New Beginning Radio, WKOT 102.1 FM, may be just over one year old and still cutting its teeth in the local radio market, but, like any new baby, this one is growing fast — very fast. If the Federal Communications Commission gives the nod, the station could be broadcasting to as far away as Plant City in eastern Hillsborough County and Lakeland in Polk County.
“It’s a Christian radio station that is second to none,” said Pastor William Cable of New Beginning Baptist Church in the Balm area. The station broadcasts 24/7 all year.
New Beginning Radio was born at the church in April 2014 when the station first began streaming online. It currently reaches most of South County as well as Brandon, a potential audience of 192,000.
The station, which cost $30,000 to start and about $400 a month to run, is defined as a Low Power FM community station, broadcasting with 100 watts of power — a toddler when compared with larger commercial stations. However, if the FCC approves a requested increase to 250 watts, New Beginning Radio would have a much clearer signal locally and significantly greater reach.
All of which suits associate pastor and station manager Bill Thompson just fine.
“The 100 percent goal is spreading the gospel,” said Thompson, who first suggested the idea of a radio station to Pastor Cable about two and a half years ago. The initial license from the FCC arrived in March 2014.
“He [Thompson] came to me and asked if I had ever thought of having a radio station,” Cable said. “We looked into it and then started the groundwork, getting the antenna and all the apparatus for the transmitter.”
“I used to have a radio show in St. Petersburg, and looked into it, and there had never been a station out in this area,” said Thompson.
“So,” said Thompson, “I thought, how about a Christian radio station the way it used to be — with preaching, teaching, children’s programs, good heart-warming music, news and community updates? The way it used to be.”
And when Thompson heard the FCC was accepting applications for low-power FM stations, WKOT was born.
Thompson is confident the station will win approval from the FCC in the very near future to broadcast a stronger signal.
“Which will mean people will be able to listen to us in their homes,” Thompson added.
WKOT’s signal currently will come through clearly in a car but the power boost would mean a much stronger signal, able to penetrate the walls of most homes. “It’s going to make a huge difference,” said station manager Thompson.
While there is a core group of faithful listeners — broadcasting online, the station also has fans in China and Russia — Cable and Thompson hope to see the number of listeners increase as more people tune in for the first time.
“I think we have been slow growing because we really haven’t gotten the word out,” Cable said. “So we are in the process now of beating the bushes. The more people know that it is there, the greater opportunity we have of someone recommending it to someone else.”
A community station, WKOT also welcomes any community news or announcements, which they will broadcast for free four to five times a day as part of a community bulletin.
New Beginning Baptist Church was founded in spring 2005 by Cable. The congregation started small, renting out the Balm Civic Center to serve as the church, with Wednesday night services held at Cable’s home. Services were moved permanently to Cable’s home because the church could no longer afford to rent the civic center.
Two years and one generous benefactor later, the church moved into used school portable facilities, which the church used for services. Now, with a congregation of almost 100, New Beginning also hosts a family movie night every other Friday and buses in children from Riverview every week, providing them with clothes and food.
The church, which describes itself as an “Independent, fundamental, King James Bible-believing-church,” offers Sunday morning and evening services as well as Wednesday night services. There is also a Sunday school at 10 a.m.
Cable said, “We have no paid staff at our church — from our Sunday School ministry to our radio ministry. Nobody comes here for a check. We don’t have a big base, but the ones that we have are people that are dedicated.”
For more information on New Beginning Baptist Church, 15926 Carlton Lake Road, Wimauma, visit the church’s website, www.nbb.church or call 813-404-7487
Listen to NBB online at www.nbbradio.org. For more information about the station, call 813-343-1491.