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Resources: Success Stories: Radio Postville

Radio Postville may be the best community radio station in the country, based on size of the community, its emphasis on local content, and the number of languages in which it broadcasts.

The project has numerous partners, and for that reason alone it is a notable effort that demonstrates the good that can emerge from collaboration.

Radio Postville is a cooperative effort between the City of Postville, Postville Chamber of Commerce, Postville Vistor's Center, KUNI, the University of Northern Iowa's "New Iowa Program," and the citizens of Postville. Broadcasting in four languages (English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Russian), the radio station provides a unique local approach to radio that includes diverse musical styles and tastes, local news and information, and local commentary.

It provides this in rural northeast Iowa, a gorgeous part of the state that borders the upper Mississippi River.

For more information, visit the Radio Postville Web site. Tim Belay was the Founding General Manager, and can be contacted at timbelay8@msn.com.

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Key concepts

The relatively small size of Postville (about 4000 people) was not viewed as a deterrent. Collaboration among disparate groups provided the support to get started.

The need was identified first, and the resources were pulled together to support the need.

All digital equipment made the project relatively inexpensive--the whole station occupies the corner of a single room.