By MARCY STAMPER
Opportunities to land a spot on the FM dial don’t come up very often, so Tristan Gilbert, commander of the American Legion Post in Twisp, is pulling together his ideas and paperwork for a low-power radio station with programming of particular interest to vets.
The station would be broadcast from an antenna atop the Twisp Legion Hall. The signal would be heard in the town of Twisp and for a radius of about four miles, said Gilbert.
Programming would be a mix of music (including local bands) and educational talk and call-in shows. The station would focus on veterans’ affairs, children and youth, Americanism and national security, said Gilbert. He anticipates programs that can help veterans learn how to access benefits and that offer a range of perspectives on issues of interest to vets and other listeners.
The Legion would have to raise $12,000 for broadcasting equipment; another $3,000 would cover building upgrades and music royalties, according to Gilbert.
Gilbert is gathering his documents for the October filing period with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). There is no deadline for the FCC to make a decision on the new permit; it typically depends on the number of applicants, according to an FCC spokesperson.
For more information or to help with the station, call Gilbert at 997-0368.
