101.9 WKRP

25/08/2025

Our GM's announcement two weeks ago generated response on many subjects, and while this post is intended to address one specific area, before doing that we want to say "Thank you" to listeners who have reached out by phone, e-mail or here on Facebook. For a decade we joked about how no one ever listened to us, but it has touched us to learn that wasn't quite the case; and we're proud to have spent the past decade educating, informing, and entertaining you.

THAT SAID... what's below is a message directed only to those who have inquired (or have tried to, or wish to) about our FCC license:

1. If you have reached out to us about obtaining our license, by whatever other means, please do so again via e-mail to our General Manager at "[email protected]." Several inquiries have been made by calling, only to discover that for reasons unknown messages are being cut off after 5-10 seconds. So going forward, please e-mail rather than call.

2. FCC Regulations explicitly prohibit LPFM licenses being sold for consideration. We're not only aware of the regulation but wholeheartedly support it. But our founders began with an end in mind, in the process creating multiple means of recouping at least some of the costs incurred in building/operating the station over the years while fully complying with this regulation.
"Recoup," however, is not the right word. In one form or another what is now Oak City Media has operated since 1995. Throughout those 31 years, no member, director, or officer has profited one cent. We've never had a payroll, and in most cases people within the organization have incurred expenses without ever being reimbursed for them. That's going to be the case here as well - any money received in association with our winding down the station, from any source - will be donated to a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. WKRP signed on with helping others in mind, and it's going to sign off with others in mind.

3. The call sign "WKRP" may or may not be part of the license transfer. Whether it is or not will be determined at a later date, and while it may be that someone acquiring our license may get the benefit (and burden) of those famed call letters? It should not be presumed.

10/08/2025

This morning I'm announcing that, effective at noon on Sunday, 30 November 2025, Oak City Media's (and my) broadcast operations of 101.9 WKRP will conclude - exactly ten years after signing the station on the air. I've worded that sentence very carefully, and I'll explain why.

Last week, I finalized negotiations to donate all of WKRP's broadcast equipment to another, new LPFM radio station in another state that's currently under construction. The people involved are motivated and capable, and I would not have given consideration to the idea if not for those involved. While we have committed to this asset donation, there remain two dispositive matters which are as yet unresolved:

The FCC License.
Since day one, the license for 101.9 WKRP has been held by Oak City Media, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. There are multiple means by which control of that license can occur. As an organization, our chief concern is that any group we transfer control of the license to have sufficient resources to build their own studios and transmitter facilities, and doing so in a manner that passes FCC muster.

WKRP Intellectual Properties.
The call sign "WKRP" is controlled by Oak City Media, but ALL intellectual properties associated with it (e.g., logos, slogans, etc.) are held by another entity which licenses them to Oak City Media. That was done back in 2014, and expressly with what's to come in mind. These intellectual properties will be dealt with in one of two ways:

1. They will "go north" along with the equipment to the new station, or

2. The intellectual properties will be sold by our licensor. That license includes a provision where Oak City Media committed to transfer, without compensation, the "WKRP" call sign. Call it a "buy four, get the fifth free" deal if you will.

In 2012 the path toward WKRP's launch was for me a personal challenge, and 30 November 2015 will be among the proudest days of my life. But there's now a new challenge I wish to pursue, with the same zeal and hopefully with similar result; and I'd rather the station survive in some form or fashion in the hands of others rather than dividing my "TEAM:" Time... Effort... Action... and Money.

Anyone with questions regarding this message, whatever they may be? Are encouraged to DM me. Anyone interested in acquiring the station license can call the station beginning Monday morning, at (984) 664-4646. Anyone interested in acquiring the intellectual properties can contact me via DM and I'll direct them where they need to go.

It's not yet time to say goodbye, but I do want to say "Thank You." To all those who made WKRP possible. To all those who helped keep it on the air this past decade. To all those who tuned in. And to whomever may step forward to take the baton from our hands.

THANK YOU!

04/03/2025

Today the terms of our 31st slate of directors and 16th slate of corporate officers officially began. Meet the new bosses... same as the old bosses.

23/08/2024

Yesterday it occurred to our GM that we've not posted anything on Facebook in nearly six months, so he asked me to. When I asked him what I should say? He simply said, "Hell if I know... just give an update on what's not happening."

Six months ago tomorrow, we announced a fundraiser offering station key chains, and our volunteers were anxiously awaiting the FCC awarding construction permits for the "third wave" of stations being midwifed by our sister non-profit group, LPFM, Inc. With some of these stations we entered into affiliation agreements - basically making any specialty programming we produced available to the others. Once *all* the stations involved had at least a construction permit in hand? We'd start putting things into motion, among which was a new web site that'd link participating stations together and at least in our case, offer live streaming of our programming. And then...

