It may be more economical to rent space on a radio transmission tower than to build your own.
Some of the larger colleges and universities across the United States are almost the size of a small city. And as with any other community, students have a desire to stay informed and be notified of news or other events. College radio stations do a lot to service that need. Radio stations in the United States, even those on college and university campuses, are regulated operations that are governed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Instructions
1. Ask for a meeting with the college's administration or board of governors to ensure that they will support your application for a radio license. During this meeting, discuss the physical location of the station on the campus and if the administration would be willing to support it financially.
2. Submit your application for an AM radio license through the Federal Communications Commission. Depending on your station power and distribution, you may not need a license to operate your college radio station.
3. Prepare a budget for the operating costs of the station. This is a good time to discuss format. Will the station have a radio format similar to commercial stations, playing a certain genre of music, or will programming be left up to the individual hosts? You will also need to consider any royalty fees that will have to be paid for music your station plays.
4. Prepare the physical space by obtaining the necessary audio equipment, computers and desks and by constructing the booth from which the hosts will broadcast. Arrange for purchase and installation of radio transmitters, and rental of space on a tower from which your signal can be transmitted.
5. Interview potential radio hosts and determine a broadcast schedule for your college radio station.
