On Air with KXRW

Stuck at a traffic light, I stared at the back of the red SUV in front of me. A sticker they had slapped on their bumper caught my eye. It read 99.9 KXRW, Vancouver: Independent. Radio. 

I was immediately skeptical. Why does Vancouver have an independent radio station? And what does it sound like? 

The questions swirled around my brain, and as soon as I got within arm’s length of a computer, I began to dig into this mysterious station. The reason for my obsession is simple: Radio is my life. 

In 2004, I graduated from college with a broadcasting degree with the dream of one day being one of those people you hear on the radio. I imagined myself reading the news or traffic, and I believed that if I worked hard, I could be one of the personalities you listened to as you headed out into your morning commute. 

I jumped into the industry with both feet and took whatever job I was offered. My first experience in radio was as a promotions assistant. I went from place to place, putting up radio station tents and handing out bumper stickers (like the one I would later see on the red SUV). From there, I weaseled my way into the newsroom where they allowed me to give traffic updates during the midnight to 5 a.m. shift. I thought I had hit the big time when I was offered my own morning show in the smallest Colorado town anyone had ever seen. Among the cows and empty mountain ranges, I felt like a star. 

In the radio business you move around a lot, and my life changed when I got hired to do the news for an AM station in Las Vegas, where I met my future husband. The two of us pretended we were a hit morning radio show in the production studios on the weekends and eventually started recording our fake show. It took a lot of courage, but we decided to send our demo to a radio station in Indiana and were surprisingly hired as their new morning show.

The crazy radio industry has taken us nationwide, but our most recent stop has been the Pacific Northwest. Over 4 years ago, we were hired as the morning show on 99.5 The Wolf, and we have been known as the Married Morning Show ever since. 

So, the thought of the city I call home having an independent radio station sent me into a Google frenzy. I know what it takes to build a radio station, and I had to know who was crazy enough to do this. 

That person was Susan Galaviz. 

In 2012, Galaviz and her husband listened to AM 620 KPOJ regularly and loved that they showcased local voices and talked about community issues. “We didn’t start our day without it. Then, one day, it was just off the air!” Galaviz chuckles with a sigh.  

Her favorite AM talk station had been switched to a national sports station in an all-too-common radio move. All local voices were removed from the station and replaced with national radio talent. She swore then that she would try to bring back community voices to the radio dial. However, had she known then how arduous a task it would be, she may have thought twice before pursing this dream. “Running a radio station is a different can of worms! But I can give it a shot!” Galaviz remembers thinking during those early years. 

Starting from Scratch

Persistent, Galaviz teamed up with KXRW’s Portland sister station XRAY.FM and the Media Institute for Social Change. Armed with a talented board of directors and engineering friends, KXRW was given an FCC construction permit. Getting that license was the first significant hurdle when building a radio station, but Galaviz’s struggles were far from over. 

Next, it was time to find people who knew how to create and produce meaningful local content, consistently and on a volunteer basis. “Such is the life of a growing nonprofit where all money raised goes directly toward rising operational costs and why community support is so important,” says Galaviz.

Luckily for Galaviz, who had years of experience organizing large PTA events, she could convince someone in white gloves to order a ketchup popsicle. Additionally, she had experience in marketing with a local Spanish television program on KUNP Univision. She continued checking off the tasks that needed to be done and looking ahead to the next step. With the license and talent in place, it was time to get on the air, but that takes a significant amount of money, to the tune of $30,000. 

Broadcasting equipment, an antenna and more permits are all expensive and tedious to get, and to top it off, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) only allows broadcasters a chance for one construction permit extension. Everything needs to be perfect and in place before the paperwork is submitted. 

But in the Pacific Northwest, Mother Nature has her own ideas. An ice storm hit in the winter of 2017 which delayed the broadcasting equipment delivery. Galaviz and her team pleaded with the FCC for more time, and the FCC made a rare exception. This gave the motley crew of broadcasters the time they needed to get the station operational. “It came so close to not happening at all, but we did it!” says Galaviz.

The hard work paid off and on March 1, 2017, KXRW 99.9 FM could be heard officially on Vancouver’s radio airwaves. Galaviz, founder and president of KXRW remembers being teary-eyed driving down the road and seeing the KXRW call letters for the first time on her car radio dial. She says she felt overwhelmed with gratitude for her team and the many community members who believed and donated to help make KXRW Vancouver 99.9 FM a reality for our community.

Another milestone was reached a year later when the station received its nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, allowing any donations to KXRW to be tax deductible, which is how all public, independent radio stations can survive. The mission statement is clear: KXRW is an independent, volunteer-powered, values-driven, community-supported nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering quality programming with an emphasis on local voices and is committed to sharing knowledge and information to build a stronger community, based on inclusion, diversity and social justice in Southwest Washington and beyond. 

The first broadcast was exciting because the station was finally on the air, but as soon as the station began to pick up steam, Galaviz quickly realized it takes a lot to run a live station. It needs content, and lots of it. Since the station never stops, the team needed to add new shows to feed the 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week beast that is radio. 