The Federal Communications Commission is a government agency which anyone in the broadcast industry can tell you moves at its own pace. Sometimes it's rapid-fire, sometimes it's glacial, and sometimes it's like the old Army adage "Hurry up, and wait." Well? We're still waiting for the last two of our affiliate stations to be granted construction permits. They will, because those who were part of LPFM, Inc. did their jobs thoroughly, with care, and in some cases with a little three-dimensional chess legal strategizing in mind. We knew in those cases it'd take a little longer to get them across the goal line. We didn't realize it'd take quite this long though.

We're *hearing* that the FCC may take the next step in their process this month, at which point we can move on to at least the next step we'd intended back in 2023. Or maybe they'll get around to it in September. Or January. No one except the Commission itself is certain. All we know is that we're in a holding pattern on everything, and now what our plans were for 2024 likely will be plans for 2025 instead.

We'll let you know things as we learn them going forward (hopefully more frequently than in six month intervals), but as there's not been much progress we unintentionally went silent with updates. Key chains are still available via eBay (a couple hundred actually), with all proceeds going to the station if you'd like to help keep WKRP on the air. And in the meantime? Stay tuned!

Send a message to learn more

09/04/2024

Our General Manager is full of "sayings." Some profound, some funny. And this week we learned that he lived up to one: "If you're going to do something? Go all the way with it." So, what'd he do?

Somehow, in his sleep overnight last week, he managed to 'blow out' two of the three major nerves that control his right hand. One of which is addressed by the surgery used to correct carpal tunnel syndrome. The other is addressed by what baseball players term "Tommy John" surgery. His doctors claim they've never seen anyone manage to do both simultaneously. And everyone is baffled at the fact that he's in no apparent pain.

So to whomever reads this and is in regular correspondence with him? Odds are you aren't going to get a response anytime soon - he can't type, write his name, or even give us his favorite obscene gesture. But he's laughing about it: "I told ya! Go all the way with it!" We do, Chief. We do.

18/03/2024

Ten years ago today, what is now Oak City Media, Inc. was granted the construction permit to build what would become 101.9 WKRP.

Since going on the air in 2015, we've been proud to educate, inform, and entertain the small slice of Raleigh our signal covers. And some of those behind this longshot bid that paid off a decade ago today are proud to be helping numerous others who have, or are about to, launch similar stations in their communities.

We have no idea what the next decade will bring. But just making it this far is in and of itself an accomplishment that, today, we'll celebrate.

13/03/2024

In preparing our financial statement for February, we simultaneously found ourselves laughing and crying over these two line items:

$ 4.89 - Late Payment Fees on Music Licensing Rights
$ 0.00 - Net Receipts, All Sources

24/02/2024

STATION UPDATE FOR 02-24-2024...
While we continue to do what we can in updating our on-air sound, our financial state remains not precarious... but stagnant.

The 'KRP folks who took last summer heading up their LPFM Inc. project are still working with their clients, the "third wave" of LPFM stations. When done they anticipate their "midwifery" will result in between 18-21 new LPFM stations coming on the air, which is a source of pride for them - and a much needed source of cash for us, as they've committed to donate all profits to our operations.

But that money is still months off, and in the meantime we're eeking things out. Big thanks to Will Eichler and Bruce Ussery, each of whom not only appear to be steady listeners to the station but actual contributors - something we appreciate more than they'll ever know.

Meanwhile the GM has ordered us to "push the keychains" so we can make partial payments on our music licensing bills. We're still a long way from paying them off, but we're chipping away. So? We just revised the eBay listing - dropping the price on single key chains but increasing the discounts for those who buy more than one.

So if you've bought a keychain already and think they'd be a good gift for someone else? Buy another. If you've bought a half dozen and are impressed by them being made of solid plastic? Buy another so you're not fooled by cheap imitations.

The Official 101 Nine WKRP Key Chain. in keeping 101 Nine WKRP on the air. "Don't Settle For Cheap Imitations". ALL NET PROCEEDS from the sale of each key chain will.

13/02/2024

PREVIOUSLY ON OUR TWO-PART
EPISODE OF "WKRP IN NORTHEAST RALEIGH"...

Folks, 101.9 WKRP has come a gnat's eyelash away from extinction at a number of points over the years, every time to be saved maybe not at the last minute, but by one of our generous members who kicks in more than their annual membership dues to help get us through. They admittedly get a tax write-off for doing it, but they do all they can, as they can, when they can and where they can.

