If there’s any question in your mind that Portland is ready for a new progressive community radio station, take a look at XRAY.FM. They’ve blown their Kickstarter fundraiser out of the water—as of this writing they’ve raised over $70,000, with their original goal having only been $40,000, so now they’re going for 80k. They’ve also made a fresh video about how they’ll use this monetary surplus, which features a puggle and a young lady with a boom mic. The new, more financed plans include an upgraded, larger studio that will allow them to air live interviews and performances (yes please), and enhance the overall vision of a station that “ignites both hemispheres of the brain with music, talk, culture, and more.”

Those who remember the old PRA will appreciate the fact that XRAY.FM has inherited its gear, and the new station claims to have already recruited 75 local DJs (the Oregonian names Maggie Vail, Rev Shines, Beyonda, and Cooky Parker among them, along with emissaries from places and orgs like PDX Pop Now!, Holocene, and Mississippi Records), and is bringing back progressive radio personalities Carl Wolfson and Thom Hartmann (formerly of KPOJ).

The scope of what they plan to cover is delightfully wide, including “food, history, comedy, music, and game changers… The groundbreaking Lund Report will bring you health policy news. Carla Axtman from Blue Oregon and former KPOJ wildcard Adam Klugman will report current events. Bitch Media will bring their feminist perspective to pop culture with Popaganda. Listeners will enjoy Kickass Oregon History’s take on our past. We will innovate with new shows, including programs from Native American voices, a Non-Profit Hour, a ‘Millennial Retort’ focusing on next generation doers, and a food report from Feast co-founders Carrie Welch and Mike Thelin.”

The people on the station’s include board include Tiga/Beech St. co-owner Maryam Hanafi Troncelliti, Relapse Records founder/Sizzle Pie and White Owl co-owner Matthew Jacobson, and Bunk Bar owner Matt Brown, with Dig A Pony co-owner Aaron Hall co-directing music programming—in short, it’s kind of a dream team, and the potential could be pretty huge—especially if their signal is strong enough to be the new default station in cars and kitchens across the city. (There’s also talk of developing an app for it.) If you want to throw some money at their ability to make a powerful entrance, Friday is the last day to donate. Let the puggle help you decide (the original video is below, but you’ll have to visit the page to see the update video, which is where the puggle really gets to shine):

Marjorie Skinner is the Portland Mercury's Managing Editor, author of the weekly Sold Out column chronicling the area's independent fashion and retail industry, and a frequent contributor to the film and...

6 replies on “XRAY.FM Is Killing It”

  3. It’s a little disheartening to learn that the actual FM signal will be only 8 watts, and that there seems to be more of a focus of creating a venue than a stronger signal, aka a bona fide radio station. I can get behind an internet radio station, but I doubt an “Internet radio station kickstarter” would be able to rally $80k. I was behind the idea of XRAY and excited for the prospect of new radio in this town, but given the range I doubt I’ll ever hear it. I do hope this is just the beginning and that XRAY is successful, but I kind of feel misdirected by the campaign.

    http://feedback.pdxradio.com/topic/kxry-fm

  4. Also disappointed to find out that they’re not starting off with any kind of real signal. Here’s hoping they boost it before it’s too late.

  5. Wow! Thanks to Marjorie for the blog love!

    To people concerned about the signal: Actually, the license that we are holding goes up to 100 watts (and we are also working on ways to get it boosted ASAP). We are working hard every day to get the signal out to the largest area possible. We will be streaming all of our content online as well. Thanks for the concern, we also want to get XRAY.fm out to as many people as possible in radio land.

    <3 XRAY.fm

  6. Sometimes you have to start small in order to get a project off the ground, if they succeed and are supported then I am sure they will boost the signal.

    Portland is dying for something like this.

    I’m behind XRAY 100%

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