Facebook.com/deejackson

The Local Community Radio Act of 2010 created promise for a growing movement towards a more democratic media system in the United States. The bill — which tasked the FCC with licensing thousands of new low power FM stations — was signed by President Barack Obama in 2011 and has had an effect on Tampa Bay’s radio landscape, too.

WURK 96.3 FM — a new, low frequency power, nonprofit community radio station co founded by Horace Bailey and Dee Jackson — had its first broadcast late last month, and its small team of volunteers wants to make a big impact on the working-class community of East and West Tampa.

“WURK — it’s basically ‘work,” James Green, Jr., Community Outreach Director for the station told CL when asked about the call letters. “Blue collar, working people — grassroots.”

The 501(c)(3) owned and operated by the Rainbow Heights Neighborhood Association and Crime Watch Inc. broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be heard within a 10 mile radius of downtown Tampa. There is no paid staff at the moment, and Green, who got involved with the organization two years ago, told CL that a partnership with the Tampa Housing Authority will eventually allow them to move to a location off of Rome Avenue and Main Street where they’ll expand youth outreach programs that aim to teach community members the ins and outs of radio broadcasting and journalism.

The station operates at 100 watts of power, and their overall vision is to contribute to and shape the quality of life in all of Hillsborough County. By comparison, WMNF 88.5 FM, a 37-year-old nonprofit community radio station located just two miles away from WURK operates with 70,000 watts. Clear Channel’s WFLZ 93.3 FM, a commercial radio station, operated at about 100,000 watts.

Programming on WURK is eclectic and global. It includes talk, news, R&B, jazz, easy listening, hip-hop, reggae, Latin music and also high school football. Green says the station can probably get by on $150,000 a year and relies on underwriting and individual membership to fund the station.

“We’re calling our members the ‘Labor Pool,” Green said, “because we’re all going to work every day.”

You can tune in to the station on 96.3 FM in Tampa or listen online now. Look for more news as their outreach grows.

A previous version of this story referred to WURK as low frequency. It's actually about mid-frequency. We regret the error.