KQUA Expands Community Radio Reach Across The Umpqua Valley With New 90.5 FM Signal

A stronger community radio signal is coming to the Umpqua Valley, and the people behind KQUA say they want the public not only to listen, but to help shape what the station becomes.

Umpqua Watersheds is preparing to launch KQUA 90.5 FM, a new full-power noncommercial educational, or NCE, signal that will expand the station’s reach across much of Douglas County. Organizers say the station will be heard from Yoncalla to Canyonville, with coverage throughout the greater Roseburg area and the Umpqua Valley.

To celebrate, the public is invited to a soft-launch event from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at the Umpqua Clubhouse, 533 SE Main St. in Roseburg, next to Old Soul Pizza. The event will include pizza, cake, conversation about community radio and opportunities for community members to pitch ideas and get involved.

For organizers, the new signal represents more than improved coverage.

“The new 90.5 FM signal means that the Umpqua Valley finally has a true community radio station with a strong, reliable signal that reaches people throughout the region,” organizers said in interview responses provided to The Roseburg Receiver.

They said KQUA is meant to be a platform for local voices, local music, local news and conversations about the ideas and issues shaping life in the Umpqua Valley.

“Community radio is created by the community itself,” organizers said. “When you tune in to KQUA, you’re hearing the voices, music, and stories of the Umpqua Valley.”

According to organizers, the project has been in the works for about five years, though its roots go back further. KQUA 99.7 LPFM (Low-Power FM) launched in 2017 as a low-power station serving downtown Roseburg. When the opportunity came to apply for a full-power NCE station, they said they saw a chance to bring community radio to a much larger audience.

Because federal rules do not allow one organization to operate both a low-power FM station and a full-power NCE station, ownership of KQUA 99.7 was transferred to another nonprofit, Strategic Initiatives, allowing Umpqua Watersheds to move forward with the new full-power signal at 90.5 FM.

Organizers said the effort required years of planning, engineering work, Federal Communications Commission approvals, fundraising and volunteer support.

They said community radio matters now because local communities need places where people can connect, learn from one another and share their stories.

“Most of the radio stations people hear today are part of large corporate networks, with programming created far from the communities they serve,” organizers said. “KQUA is different because it belongs to the community.”

Organizers said that local focus is expected to shape both the content and the people behind it. They hope the stronger FM presence will help bring more voices and programming to the air, including:

• local music and regional artists
• environmental and outdoor programming
• cultural storytelling and local history
• community news and local issues
• educational programming and student voices
• conversations with nonprofits, community leaders and innovators

“The strength of community radio comes from its diversity of voices and perspectives, and we want KQUA to reflect that richness,” organizers said.

They also emphasized that participation is central to the station’s mission. Organizers said community members can get involved in several ways, including:

• listening and sharing ideas
• volunteering with the station
• becoming members or donors
• supporting the station through community fundraising
• pitching a show or podcast idea
• taking part in future training opportunities

“KQUA isn’t just something you listen to; it’s something you can be part of,” organizers said.

For people interested in starting their own program, organizers said that is one of the most exciting parts of community radio. They said people with ideas for shows focused on music, storytelling, local history, environmental issues or community conversations are encouraged to reach out.

KQUA plans to offer training opportunities to help community members learn the basics of broadcasting and audio production so they can develop their own programs.

Organizers said funding for the station comes from a mix of:

• community donations
• grants
• sponsorships from local businesses
• volunteers contributing time and creativity

Because KQUA is a noncommercial community radio station, they said it does not rely on traditional advertising.

Thursday’s event is intended to give the public a chance to see the project up close, meet the volunteers and supporters who helped make it happen, learn about current and future programming, and hear more about how to get involved. Organizers also described KQUA as the only community radio station within roughly 100 miles of Roseburg.

They said the March 12 soft launch is only the beginning. What comes next includes:

• a larger launch party in early June once the Umpqua Outback Stage is complete
• live music and entertainment tied to that larger launch
• expanded local programming over the next year
• more community members on the air
• partnerships with schools, nonprofits, musicians and local organizations
• more opportunities for podcasts, storytelling and community conversations

“Our goal is simple: create a radio station that reflects the creativity, culture, and conversations of the place we call home,” organizers said.

For the people behind the station, the hope is that listeners feel welcomed, inspired and connected when they tune in.

“When someone tunes in to KQUA, we hope they feel like they are hearing the heartbeat of the Umpqua Valley,” organizers said.

Event details

• What: KQUA 90.5 FM soft-launch celebration
• When: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 12
• Where: Umpqua Clubhouse, 533 SE Main St., Roseburg
• What to expect: Pizza, cake, conversation about community radio, and opportunities to pitch ideas and get involved
• Listen to KQUA live online: https://kqua.org/