Draft Mission Statement, Business Plan and Proposed Startup Budget for Yosemite Radio
Prepared by Station Manager/News Director
Glynn Wilson
Oct. 17, 2025
Yosemite Radio
KNHA-LPFM 100.9
5016 Main Street
P.O. Box 166
Coulterville, CA 95311
Coming to you from the town of Coulterville, California, the birthplace of America’s best idea, protecting national forests and creating national parks.
Theme songs: “California Dreaming’” by the Mamas and the Papas and Iris Dement’s “Our Town.”
Mission Statement
Our mission is to serve the community of Coulterville, California and surrounding area, including Greeley Hill, Dogtown, Groveland, Buck Meadows, Big Oak Flat, Lake Don Pedro/Subdivision, Pine Mountain Lake, Chinese Camp, La Grange, Waterford, and Yosemite National Park with local news and event programming as well as great music around the clock, and to reach out to potential visitors on the web to promote economic development in the area. We will amplify local voices, promote community cohesion, and provide a platform for independent media through both terrestrial FM broadcasting and online streaming via the web.
Executive Summary
Yosemite Radio is a non-profit Low Power FM (LPFM) radio station dedicated to serving the local community of Coulterville, California and surrounding area, including Mariposa County, Greely Hill, etc. with diverse programming, educational content, local news, independent music and community outreach. The station will operate at 100 watts with a range of approximately 20 miles, reaching neighborhoods underserved by mainstream media.
Business/Legal Description
The business will be operated by the Operation New Earth 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
FCC License: Low Power FM (LPFM) – 100 watt
Ownership: Community-owned and volunteer-run
Core Objectives
Provide local news, arts and cultural programming as well as regional, state and some national news.
Offer airtime to schools, local artists and nonprofits
Create educational content and training for youth and volunteers
Stream all content online to increase reach and accessibility
Market Analysis/Target Audience
Residents within a 20 mile radius (estimated 200-2500 people)
Local artists, activists, educators and youth
Community groups, nonprofits and faith-based organizations
Industry Overview
LPFM stations are community-based alternatives to commercial radio. They thrive through volunteer engagement and local sponsorship. Online streaming expands audience reach and engagement beyond broadcast limits.
Competitive Advantage
Local, community-specific content not available elsewhere.
Strong digital presence with a mobile-friendly website and on-demand audio.
Opportunities for local involvement (training, guest hosting, content creation).
Programming Plan/Broadcast Content
Local News & Public Affairs: Neighborhood issues, local government and economic development coverage.
Music Shows: We plan to offer a variety of music programming, including underrepresented artists like those on American Roots Radio out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, folk and bluergrass music you will not hear anywhere else. We also plan to pickup digital feeds of jazz, blues, rock, bluegrass and other music genres.
Talk Shows: We could also on occasion provide interviews with local community members, leaders, educators and entrepreneurs.
U.S. Veterans Issues. We will address U.S. Veterans issues, especially the problem of suicide and prevention among vets, especially in rural areas.
Science and History Shows: Like NPR has Science Friday, we could also develop and air a science and history show about the area.
Youth Programming: Produced by local high school/college students.
Special Features: Cultural heritage shows, language diversity, storytelling, reading books on the air, and provide audio books on air, including content in the Public Domain like John Muir’s books from Project Gutenberg.
Website Features:
Live streaming of FM broadcast
Archives of past shows (podcast-style)
Community calendar and announcements.
Volunteer sign-up portal.
Donations and sponsorships.
Station news updates.
Marketing and Outreach Launch Strategy
Host a launch event and press release to announce the station.
Partner with local newspapers, colleges and community organizations.
Use social media campaigns: Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, maybe TikTok.
Door-to-door flyers and community board postings.
Ongoing Promotion:
Local business sponsorships (on-air mentions)
Cross-promotion with local events and festivals.
Contests, giveaways, and listener engagement via web and radio.
Weekly email newsletter featuring upcoming shows and events.
Operations Plan/Staffing
Station Manager (independent contractor paid expenses)
Volunteer Coordinator
Technical Engineer (part-time/contract): Steve Michelson
Programming Committee
Web Developer and Content Manager: Station Manager and News Director Glynn Wilson
On-Air Talent (volunteer DJs, hosts)
Daily Operations:
Studio hours: 8 AM – 10 PM (with auto-DJ or rebroadcast overnight)
Website updates and podcast uploads handled daily.
Regular volunteer meetings and content planning sessions.
Technology:
Website platform: WordPress, Weebly, SquareSpace, or custom CMS with Icecast/SHOUTcast integration.
Online streaming services (e.g., Radio.co, Airtime Pro).
Audio console, microphones, studio monitors.
Broadcast automation software (e.g., Rivendell, RadioDJ).
LPFM transmitter and antenna, with microsave boosters in other places, such as La Grange.
Financial Plan/Startup Budget (Estimate):
LPFM Transmitter & Antenna $4,500
Studio Equipment (mics, mixer, PC) $1,500
Legal/Consulting $1,500
Marketing & Promotion $1,000
Misc (insurance, utilities) $1,000
Website Development & Hosting $500
Broadcast Automation Software $499
Total Startup Cost $9,999
Revenue Sources:
Individual donations
Local business underwriting (sponsorships)
Grants (e.g., Knight Foundation, community media funds)
Fundraisers and events
Memberships and merchandise sales via website.
