Radio Jefferson, which is one of the only city-owned radio stations in the United States, is designed to make money for the parks department through ad sales. So far, advertising slots for a weekly talk show with the head football coach at Jefferson High School have sold out. Ben Dillard, director of the department, hopes the station will eventually pull in $250,000 a year while operating costs should run at $110,000 a year.
The station--which cost $80,000 to set up--uses a series of low-power antennas to cover 65 square miles. The lineup features local Jefferson sports, community news and events, emergency information and live talk shows on healthy living, books and cooking--all of it provided on a volunteer basis.
Radio Jefferson is also streamed over the Internet at www.radiojeffersonga.com and is modeled after a privately owned, low- power station in nearby Sandy Springs. Dillard came across the station as he was looking for a way to broadcast local Jefferson High School sports.