Our $1 a year lease aside, this station has bills to pay: rights fees, electricity, water, sewer, internet connectivity, telephony, web site operations and so forth don't come free in your world, and they sure don't come free in ours. So when someone asks us one of the questions put forth in the first part of this episode? We use our index finger and point to the same thing every time: M O N E Y. Otherwise, our GM might use another finger and offer a different, and completely inappropriate, response. We monitor his e-mail for stuff like that. Shhh. Don't tell him, though.

We're not quite yet at the begging stage here folks, but a lot of what we'd planned for 2024 and beyond is being delayed because of... wait for it... M O N E Y. Right now? We're broke as a joke, folks. And our usual "marks" (read, "members with money") are, abnormally, unable to help. BUT YOU CAN. How?

Use the link with this post and buy a 'KRP key chain. Or half a dozen of 'em. Better yet, visit wkrpfm.com and just make a donation to our parent organization, Oak City Media, Inc. We'll even go old school and take a good old fashioned check in the mail from you.

And as Jay Ashworth, Will Eichler, Erik Rogers and others would likely attest? We may do you a "solid" in return. Our GM for instance has been known to mail a donor something from his personal radio memorabilia collection in personal gratitude. We can't promise that, but at minimum we'll have him autograph a letter verifying your donation for purposes of a tax write-off.

It's hard to run a radio station with $ 39.87. Help us make it so we don't have to try.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/145569531919?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=P0KCQ2YJQAO&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=P0KCQ2YJQAO&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

The Official 101 Nine WKRP Key Chain. in keeping 101 Nine WKRP on the air. "Don't Settle For Cheap Imitations". ALL NET PROCEEDS from the sale of each key chain will.

13/02/2024

IN A SPECIAL, TWO-PART EPISODE
OF 101.9 WKRP UPDATE...

This came in our mail today. It's our monthly bank statement, courtesy of Fidelity Bank, who deserves an appreciative mention here - when we chose them as our bank, probably around two decades ago, we did so in no small part because they didn't impose fees on customers who had the temerity to occasionally run balances this small. They've been a far better bank to us than we've been a customer of theirs, but we're appreciative all the same.

$ 39.87.

Believe it or not, this statement is in part reflective of our most successful fundraising effort EVER to date: the currently ongoing "WKRP Key Chain Sale" on eBay. Thanks to it we were able to pay almost 7% of our 2024 licensing fees and still maintain this as our bank balance as of January 31. Woo-hoo!

Do you sense the combination of sarcasm and snark, frustration and futility here, folks?

101.9 WKRP went on the air in 2015 thanks principally to two members of its parent organization, Oak City Media, Inc.: one who gave up an entire floor of his house to be home to our studios, offices and transmitter site, in exchange for a $1 a year lease (one which we're 9 years delinquent on). And to one who, out of sheer frustration over our comically bad fundraising capabilities, wrote a personal check for over $19,000 to buy the equipment and clear the kinds of hurdles only money can clear.

In the years since, our members have on average put about $3,000 a year into station operations and maintenance. Tell that to someone who knows how radio truly works and they'll look at you in awe: that's not running a radio station on a shoestring, but running one on the aglets of a shoestring. By contrast, in the nearly ten years since securing WKRP's construction permit, we've raised maybe... maybe... $1,000 from non-member sources. Not $1,000 per year. $1,000 total.

All the while, we receive once- or twice-weekly inquiries: Why does the station sound a little off compared to those guys a couple notches down the dial? Why can't I pick the station up from where I'm located? Why don't you offer online streaming? Oh, and by the way... why can't you send me some free merch to promote your station?

This bank statement and the $ 39.87 it represents?
It's our answer to those questions and many, many more.

M O N E Y.

26/01/2024

We're pleased to report that as of this morning? We've actually sold a few of these. But we've also learned that eBay does all in its power to direct sellers toward shipping things in an expensive (but trackable) method... and collecting $2.01 for shipping and spending $6+ to use their preferred methods? Isn't what we signed on for.

If you ordered a key chain from us in the past several days? It's going out today. We're going to rely on this thing called the "honor system," because (a) we're cheap, and (b) we're not nuts enough to charge $6+ shipping for a $7.99 key chain.

Please allow a week for delivery via the good ol' USPS. If for whatever reason you don't get it in a week? Talk to us before destroying the GM's rep on eBay, okay?

The Official 101 Nine WKRP Key Chain. in keeping 101 Nine WKRP on the air. "Don't Settle For Cheap Imitations". ALL NET PROCEEDS from the sale of each key chain will.

23/01/2024

YOU! Yeah, you! You look like you could use a key chain. So buy one and help out 101.9 WKRP, will ya?

The Official 101 Nine WKRP Key Chain. in keeping 101 Nine WKRP on the air. "Don't Settle For Cheap Imitations". ALL NET PROCEEDS from the sale of each key chain will.