New Shows, New Stories

“It was nerve-wracking because that’s the next thing,” says Galaviz. “We got the station on the air, but to do live radio 24-7 is a huge feat. You have to build up your programs, and we only had three or four to start out.” The roster of volunteer producers, hosts and storytellers began to grow quickly which increased the diversity of the programming. Thanks to community interest, KXRW began covering all aspects of the Southwest Washington experience. “Our growth is exciting, but with that growth comes more operational cost and why we really need more monthly members and monthly business sponsors partnering with us doing on-air ad campaigns for their business on our programming. It’s a win-win!” says Galaviz.

Programming includes interviews with mental health experts, local elected officials, political candidates, founders of local nonprofits and business leaders and community members doing amazing things.

One of these local experts is Dr. Loretta Shields, a relationships specialist. She started at the station by being on another show called “The Women’s Mosaic” and realized how much fun it was to be part of the radio community. 

She went on to create her own show, “Heart to Heart.” “The show talks about ways to build healthy relationships with people in your everyday life,” says Dr. Shields. “This combines my background in public and pastoral counseling. From public health, we know that having healthy social support systems is associated with positive health outcomes. From pastoral counseling, we give people tools and techniques to build, nurture, and heal their relationships from the inside out. Each episode explains one relationship tool people can use to build healthy and happy relationships, such as communication tools, understanding personality styles, and using emotional intelligence.” 

Dr. Shields believes a show like hers is needed in Southwest Washington because everyone can benefit from the information she is putting out. “Hopefully [the listeners] see themselves in the content. I use examples from my personal life to make it come alive and to let them know that everyone has problems with their relationships and that it is OK. However, we don’t have to settle for mediocre relationships if we are willing to make small changes and interact with people in the healthiest ways possible. My hope is that they are now empowered to build, nurture and heal their relationships from the inside out.”

Fixing and improving relationships is not usually a benefit of listening to the radio, but that is what makes KRXW unique. Their commitment to diversity and inclusion distinguishes them from other radio stations because they have a program for every part of their audience. 

“I’m With Her and She’s with Me” is a program hosted by Amy and Renee Wilson. Galaviz approached the two when she heard about their unique individual stories and how they came together as a couple since Renee is transgender and Amy is cisgender. At that point, transgender individuals were not yet represented on KRXW, and Galaviz thought the community could benefit from their program that covers a variety of current topics.

“Our show is [about] empowering and inspiring women,” says Wilson. “Educating men on women’s perspectives and bringing all walks of life together to find common ground.” The show has been met with praise and acceptance. “We have found far more people are interested and supportive of our mission than those that aren’t. It’s been a wonderful experience to see that our community is full of people who want to grow, learn, and gain understanding,” says Wilson. 

Mike Selig hosts the show “Good Ship Earth,” where parents learn how to build a better future for their children and how to improve our country’s systems. Selig is one of the original members of KRXW and has been with Galaviz since the radio station’s inception. Other programs include “Internal Chatter,” hosted by Melissa Beatty and Staci Hunter, which focuses on mental health; “Flick Fix” is a movie review show by host Austin Read; and there is even a show focusing on local sports called “Sportslandia” with host Darrin Cline. Plus, the station supports local bands and plays world music, two things traditional terrestrial radio cannot do. 

Each show is prerecorded either in the KXRW recording studio or in the home studios of the different producers. When finished, they are uploaded into the automation system, ready for air. Producers must know how to produce and make their recorded program sound professional, which is a different skill set than writing the show itself. Oftentimes, volunteer broadcasters learn to become field reporters or technical support specialists to start on the path to producing their very own shows. 

Technical support and mentor assignments to help someone wanting to learn how to make great radio are guided by KXRW’s operation and production director, Steven Glickman. “Steven’s role is huge in helping us grow our programming and I am forever grateful to him,” says Galaviz.

So, if you’ve ever been told you have a voice for the radio or have an idea to lift up and inspire the community, this is your time to show what you’ve got. “I really love it when I get someone who has a passion for having their voice heard with meaningful content, and that our community can learn and benefit from. I’ve known people who knew nothing about the production work who are off and running now,” says Galaviz, adding, “There is something very special about community radio that brings together some of the most authentic, creative and kindhearted people you’ll ever meet. We share a passion to educate, inform and inspire through our programming because, after all, an informed community is a healthier community.”

In my career as a radio professional, it’s refreshing to see the passion and support behind this independent station. A terrestrial radio station rarely survives the challenges KXRW has had to face. Galaviz and her crew have made something beautiful that truly captures the spirit of Southwest Washington. So, throw the station on tonight while washing the dishes or cooking dinner. You’re likely walk away entertained, educated and inspired by your fellow Washingtonians. 

Read the Full March 2024 issue below.

KXRW Vancouver programming can be heard in Vancouver and the greater Portland area on the 99.9 FM signal, in addition to XRAY’s 91.1 and 107.1 FM frequencies. They also archive and stream the programming on their website, XRAY.FM, as well as the XRAY.FM app.

For more information on programming, and how to support and/or get involved with KXRW Vancouver Radio go to kxrw.fm. Music submissions can be sent to submitmusic@kxrw.fm and all other inquiries can be sent to susan.galaviz@kxrw.fm.

Go here to read more about local radio in Clark County.