Community LPFM Radio

Start a Community Radio Station

LPFM For Your Community

 A community radio station can offer something for almost everyone.

  • It strengthens community identity.
  • It creates an outlet for amateur musicians to get their music heard.
  • It creates an opportunity for young people, especially college students, who are interested in radio to learn about the business.
  • Local public affairs programs, such as news, youth training, local sporting events, neighborhood history, city council hearings, election debates, call-in shows with local figures, politicians, and advice programs with doctors, lawyers, or other professionals. 　It can provide farmers with up to date agricultural information.
  • Activist programs that explore different issues, such as the environment, education or health care.
  • Cultural programs, such as the worlds many musical traditions, radio theatre, dramatic readings of novels, poetry, interviews, etc. It creates diversity on the air because women and racial minorities are represented.

As a sponsor your community organization can promote the public good by acting as steward of a station designed for the whole community - almost like a library of the airwaves.

LPFM Information

Applying for an LPFM license is affordable, and the cost to build a station is relatively low ($15,000 to $25,000). While there is no guarantee that every application will be successful, the following questions are designed to help you assess your qualifications.

Individuals are not allowed to apply - only non-profit groups or community organizations. Your organization does not, however, have to be a tax exempt 501(c)(3). Organizations that have been in existence for two or more years get preference, so it is advantageous (but not necessary) that your organization be at least that old. No one who already owns a major media outlet can have a LPFM station. The service is entirely non-commercial, though underwriting, similar to what you hear on National Public Radio, is allowed.

LPFM transmitters are about the size of a toaster oven, and antennas don't have to be any bigger than the television antennas people put on the roof of their houses, but the higher they are, the better your coverage. The FCC does not allow you to build a station if you are too close to an already existing channel.

The FCC gives a preference to organizations who pledge that they will be producing at least 8 hours per day of local programming. The FCC also gives preference to stations that plan to operate at least 12 hours per day. If you have DJ's playing their favorite records, that is considered local as long as they are local people, not a satellite fed national program. The FCC may choose not to allow convicted felons to be holders of broadcast licenses. There are many exceptions to this policy, but it is easier if there are no felons.

There is no application or licensing fee with the FCC, no one knows when this window (or windows) will be opened and, as is the nature of FCC broadcast applications, if you wait until the window is announced to begin your application, you probably won't have time to "pull it all together" before the filing window comes and goes. A 2011 Filing window is expected however. You should begin the preparation and filing process long before the filing window is announced so that you may be fully prepared with a completed application when the filing window is announced. Upon the granting of a construction permit, you have 18 months to construct your station.

Get Started!

We have over 15 years experience setting up hundreds of low power FM, commercial AM & FM radio stations even part 15 and internet broadcasters, in addition to consulting on hundreds of other installations around the world.

 If you are considering setting up a  radio station in The United States, it is essential to know what the available options are for you to get on the air.

We are broadcasters ourselves, and are one of the very few LPFM broadcasters that have made the progression to obtaining a full power FM frequency and operating commercially, enabling us to offer unparalleled support through all the stages of building and operating a radio station.

Nexus offers complete service to help you start up a licensed FM or AM radio station in the United States, or anywhere else in the world for that matter. We can take care of the entire project - from licensing with the FCC to determining the best studio and antenna location, supplying all the equipment for the station, setting up the radio automation software, installing the studio equipment, to providing training on how to use all the equipment.

Simply stated - we help you with starting a FM radio station from start to finish!

Nexus has set up hundreds of low power FM (LPFM) and commercial FM radio stations across the United States, and also supports hundreds of other installations in other parts of the world. We can assist you or your organization to start a new Radio Station - either broadcasting on a low power basis, on a commercial full power FM frequency or the internet. If you're interesting in starting up a new LPFM radio station or an FM radio station, you're in the right place!

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Click to join LPFM