Wed, Feb 10 2010
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Published October 05, 2008 12:23 am - It wasn't what she'd planned on. In fact, the thought really didn't even enter her mind, until that trip to Portland. And even afterward -- after the trip was over and she'd done the research -- she still wasn't keen on the idea. Progressive radio the goal for local activist By M. Scott Carter It wasn't what she'd planned on.
In fact, the thought really didn't even enter her mind, until that trip to Portland. And even afterward -- after the trip was over and she'd done the research -- she still wasn't keen on the idea. But Mary Francis believes in community. She's big on diversity. And she likes to hear other voices. So the self-described hippie-turned-community-activist decided to roll up her sleeves and give the project a shot. And now, she's trying to build a radio station -- from the ground up. "I have a friend in Houston," she said. "We met in Portland at a Unitarian General Assembly and got to talking. She realized she'd heard me on her local radio station doing a commentary about the trial of a soldier who refused to go to Iraq." That conversation proved to be a pivotal one. "Later that summer, I met another friend who told me the Federal Communications Commission was taking applications for a new public station." One conversation led to another and soon Francis was considering trying to start a progressive, public radio station in Norman. "I wrestled with the idea for about a week," she said. "Then I finally said OK." Since then Francis has hired an attorney, found an engineer, raised money and filed an application with the FCC -- all for a dream that she really hadn't planned on. A dream to fight, what she believes, is an ever-growing increase of right-wing religious broadcasters. 
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