by the FCC was WEER 90.7 in East Hampton.

Next in line will be a new station at 89.1 in Westhampton (expected in 2010), followed by Hampton Bays at a later date. All three applications were contested by other entities that sought the same channels, and the FCC will make a final determination based on technical and other issues. Our FCC attorneys think we will succeed in obtaining at least one additional frequency.   The 90.7 frequency in East Hampton was forced into a “shared time” situation, but we are currently exploring alternate ways of getting 24-hour broadcast permission. Initially we will broadcast 63 hours per week.

Make no mistake, we recognize that NPR and PRI through WLIU do an excellent job of presenting a national and global outlook on our times, but we think that a grass-roots approach is equally needed and justified. Also there is a great pool of significant programming from many sources that are outside the scope of NPR/PRI agendas. So a need still exists for a true “community station”, which will present locally produced programs, addressing local issues and concerns and become an outlet for local talent and ideas…..we intend to be that source!

 

AN OVERVIEW OF PUBLIC RADIO ON THE EAST END:

 

There are three classes of “public” FM stations defined in the FCC rules

  1. Full power stations with local studios and local program origination.

  2. “Translators” with power up to 250 watts which rebroadcast full-power stations far away. Translators are forbidden from originating their own programming.

  3. LPFM stations, which cannot rebroadcast programming from other stations and must be 100% local origination. The power is limited to 100 watts. The nearest LPFM station is in Westhampton.

 The FCC has determined that non-commercial stations can either be educational or religious in nature. Within the educational group, there are either “public stations”, generally defined as stations that carry substantial amounts of programming from NPR-National Public Radio, or “community stations”  such as ours that are unaffiliated with NPR or do not take programming from them, relying instead on local production.

WHO ARE THE OUT-OF-STATE BROADCASTERS? 

Sacred Heart University, based in Bridgeport, has a number of East End signals, which rebroadcast their two Connecticut networks. Primary is full power WSUF 89.9, licensed to Noyac but with a transmitter in Greenport. The station has obtained FCC permission to not have a local studio on Long Island, so all programming originates in Bridgeport.

Additionally, Sacred Heart has “translators” that rebroadcast a sister station, also out of Bridgeport with substantial music programming.,

 

The Town of Monroe, CT (near Hartford) has three translators on the East End rebroacasting its main station WMNR, is predominantly programmed with classical music. Being translators, they are forbidden from broadcasting / originating local programming.

 

Connecticut Public Broadcasting in Hartford, CT (WNPR) has a full-power station in Southampton rebroadasting its Hartford programming on WRLI 91.3 FM   It has no studio on Long Island.

Full power station WPKM 88.7 in Montauk rebroadcasts WPKN from Bridgeport. There is a small cadre of volunteer program producers that contribute about 3 to 4 hours per month the WPKN/WPKM schedule. WPKM has no permanent studio on long Island.  

None of these stations profess a local presence, except for fund-raising purposes. There are no local studios, no employees, and little or no obligation to be part of the East End community. We’re the “rich uncle” needed to subsidize their Connecticut goals.

 

Currently, WLIU 88.3, Southampton, owned and operated by Long Island University for more than two decades, is the sole local public broadcaster, and employs more a dozen local people to produce its broadcast schedule, which is enhanced by network programming from National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Radio International (PRI).

 

When WEER 90.7 begins broadcasting, listeners will finally be able to choose the local public station they listen to. 

 

WLIU has suffered substantial budget shortfalls in recent years, which led the University to auction off the station in order to recoup its financial contributions. This followed the sale of its entire Southampton Campus several years ago.  Happily, a local group consisting of incumbent employees and listeners was able to submit a winning bid, so that WLIU programming will continue on 88.3 with the call sign WPPR. We salute their successes, both past and present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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