By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays High School is in the process of purchasing a low-power FM radio station that will become part of the Tribe Broadcasting system.
There is only one other school district in the state — Garden City — that has a student-run low-power radio station.
The FCC has not opened the program to allow schools to acquire low-power radio stations in more than 15 years. The only way for a school to acquire a station at this time is to purchase an existing station, said Scott Summers, USD 489 director of technology.
Summers said the Seventh-day Adventist Church is shutting down its radio station in Hays, which gives the school district the rare opportunity to purchase a station.
Cost would be $3,000, which will include the transmitter, antenna and emergency broadcasting equipment for the 100-watt station. The antenna likely will be moved to Hays High, Summers said.
Developing a radio program at the high school has been a dream of video instructor Dan Balman, Summers said.
Chandler Kitchen, USD 489 IT tech, said, "I've always been a radio nerd, so if I had this opportunity in high school, I would be like a kid in a candy store."
Balman said radio instruction will have to be included in one of the video production classes that he teaches now.
He said he would likely look toward local radio talent at Eagle Radio to help with the program. He said it has been a long time since he was on the air and the technology has changed.
"I will be learning right along with the kids," he said.
HHS started an online radio station, but had problems with streaming licensing, and that project fell to the wayside, Balman said.
"Any opportunity for kids is awesome," he said. "This is going to be brand new to them. I am excited for the kids. I believe we are going to see our program grow by leaps and bounds."
The station will have to comply with FCC regulations, including station identification, emergency alerts and minimum broadcast hours of 36 hours per week, which will include broadcasting during the summer.
The station should be able to project up to a 20-mile radius.
Summers estimated once the station is up and running, the district will have to pay $1,000 to $1,200 per year in licensing fees.
Board member Lance Bickle said students could be included in the business side of the station and sell advertising to help pay for the licensing fees.
Summers said there is already some advertising interest out there.
Summers said it will be at least 60 to 90 days before the district can complete all the paperwork with the FCC to get the station transferred. COVID-19 could slow that process down, he said.