Milestones and Timeline:
Licensing Submit FCC LPFM application – Done
Space acquired/looking for equipment
- Radio Antenna and FCC required Emergency Alert Broadcast System (est. $4,000).
Phase Goal Target Date:
Pre-Launch – recruit core team – Nov. 2025
Website Launch – Go live with streaming & content – Nov. 2025
Full Launch – Official programming begins June, 2026
Risk Management
Challenges:
Limited funding or grants (federal funding has faced drastic cuts).
Technical issues with equipment or streaming
Mitigation:
Diversify funding sources (grants, donations, sponsorships)
Establish training programs and backup systems
Maintain a positive and collaborative volunteer culture
Sample programming schedule
Letters of support from community partners
Website mockups (done)
Original MISSION STATEMENT is as follows and includes modifications that authorizes this
Radio Advisory Committee including a relevant footnotes:
The long term objectives of OPERATION NEW EARTH include empowering individuals and
communities to become self-sufficient. Our principal objectives are both regional and global
and include, but are not limited to, assisting community residents to develop in a self
subsisting eco-friendly manner, create for themselves new opportunities, and seek out new
resources to sustain on-going projects in a manner that thinks locally but realizes global
potential.
Specific initial objectives will include-but not be limited to-organic farming, recycling,
composting projects in the United States with an emphasis on affordable healthy food sources,
healthy diets, sustainable agricultural communities with a companion project of establishing
and promoting recycle factories as currently located in Dharavi, India; Austria, where 60% of
the nation’s waste is recycled; Brazil, where over 500 recycle cooperatives employ 500,000
recycling collectors…
Our foreign projects will include working with (low economic) Vietnamese farmers who are
currently raising and harvesting tea, coffee, salt water pearls, etc., primarily for foreign
enterprises who are actively engaged in vulture capitalism and care little/nothing for the
people/communities that are providing huge profit margins for everyone except the farmers
doing the actual work. ONE intends to become caring global partners with the Vietnamese
farmers and make sure they are provided with a living wage that will elevate standards in their
own families and communities.
To work with victims of herbicidal poison, especially Agent Orange, and work closely with
organizations as the Friendship Village in Hanoi: an American non-profit founded by war
veteran George Mizo who himself died of herbicidal poison issues prior to the official opening
of his labor of love that would survive to treat Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange (Fourth
generation as of this writing); and to network among U.S. veterans, Vietnamese veterans,
civilian victims, and international groups with similar goals and objectives.
In countries like Vietnam, not currently bought off or controlled by special interests, ONE will
investigate the possibility of entering into programs that will develop and promote alternative
energy sources: solar; off grid; biomass; renewable; wind; and/or new energy. ONE will also
continue with individual efforts that endorse and promote projects of a “similar mind” with
Vietnamese authorities as well as Vietnam Television International; Vietnam News Agency;
Voice of Vietnam; Bao Dien Tu; Quan Doi Nhan Dan.
On October 22, 2013 ONE applied for a Low Power FCC radio license for Phenix City, Alabama,
as there are no radio stations in Phenix City or Russell and Lee Counties. We were
professionally assisted by Prometheus Radio and received FRN # 0023057102. We intended to
promote programming featuring women, people of color, ethnic and culture, and providing a
voice to marginalized, overlooked, and suppressed groups (i.e civil and human rights activists).
Within 24 hours of this going public, racist and big corporations in Columbus, Georgia-with the
use of their congressional representatives-had our permits withdrawn and cancelled claiming
our low power station would “interfere” with their 50,000 watt Georgia stations.
On May 13, 2024 ONE was granted a Low Power Broadcast Construction Permit for
Coulterville, California 95311. This time instead of opposition, our nearest sister station KRYZ
98.5 Mariposa is in support of our efforts. We are grateful. We are registered with the
California Secretary of State as CALIFORNIA FOREIGN NON-PROFIT CORPORATION # 6336152
and operate under the laws and guidelines of the Internal Revenue Service and Code of
Federal Regulations 47 parts 70-79 TELECOMMUNICATION.
We will actively be associated with the Aplache Research Foundation (formally associated with
the Coweta Creek Confederacy) and other historical research and preservation projects,
writers, museums, memorial parks, and historical societies. (The Coweta Creek Confederacy
existed before European slavers arrived and was composed of Coweta Creek within what is
now Alabama-Georgia-Florida; the Taino in Puerto Rico; the Arawak in Cuba; and the Maya on
the Yucatan).
Our work on the Gold Rush may be found at:
https://aplacheresearch.com/2023/11/25/premier-thars-gold-in-them-thar-hills/
As the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer (data.HRSA.gov) indicates the 95311 Zip Code is
low income, underserved, and disadvantaged-we will provide programming that addresses the unique issues of our rural, mountainous region, which will include, but not be limited to: drug
use; poverty; lack of medical and mental health services; suicide; teen pregnancy; PTSD;
domestic abuse. Stats that support this follows:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/CDPH%20Document%20Library/ICS_MARIPOSA201
9.pdf
Mariposa County Health Status Profile
An Update on the Epidemics of Opioid Related Overdose Deaths for Central Valley (California
Department of Public Health)
https://www.centralvalleyopioidsafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CVOSC-Opioid-
Dashboard-Data-for-website.pdf
California Veteran Suicide Data Sheet, 2021-Department of Veteran Affairs
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2021/2021-State-Data-Sheet-California-
508.pdf