Community Spotlight: Valley Free Radio
Meet our August 2025 Community Spotlight organization. Valley Free Radio’s seeks to educate, inspire, and entertain through programming that reflects the diversity of the local community. We seek to provide a space for media access and education, placing equipment, skills, and critical tools in the hands of the community. We aim to serve with particular regard for those overlooked or under-represented by other media and to provide for the exchange of cultural and intellectual ideas and music.
When was your organization founded and for what purpose was it established?
Valley Free Radio took the Pioneer Valley by storm (and on air!) with its thought-provoking talk shows and good feeling music. Valley Free Radio is a non-profit independent community radio station. The station is run and operated by volunteers, providing free training in live programming, broadcast equipment technology, digital audio production and editing to its members.
The idea of VFR arose in 2001 from a small committee comprised of Ed Russell who was an audio/recording engineer, pirate radio operator and the creator of locally-produced radio show, Active Ingredients, Will Hall, the founder of the nationally syndicated radio program, Madness Radio, Jackie Scalzo, a radio activist, and David Gowler, a local DJ of original Americana music. These four were inspired by the Prometheus Radio Project. A group of radio activists standing for media democracy by creating a network of non-commercial, community-based low power FM (LPFM) radio stations.
Current VFR member Bob Gardner, who is a co-host of Occupy the Airwaves recounted, “Prometheus Radio Project believed in small democratic community radio. At one time there was no avenue for adding new legal stations before the establishment of LPFM stations and the Local Community Radio Act, so Prometheus supported pirate stations.”
The group wrote an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a low-power FM license. After three years, their application was processed and Valley Free Radio received its construction permit in March of 2004. It was widely publicized and hundreds of local residents joined the effort. The Prometheus Radio Project had a barn raising for VFR in 2005. A three-day event where community radio advocates came to help them build the station, along with having workshops on topics related to programming.
What is one simple thing an individual can do to make a difference in the lives of the folks you serve
Our primary objectives going forward include increasing our visibility locally, maintaining a stable financial foundation, improving our physical space while advancing technologically, and ultimately expanding our reach and impact. Community radio, especially all-volunteer organizations like ours, are rare. There are less than one hundred nation-wide and very few reaching our twenty year milestone! Learn more about their studio here.
And, for businesses, there’s and open invitation to underwriting avenues. Underwriting is a simple, tax-deductible way to gain on-air mentions for your business or event.
Get involved:
Valley Free Radio is celebrating our 20th anniversary on August 9 with an Anniversary party. Music, food, and fun. Open to all, with a suggested $5 donation.
Saturday August 9, 2025 from 4-8 PM at the Northampton Elks Lodge
More details at ValleyFreeRadio.org
How would you describe the impact of the work your organization does?
Valley Free Radio returns the airwaves to the public, providing an alternative to commercial radio. VFR is a welcoming space that encourages social relationships by fostering dialogue and building knowledge and understanding between and within different ethnic, racial, class, linguistic, and other groups that deserve a voice.
Beyond broadcasting, we engage in a wide variety of cultural, educational, and social activities as well as local collaborations which make our presence an integral part of our neighborhood.
The organization has grown to include programmers, volunteers, a board of directors and a variety of committees; all volunteers. We’ve added a second studio to the mix for both live broadcast and pre-programming shows. All along the way, technology has been updated and improved. Streaming of shows including a two-week archive for on-demand listening has transformed the public access to our shows. We continue to add programs every month and welcome new applications.
Currently we have over 50 of our neighbors and community members involved in the station! That’s fifty perspectives on the airwaves representing a broad spectrum of music and public affairs. We provide training, equipment and expertise to all programmers interested in broadcasting. We also provide a unique service to our listening public, offering both local and national perspectives on social issues as well as diverse musical offerings. While we pride ourselves on being uber-local, our streaming service allows our programming to reach worldwide audiences. We are currently streaming actively on five continents and dozens of countries.
