Community radio enthusiast launches Internet station in Whitefish
Eric Waier first found an interest in community radio on a lonely highway through Wyoming. He was driving to Jackson Hole late at night flipping through radio stations when he tuned into KHOL.
“They were talking about the politics of Jackson Hole and had both mayor candidates coming on for interviews,” Waier said. “It was cool to hear the micro-politics and I thought that was a really unique thing to provide to the community.”
He later began volunteering at the station, which airs an eclectic array of music and talk shows.
Like many others, Waier left Jackson when he realized he’d never be able to afford to live there — but his time at KHOL had ignited a passion.
An avid skier, Waier found Whitefish through Powder magazine’s Ski Town Throwdown contest. He moved here last winter and instantly felt a connection to the tight-knit community.
This fall, Waier launched Whitefish Community Radio, which broadcasts over the Internet from a small studio on Lupfer Avenue below the Quickees sandwich shop.
The station’s following so far is decidedly underground — Waier’s done almost zero marketing while he gets established — but his ultimate goal is to create something different, informative and fun that is embraced by Whitefish.
“I want this to be an outlet for people in the community to come tell their stories and play the music they like,” Waier said.
He’s currently looking to build a base of volunteer disc jockeys to produce a variety of shows — music, politics, cooking, almost anything goes.
Think college radio, he says.
“It’s free-form style and DJs can play whatever they want,” Waier said. “Hopefully they won’t choose to play top-40 because we already have that.”
“Listeners probably won’t like every show, but there will be something for everybody.”
Waier first looked at broadcasting over FM, but realized the cost was going to be out of his reach.
“To buy a license is very expensive — probably millions of dollars,” he said. “I don’t have millions of dollars.”
So he turned to the Internet and developed a mobile app and website. Listeners can stream Whitefish Community Radio through an app for iTunes, Android or via Tunein Radio.
“The whole idea is that since we’re not on FM is to make it as easy as possible to listen through other venues,” he said. “There’s literally dozens of ways to listen.”
Waier says Internet radio is the future of the industry.
“Eventually, in the near future, people are going to start listening to radio that way,” he said. “You’re going to have touch screens in your cars — most already do. That’s the way it’s heading.”
The station is set up as a nonprofit and will rely on donations or underwriting to keep the lights on. Waier hopes to help other nonprofits by providing public service announcements.