|
|
What is the goal of SaveWMCU? (top)
Our primary goal is to see the proposed sale overturned and restore the station back into the hands of Christians. Our secondary goal, if that were to fail, is to see a new Christian radio station comparable in format of WMCU come into place for the Dade County, Broward and Monroe communities.
WMCU was not just a radio station, it was a Ministry that we loved and supported. At 100K Watts of power it was the only Christian radio station with a strong enough signal to get through the prison walls in Miami.
May The Lord bless S. FL and may we end up with several more stations that can reach through prison walls, the walls of lost and seeking souls, as well as be an encouragement to the Christian community once again!
|
Why was WMCU Spirit FM sold? (top)
According to Gary Cantwell TIU's vice-president of communications,WMCU was sold to benefit TIU's educational programs. It was sold for $20 million which will be placed in an endowment for TIU that will not be touched for a number of years, and the school will use the interest to train pastors, missionaries and educators.
What the TIU board in Chicago, IL failed to realize is that WMCU was not only an effective educational device in its own right, it was also a 24hr advertisement billboard for TIU, and they could have reached more pastors, missionaries and educators had they used the resources they already had. The Lord always provides according to his will. As Dr.Larry Poland, states in his open letter, "Money clearly was the issue."
|
Was WMCU Spirit FM in trouble financially? (top)
No, it was 100 percent solvent. Share-a-thons were known to bring in over $1 million a year. In fact, this past Share-a-thon was their best ever.
|
Was TIU in trouble financially? (top)
We have not heard that there was any pressing financial need at TIU.
|
Isn't it too late? Classical music is already playing on 89.7 FM. (top)
We still have ongoing efforts such as an investigation into the sale by the Office of the Florida Attorney General. Also, there are those looking for alternate frequencies, venues, etc. to bring WMCU-like programming back to our area.
|
Couldn't we just find another 100K Watt station? (top)
There are no other 100,000 Watt frequencies available in the Miami area because they are all currently in use.
As Dr.Larry Poland, the founder of WMCU, states in his open letter to TIU.
"Basically, they shut down a ministry that cannot be replaced, and there are no more signals, this was the last signal, and we got it in 1970.
Buying an existing channel would cost at least $20 million, if not $100 million." Some other Christian stations are working to set up translators to reach a small portion of Miami listeners, but their signal will not be anything like what WMCU had and for some the programing is very different.
|
Why is MPR/APMG seeking Christian Radio stations? (top)
We don't know, but WMCU is now the third radio station that they have attempted to buy. The other two Christian radio stations were WCAL, and WGTS . Be sure to play the WTGS You Tube video. Replace the call letters and we think this video expresses how South Florida feels.
|
I heard there was a lawsuit filed against TIU or MPR/APM? (top)
SaveWMCU filed a formal petition with the FCC challenging the transfer of license for 89.7 FM to MPR. Another organization, Christian Family Coalition , has filed a lawsuit in State Court against TIU/MPR.
|
Why was it sold prior to any notice being given to our community? (top)
It is believed that this was handled discreetly as to avoid an uproar in the South Florida Christian community. To the degree that we would have had time to rally and prevent the sale as was done with a similar attempted transaction with WTGS, a Christian station in Washington, D.C. WTGS is still on the air today. We pray we can overturn this attempt to silence Christian broadcasting as they did with the Lords guidance and your assistance!
|
What about the programs that were broadcast free of charge? (top)
Programs like John McArthur, James McDonald, The Active Word, Tony Evans, Focus on the Family need to hear from you!! We need people to flood them with letters. We believe once they are aware of the situation and how many people have been impacted by the loss of this station and their programs getting out to the prisons, the shut-ins, etc., they may, God-willing become involved. You may find their information in the former programs section of this website.
|
What about the NEW WMCU (1080AM)? (top)
WMCU-AM (1080-AM) is NOT a replacement for WMCU-FM (89.7 Spirit FM). There seems to be a lot of confusion about this issue.
WKAT (1360 AM), a Christian talk, no music, commercial format station run by Salem communications, recently acquired a new high powered (50,000 W) AM transmitter at the 1080 AM frequency. They then changed the call letters (for 1080AM) to WMCU. These were AM call letters that had actually been available for some time. They are now calling themselves the "New WMCU". We are glad for their increased signal, but we want people to realize that their station is not in any way a "replacement" for WMCU-FM. WMCU 89.7 Spirit-FM did not "move" to 1080AM. INSTEAD, IN REALITY -- 1360 AM (WKAT) MOVED TO 1080 AM (WMCU)! Their new name does not in any way negate our efforts to try and return Christian programming to 89.7 FM -- which has a 100,000W FM transmitter that reached from Key West to West Palm and also into some of the Caribbean (including Cuba). You can check the Christian Stations link of this website for a list of the Christian stations that are available in the SE section of Florida, mostly Broward County.
|
What can I do to help? (top)
1. Spend time in prayer and ask how the Lord would use you in this effort. Pray for wisdom and discernment for the leadership. Join us as we pray and fast together as a community when a fast is called.
2. Become informed, read the email updates and check the website regularly for new information. (Be sure to fill in your contact info if you have not done so to receive the e-mail updates. Click HERE to sign up.) The e-mail updates are our most effective way of getting information out to the supporters of this effort.
3. Spread the Word. Urge others to sign up with their contact information at this website. It sometimes help to ask them if you can sign up for them. You just need their name, phone number and e-mail address(es). Then go to the CONTACT FORM and sign them up. E-mail the website information to friends, relatives, neighbors, congregation members.
4. Download flyers located on the website and get them distributed as soon as possible.
5. Attend Town meetings at local churches (as announced on the website and on e-mail updates) when possible.
6. Contribute financially. See DONATING TO SAVEWMCU link on the website for information.
7. Ask your pastor to make an announcement or allow you to make an announcement about this website, ask him to spend a few minutes reviewing the website himself. (Be sure to sign him up for the updates.) Help him to understand that this is a much bigger issue than WMCU itself. Ask permission to post the SaveWMCU fliers about the Town Meetings on your churches bulletin boards. Ask to get an announcement in the church bulletin.
8. What ever else the Lord puts on your heart to do!
|
|
|
