MISSION & VALUES  |  KEKAHU FOUNDATION  |  BOARD OF DIRECTORS  |  STAFF
COMMUNITY RADIO  |  HISTORY  |  FCC, IRS & CPB

COMMUNITY RADIO

What is Community Radio?

Community Radio Stations are not the same as Public Radio Stations (HPR) or Commercial radio stations (KQNG). There are only 286 community radio stations licensed by the FCC.

Community Radio Stations like KKCR are unique because:

• Community radio stations are operated, owned, and influenced by the communities they serve.
• Community radio stations are generally nonprofit and provide a mechanism for enabling individuals, groups, and communities to tell their own stories, to share experiences and, in a media-rich world, to become creators and contributors of media.
• Community radio stations use community volunteers to actively participate as broadcasters.
• Community volunteers are trained and given a central role in radio production, operation and program development.
• Community radio stations generally have smaller budgets than National Public Radio (NPR) network outlets, due to the smaller audiences attracted by their diversified programming and in turn, the small number of potential contributors and business supporters.
• Most community-radio programming is locally produced by non-professional disc jockeys and producers, whereas traditional public stations rely on programming from NPR and other outlets (such as PRI).
• Community radio stations remain responsive to community needs and consistently seeks input from listeners.

Radio Continues to be Relevant

Some people have wondered if radio is outdated in the age of the Internet.  The overwhelming experience of community stations, whether they were built recently or have been around for many years, is that radio is very much relevant and by no means outdated.

Wherever people build community radio, they discover why it is such an important community resource.

It is immediately accessible to everyone now, regardless of economic or technical resources. The most inclusive media to date, broadcasting can be heard for the price of a cheap radio. It simple and portable technology – hand-crank radios do not even require electricity!

Radio makes live public discourse possible for better understanding of issues, and for sharing important news and emergency safety information. Community radio acts as a virtual “town square” for building and protecting democracy.

KKCR is proud to be an important part of our Community.