RECORDER ARTICLE
GCTV ready to order radio equipment
By ANITA FRITZ Recorder Staff
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[ Originally published on: Thursday, February 28, 2008 ]
GREENFIELD -- Greenfield Community Television expects to begin ordering equipment for its new community radio station as early as next week.

The local television station has been approved by the Federal Communications Commission to begin building a low-power station, which will be transmitted from GCTV on Main Street to an antenna at A.R. Sandri Inc. on Chapman Street and then broadcast throughout Greenfield.

Because the station is low power, a 100-watt FM station designed for community access, it won't be able to broadcast outside of Greenfield. An ordinary light bulb uses about 100 watts of power, which is comparable to the energy that will be emitted by the radio station's transmitter.

GCTV plans to meet with interested community members March 11 to discuss what direction to take the new station and who might be interested in becoming involved either as a technician, in producing a show, in hosting a talk show or in becoming a disc jockey.

A meeting with community members was held earlier this month. Station Executive Director Terri Capucci said 17 attended that meeting and more than 60 people have expressed interest in becoming involved in some aspect of the station.

GCTV will share a frequency -- 107.9 FM -- with the Living Waters Assembly of God church. The church has been broadcasting religious programming 24 hours a day since late 2005, when it began its radio channel at WLPV. The church will broadcast from midnight to noon once GCTV begins broadcasting and GCTV will broadcast from noon to midnight.

GCTV will broadcast as WMCB (Western Massachu-setts Community Broadcast-ing) and will offer all types of local shows.

Capucci said it will cost GCTV close to $12,000 to purchase all the equipment it needs and for licensing fees.

''We've been getting a lot of donations,'' she said. ''We're ready to start purchasing equipment.''

Capucci said she has been working on an equipment list and calling manufacturers to get prices on different packages.

Once GCTV knows who is interested in taking part in the radio station, it will train people to use the equipment and they'll be able to use GCTV's studio to produce shows.

''This station is going to be a great asset to the community,'' said Capucci. ''We fully expect to be up and running by May 1 at the latest.

The meeting March 11 is open to the public. It will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the GCTV studio, 393 Main St.

For more information, call (413) 774-4288 or send an e-mail to info@wmcb.net.