WZUM crowdsourcing campaign for translator

June 30, 2016 Off By Eric O'Brien

Through WZUM, Pittsburgh Public Media, a 501 (c) (3), has been working on bringing Jazz back to Pittsburgh on the regular FM radio airwaves with a clear, clean signal. On June 11, 2016, Pittsburgh Public Media began a crowd funding drive through Crowdrise.com or linking to the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pghjazz/ .

“We have a real deadline,” says Chuck Leavens, president of Pittsburgh Public Media and general manager of WZUM. “The FCC has given us until the end of 2016 to build the new 101.1 FM that will cost about $150,000, or lose the allocation. It will allow us to continue the legacy of Jazz radio in Pittsburgh, a deep void that was left when WDUQ left the airwaves in 2011.”

We need the help of the listeners in order to build the FM station. The amount for which Pittsburgh Public Media is asking in its CrowdRise Campaign includes acquisition of facilities, equipment costs, tower space and more.

Currently, the 24/7 WZUM can be heard on AM 1550, 88.1 FM serving Pittsburgh’s southern and western suburbs and on line at www.wzum.org. Announcers include Bill Hillgrove, Tony Mowod, Evelynn Hawkins, Bobby Jackson, Dave Becker, Ted Sohier and Chuck Leavens.

CategoryPittsburgh

1 Comment

  • Jim says:
    June 30, 2016 at 11:55 am

    There are SO many sources for listening to jazz online and via Sirius that I wonder if a $150,000 investment for a local channel is wise. And there are dozens of niche genres for jazz (examples: bebop, classic, smooth, swing, etc.) that just one feed isn’t going to satisfy that many listeners.

    If the local channel is going to feature occasional local artists that could be a good thing, so long as they played music and it didn’t become a talkfest.

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