Transmitter

Here's our transmitter. It arrived in Omaha last week. Most everything has now been purchased for both the studio and transmission sites. We should have a little money in the bank left to pay for the engineer...hopefully. We're now waiting to move forward with the tower after the City Council meeting on Thursday.

Equipment Arriving

Most of the equipment is in. Here's some photos of the light that will go on top of the tower, the antenna,  and the microphones for the studio.

Will the radio station be a religious station?

No. It’s a community radio station. It might be a little confusing since St. Ludger Parish is the organization that has taken on this project and the pastor is the one leading it. However, the parish's agenda is only to serve the community and make Creighton better. Their philosophy is that if it's good for Creighton, then it's good for their parish. St. Ludger's wants to offer a service that the entire community finds valuable. With good Christian and Catholic radio stations already available to us, it would be crazy to offer something that only a few would find appealing. If many in the community do not find it valuable, then the community won't financially support and then there would be no way to keep it on the air...and that would just be dumb. 

Why does Creighton need a community radio station?

A radio station will add value to our community. No other community in Knox, Antelope, Pierce, or Cedar County has its very own community radio station. Not only will a radio station make Creighton stand out among hundreds of towns in Nebraska, but it will add value to the lives of its citizens as well. A radio station will provide better communication among its people, unity in the community’s development, and bring people together who would never have the opportunity to work together.

Think of a community radio station in the same way as a community theater. Does any small town need a community theater? Probably not, but when a town pulls together to create something amazing, there is a swelling of pride and achievement that brings an almost palpable feeling community spirit making it a fun place to live and raise a family.

What Kind of Format?

Post by Creighton Community Radio.

Online Donations

It is now possible to donate online. We're using a very secure and reliable company called Stripe. Remember, we are non-profit and therefore donations made to Creighton Community Radio are tax-deductible.

Donate Now

First Advisory Board

Tonight a group of folks will be getting together at St. Ludger Social Hall at 7pm to discuss future plans of Creighton Community Radio. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Fundraising Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Fr. Jeff Lorig

402-358-3596

frlorig@ludgercatholic.org

Creighton Community Radio Station Plans Moving Forward 

Fundraising Phase Begins

April 9, 2014 (CREIGHTON, NE) – When the FCC began granting permits to non-profits to build low power radio stations in their communities, it gave them 18 months to make it happen.  So there is no time to waste for St. Ludger Parish to begin moving forward in their plans to build what has now been named Creighton Community Radio. 

A Low Power FM signal is allowed to broadcast at 100 watts, which should reach up to a 7 mile radius. “It doesn’t get much more local and community oriented than that,” said Fr. Jeff Lorig, pastor of St. Ludger and the person responsible for spearheading the project. At only a fraction of what it would cost to build a full power commercial radio station, a low power FM station is a rare opportunity for the community. The last time the FCC granted permits for low power radio stations was in in 2001 and there are no plans to grant more in the future with already crowded airwaves. “This is probably going to be our only chance to do this ever again,” said Lorig. 

The fundraising phase has begun for Creighton Community Radio. The goal is to raise $20,000. The radio station will be financially independent from the parish and school activities. “Money raised for the station will not be used for the parish or vice versa,” explained Mitch Nelson, the parish council president.  

The main thrust of the fundraising will be done through a $10,000 raffle. Only 250 tickets will be sold at $100 a ticket for a chance to win the $10,000. Tickets will be drawn at a raffle party to be held on May 24th at 7 PM at the St. Ludger Social Hall. A ticket allows you and a friend into the event that includes free food, live music, and a cash bar. Raffle tickets can be purchased from Kenny or Brandon Gragert at Gragert’s Grocery, Emily Hammer at The Hair Studio on Main Street, or the St. Ludger School Office. 

“This has to be a community driven project; the community of Creighton has to make it happen. Literally nothing will happen unless the community is willing to make the investment,” Fr. Lorig insisted. You can learn more about the radio station at the newly created website: www.CreightonRadio.com.

Raffle Tickets Available

Buy a chance to Win

$10,000

and make it happen

250 Tickets will be sold at $100 a piece for a chance to win $10,000. Tickets will be drawn at a raffle party to be held on May 24th at 7 PM in St. Ludger Hall. A ticket allows you and a friend into the event that includes free food, live music, and a cash bar.

Tickets are now available from Brandon or Kenny at Gragert's Grocery, Emily at the Hair Studio, Mitch Nelson at the Brunswick State Bank, Bill Fanta, Duane Fanta, Doug Joseph, Brian Kimble, or St. Ludger School Office.

Call Sign KNIL

Today we received word from the FCC that our official call sign is KNIL. It's "LINK" spelled backwards, which is fitting for what our radio station hopes to accomplish.

First Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Fr. Jeff Lorig

402-358-3596

frlorig@ludgercatholic.org

ST. LUDGER CATHOLIC CHURCH GRANTED LOW POWER FM RADIO STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT

Parish Wants to Establish a Community Radio Station that Serves the Community

March 3, 2014 (CREIGHTON, NE) – The FCC recently opened a window of opportunity for small towns like Creighton, NE, population 1,132, to have its own voice heard over the airwaves. In November the FCC began taking applications from non-profit organizations to establish Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations. St. Ludger Church jumped at the chance to serve their community of Creighton through the power of radio. “Our only real motive is to be a good neighbor and serve our community through effective communication,” said Fr. Jeff Lorig, pastor of the parish.

An LPFM signal is only allowed to broadcast at 100 watts, which should reach between a 5-7 mile radius, but with some estimates going as far as 10 miles. Nearly 3000 LPFM applications were made from all over the United States and so far over 2000 permits have been granted with new ones being granted every week. Thirty-two applications were from Nebraska alone.

Starting up a full power, commercial radio station can sometimes cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. The initial cost for the equipment of an LPFM will range from $15,000 to $20,000. St. Ludger’s plans to do some initial fundraising at the end of May and will rely on ongoing community support to sustain it. “The success and sustainability of a radio station in our town will completely depend on the support and generosity of the community,” Fr. Lorig said.

Lorig hopes the radio station can build unity within the community and be a place where ideas can be shared to promote the growth of the town. “It’s no secret that many rural communities are struggling to stay vital. There’s tons of potential in this little town, but we need to pull together to turn things around,” he said.

The church plans to establish a board made up of parishioners and others from the community. The board’s primary tasks will involve encouraging community involvement and making decisions about programming. Lorig sees numerous possibilities for programming such as high school sports and activities, nursing home news, Chamber of Commerce activities, city council discussions, and agriculture issues. “Not only would I love to see a variety of groups involved such as the different churches from our town, but I especially want to see our young people find their voice and make their own contribution,” Lorig said.