The Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

organization that operates a

community radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial broadcasting, commercial and public broadcasting. Community broadcasting, Community stations serve geographic communities and communities o ...

station, CHIRP Radio. CHIRP is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization funded primarily through individual donations, special event revenues, and grant support.

History

From 2007 to 2010, CHIRP partnered with organizations across the country to get licenses from

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

for a

low power FM Low-power broadcasting is broadcasting by a broadcast station at a low transmitter power output to a smaller service area than "full power" stations within the same region. It is often distinguished from "micropower broadcasting" (more commonl ...

radio in urban areas. In 2009, CHIRP's president and vice president, Shawn Campbell and Jenny Lizak, were invited to the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

to discuss the issue of expanding low power FM radio with

President Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. Ob ...

's technology team. The bill CHIRP worked on was the Local Community Radio Act, which was signed into law in early 2011. On January 17, 2010, CHIRP started an online radio station. The first song played was "Thank You Friends" by the band

Big Star Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1971 by Alex Chilton (vocals, guitar), Chris Bell (vocals, guitar), Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). They have been described as the "quintessential American ...

. In June 2011, CHIRP Radio was named "Best Overall Radio Station" by the ''

Chicago Reader The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. The ''Reader'' has been ...

'' in its annual Best of Chicago issue. In November 2013, CHIRP submitted its broadcast license application for low-power FM. In late 2014, CHIRP constructed a low power FM broadcast outlet in Chicago's north side. In October 2017, the organization launched its broadcast at 107.1 MHz with the call letters "WCXP-LP".About CHIRP Radio
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References

External links

CHIRP Radio official website
* {{Chicago Radio Internet radio stations in the United States Radio stations in Chicago Non-profit organizations based in Chicago