Praise to raise the power

Praise 96.3, Seymour’s very own radio station, will soon be broadcasting with extra power. A new 6000-watt transmitter, representing a $30,000 investment in the station and the Seymour community, will be pumping out the dulcet tones of Praise’s gospel playlist by the end of this week. “I got a call from our engineer on Sunday, March 14, to say that our old transmitter had suffered a meltdown,” Doug Hutchinson, Managing Partner of the locally-owned station, told The Herald. “That was our original transmitter that was purchased new when our station opened thirteen years ago.” The old transmitter was in sad shape, and when the engineer informed him that the repairs were going to cost around $5,000 to bring it back online, Hutchinson made the decision to go ahead with the major purchase. “We weren’t really forced into making the purchase,” Hutchinson said, “But it is a state-of-the-art, high fidelity transmitter, and our listeners should readily note the difference in signal quality.” Hutchinson and the crew at Praise are excited about the possibilities that the new equipment represents. “Now that it’s all said and done, I think it will be a blessing in disguise,” Hutchinson said. “An investment of this size makes the statement that we’re not going anywhere, and that we’re here to serve the Seymour community and provide the best possible service.” The station has been around long enough to see Seymour change a great deal. “We’ve been a part of the Seymour community for 13 years,” Hutchinson said. “Our physical license is in Seymour, and even though our offices are just over the Knox County line, our real ties are to Seymour. With the growth we’re experiencing now, it’s a tremendous opportunity for new businesses and new residents. The Praise 96.3 offices are located at 7101 Chapman Highway, and they can be reached by phone at 577-4885 or online at www.praise963.com.