Secrets revealed: “Lakes 103” and other new details

For the first time ever, the Lakes Media Foundation is proud to publicly announce details on its upcoming FM station’s programming.

Until today, non-technical information on this new station has been sparse. This was by design; the idea being that the station’s launch would build anticipation and eventually lead to a pleasant surprise for local radio listeners.

Unfortunately, this lack of details also resulted an unintentional side effect: giving rise to a torrent of rumors and misinformation. So, once and for all, we’re setting the record straight.

 

It’s got a name. The new station will be called Lakes 103. It will be heard both over the air at 103.5 FM, and online at lakes103.org.

lakes103
The Lakes 103 logo depicts a sunrise or sunset over gentle lakeshore waves.

 

It’s independent. This station is not affiliated with any other existing radio stations, networks, or organizations. It is not associated with former Mora radio station KBEK, and has no connection to anything that’s gone on at 95.5 FM.

It’s commercial-free. The station is a non-profit operation. This means it will not air commercials – ever! Instead, we’ll carry a small number of messages each hour which identify and recognize our sponsors, much like public radio and TV stations do.

All told, these messages will occupy around 2 minutes per hour (as opposed to 12-16 minutes per hour on many stations)

It’s not NPR. Note that, although this is a non-profit station, it is not a “public radio” station. We will not be rebroadcasting programs from NPR, MPR, or any other network. We also do not plan to hold pledge drives, or many of the other things typically associated with public broadcasters.

Likewise, the Lakes Media Foundation itself is also independent, and exists separately from any other broadcasters or media organizations. Everyone involved with the Foundation lives and works in the Mora area, and is committed to operating with the community’s best interests in mind.

It’s been years in the making. Building a new radio station isn’t the sort of thing you just wake up one day and decide to do. The licensing process alone takes years – sometimes even decades – and the outcome is never assured.

Our quest to obtain the license for this station began in 2006, and was ongoing until the FCC finally granted it in January of 2014. As a result, we’ve had lots of time to formulate our plans – and we’re confident that the finished product will be an excellent fit for our community.

 

Don’t believe the rumors. Depending on who you ask, you might hear that we’re creating a talk format, a religious format, a simulcast of some other station, or one of several other (very incorrect) guesses. We’ve heard ’em all… and they’re all false.

If you happen to hear such tales being spread while you’re out and about, please feel free to dispense the actual factual to all involved!

 

If I tune in, what will I hear? This is probably the question we hear most frequently. Strangely enough, we answered it in our very first press release.

As before, the answer remains the same: “a mass-appeal music format, presented by local personalities and having a strong emphasis on responsiveness to the local area.”

Local personalities? Yes – five of them, at last count. Among them is longtime local radio host “Rockin’ Robin” Riley. You’ll probably recognize the other four voices as well.

What kind of music? That’s the one detail which still remains a secret. If you want to know, you’ll have to tune in and find out!

 

The Lakes Media Foundation is grateful for all the support it has received from the community, and especially to our volunteers and donors, without whom this project would not be possible.

We look forward to providing the Mora area with a superior listening experience in the near future, and to being an active part of the community for years to come.