Nebraska church works to establish radio station in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Members of a Lincoln church are working to establish a nonprofit radio station that could benefit refugees, prisoners and others whose voices are seldom heard.

Nik Sandman is preparing to launch the station on behalf of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, according to the Lincoln Journal Star (https://bit.ly/1fAaumj ).

The Good Shepherd station will operate at 95.7 FM and will be called 95.7 The Cross. Its call letters will be KNNA, short for koinonia, the Greek word for community.

“We’d like to bring Lincoln together as a community,” Sandman said.

Sandman said the station will likely need $75,000 to $100,000 to launch, and will need to raise money annually to pay for its operation. He said he doesn’t plan to broadcast commercial advertising and likely will allow seek underwriters for programs.

Sandman said he hopes to broadcast programs that will reach Lutheran listeners, as well as listeners among little heard minority groups, such as refugees. Lincoln is a popular destination for refugees, and Sandman sees great opportunity in providing a voice for them.

He said he also sees opportunity in providing programs for inmates at the nearby Nebraska State Penitentiary.

A 2010 bill passed by Congress authorized the Federal Communications Commission to grant licenses to local low-power radio stations broadcasting in the FM band.

Sandman spent 26 years farming in southwestern Nebraska, then 14 years carrying mail in rural Wauneta after he broke his back, and one in Lincoln before retiring last year.

His only real radio experience comes from serving on the board of directors for a radio station in McCook for about four years.

Good Shepherd Community Radio will be Lincoln’s second low-power community station, and Sandman hopes to have it on the air by October. The first was KJFT-LP at 107.9 FM, a station owned by the Lincoln Chinese Ministry Association, although it doesn’t appear to be operating anymore.

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, https://www.journalstar.com