2012 Annual report to community of broadcast operations of Bexley Public Radio, WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM.

This is an annual report to the community of broadcast operations for the calendar year 2012 at Bexley Public Radio, WCRX-LP, 102.1 FM.

Renewal of FCC broadcast license.

The year 2012 was the year when Bexley Public Radio Foundation's (BPRF) original FCC broadcast license was scheduled to expire.  BPRF applied for a renewal of the broadcast license.

Legal representation for BPRF on its application for renewal of its broadcast license was provided by Capital University, Law School (CULS) attorney Eric McLoughlin, and law student interns Adam Bessler and Sierra See.

As proctors monitoring the broadcast of public notice requirements in the renewal process, Toastmasters International offered two volunteers, Dana Rogers and Beverly Ann Brewton.  These proctors were available to confirm the daylight announcements.  For the early morning announcements, a regular station volunteer acted as proctor.

The FCC renewed BPRF’s broadcast license for a seven year period beginning October 1, 2012 and continuing toOctober 1, 2020.

Press Coverage  

Jeffrey Sheban, staff writer at the Columbus Dispatch, wrote a feature article about the radio station and its local productions including the jazz music playlist.  The article described the technical problems of broadcast and financial challenges.

Bexley News reported the grant awarded to Bexley Public Radio by the Bexley Community Foundation..  This is the station’s first grant award.

Removal of station manager.  

A station manager was appointed in Spring of 2012.  Prior to his appointment, the station manager had provided various volunteer technical services and volunteered for performance opportunities.  He had a skill set that appeared appropriate for the station (familiarity with computers and sound equipment and an interest in music).   By Autumn  it was obvious that the appointee was an inappropriate selection.  Notice was given that his volunteer services were no longer wanted.  Currently, the former manager refuses to go away and interferes with the station’s broadcasts.

Internships

Student intern Marcus Cole, Jr., Columbus Alternative High School received class credit for his three month internship.  His work included research for productions and also administrative duties.  For two days he did a literature drop in Bexley neighborhoods for donations.

The second intern was Meredith Brown, a junior at Gahanna Lincoln High School,  Meredith fulfilled community service requirement for school for her work at Bexley Public Radio.  Her assignments were administrative which she completed promptly and accurately.

Agent of Currency and beta version of web site.

“Agent of Currency” remains the blog of WCRX-LP with a steady readership.  A volunteer who wishes to remain anonymous has created a beta site for an additional web presence.  The beta site can be reached at bexleypublicradio.org.

Sale of Editorial Page to the Highest Bidder.

For  six years, BPRF has supported other community charities by auctioning off its editorial page to the highest bidder.

At one charity auction during 2012, the editorial page set a new high bid price of $380. All of these proceeds are paid to the sponsoring charity, in this case the Association of Public Interest Lawyers.  The previous high, $220, was set at the Columbus School for Girls fundraiser.

Hostile takeover attempts.

The radio station continues to attract takeover attempts from individuals who want to own or control a radio station but are people who apparently cannot sustain the work involved in creating and operating a licensed radio broadcast station.

Volunteer lawyers are assisting BPRF in responding to this interference.


Underwriting pricing.

Two experiments were conducted to determine pricing appropriate for underwriting spots. The experiments were successful and BPRF will implement the appropriate pricing as indicated in the experiments.

Equipment malfunctions.  

The principal equipment failure during the year was a lightening strike that damaged BPRF’s transmitter.  The Neighborhood Network substituted its transmitter for the damaged BPRF equipment and broadcast was restored.  EAS equipment is still problematic.


Miscellaneous matters.

Legal representation of BPRF on an administrative law matter is provided by Capital University Law School attorney Eric McLoughlin and two student interns, Beatrice Nokuri and Jessica Branner.,

BPRF has participated in events sponsored by Greater Columbus Arts Council, Ohio Cultural Data Project. the American Radio Archive project; Lincoln Theatre, and Bexley Community Foundation.


The station participated in training hosted by a Massachusetts. nonprofit organization active in training radio reporters.  The training covered responsibilities for maintaining a radio station’s Political File and the Public File.  The station also participated in the Ohio State Bar Association’s legal training for journalists.  Staff training on the prohibition of “payola” was provided by a volunteer attorney.

Bexley Municipal Disaster Recovery Plan BPRF commented on communications provisions of the Bexley Municipal Disaster Recovery Plan and offered standby alternative communications services in the event their were systemic failures in the city’s emergency infra-structure.

Community Services.  Monthly coverage social services and other activities at LifeCare Alliance and weekly coverage of Jewish Community Center were broadcast.

Programming.

Black History Month.  For the fourth year, BPRF broadcast coverage of the annual March sale of artwork of major African American artists.  The auction is heald each year at Swan Galleries in New York City.  Discussion of the artists and their art was conducted by Bryan H. Roberts, an art dealer with the Brandt Roberts Galleries at 642 N. High St. in the Columbus Short North district and Lisa Dent, curator of contemporary art at the Columbus Museum of Art.

To learn programming preferences, each Autumn, the station asks the opinion of Bexley and Bexley-area residents.

The station completed its annual survey of program preferences.  On a year to year comparison, the programming survey revealed steady interest in particular news content and information.  Additionally, the preference for different categories of music has not changed.  Tastes and interests are steady in the Bexley community.

Once again, the response rate was extremely high.  Almost twenty percent of survey recipients returned the instrument with completed answers.

Dividend reports.  Until the fourth quarter the station continued its regular report on equities that paid increased dividends.

Bexley CPI..  Again,WCRX-LP produced and broadcast the Bexley Consumer Price Index.until the fourth quarter of the year when the former station manager's interference prevented broadcast.

Community Programming Advisory Committee.  The station continued monthly meetings of the WCRX-LP Community Programming Advisory Committee, the Ohio Public Media Cooperative and the Bexley Comedy Writers Guild to provide opportunities for community involvement in programming