COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — KANM has received a construction permit from the FCC to build a low power FM station that will broadcast across College Station.
- The permit gives them three years to build all the necessary infrastructure to operate a low power FM radio station.
- Once operational, KANM will broadcast on 95.5 FM across College Station.
- Every 10 years, the FCC opens up applications for low power FM station permits for existing and new radio stations to hit FM radio waves.
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They’re voices in our community. Now, they’re about to reach a bigger audience.
“The main audience would be this campus and the surrounding student housing and hopefully just the College Station area.”
Texas A&M’s student-run radio station, KANM, was granted a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC.
“We didn't know that this application was opening. The FCC LPFM application, that's what we call it low power FM, is kind of a rarity in that the last time it was open was 2013 I think, 10 years ago.”
Every 10 years, the FCC opens up applications for low power FM station permits. Eren Rudd and Nayab Warach found out about the application in September.
“We're like, ‘Oh, crap. This is in November, and we have no idea where to start with an application like this.’”
From finding out about it in September to finally getting the acceptance letter in April, it’s been a busy few months for an ever changing station.
KANM first started in the 1970s and went to online streaming in 1998.
“We're actually one of the first radio stations in the nation to switch to online streaming.”
And soon, anyone in College Station will be able to tune in to KANM on 95.5 FM.
“With that permit, we can go to suppliers and order things like transmitters. And antennas and hire contractors and on site engineers to look over that. That also gives us the authority to test that equipment on air.”