Financial writer Richard Schroeder reports on how this small American rural radio station keeps Springville informed and itself in business. When the disk jockey at radio station WFWC delivers the weather report, all he has to do is look past his control board and out the studio's storefront window to see what the shoppers coming to adjacent stores in the Franklin Street plaza are wearing.
People feel free to pop in and say hello and drop off notices of community events.
When the local police shift turns over, we update them on the latest items on the village police blotter. And we are always looking for community news. The station has followed closely plans to open in Springville a large discount store, part of a national chain of stores that are noted for providing tough competition for local businesses. WFWC also keeps Springville residents up to date on developments at a controversial experimental nuclear repository being operated by the federal government in nearby West Valley, New York. WFWC is one of about 5,000 AM radio stations in the United States, more than half of which serve small towns and villages.