Community Jazz Station Raising Some Dough

CAPE MAY- It’s the cool, little community radio station in Cape May with the big jazz voice, WCFA/LP 101.5 FM.
The LP is for Low Power, a special class of community stations that broadcast to an area of two to four miles. The FCC created this class of radio station in 2000 despite opposition from commercial broadcasters.
Currently, there are over 800 such stations on the air.
WCFA is about to celebrate its seventh anniversary. It broadcasts from a humble former church parsonage across from the Cape May fire station. It’s less visible these days, no longer located in the yellow house on Lafayette Street next to the church converted into condos.
WCFA will eventually join the Center for Community Arts, its sponsoring organization, in the Franklin Street School when restoration is complete.
Station Manager Bernadette Matthews said WCFA has had significant growth since its inception in the form of more DJ’s and in its variety of programs. The station opens its doors to local musicians to play live in the studio Sundays at 4 p.m. on “Open Mic.”
Matthews said the number of the WCFA’s underwriters has grown. The station’s LP designation is in line with its 100-watt signal that covers a surprisingly large area from a tower in Wildwood Crest.
Officially the signal stretches from Cape May Point to Garden State Parkway Exit 13 in Court House.
“On a good day, you’ll catch it over in Lewes, Del. as well as further up on the parkway,” said Matthews.
She describes the format as eclectic jazz which includes all the jazz genres from Dixieland, Be Bop, Swing to Fusion.
On specific shows, DJ’s play other types of music their underwriters approve.
The weekly schedule includes a traditional jazz show hosted by former Cape May Mayor Jerry Gaffney, a Celtic Hour with Harry Patterson, and “Country Beat” with Ed McDonough and “Theatre of the Mind,” with Ray Crew.
Matthews gets behind the microphone Thursdays at 6 p.m. for “What’s Goin’ On, a news/public affairs show. The station has room for more volunteer announcers, in particular on Friday mornings.
As finances allow, she said would like to see more young people participating on air on WCFA. Matthews said she would also like more live remote broadcasts of political and social events.
The station would also like to live stream its signal on the web, so the little station with the big voice could be heard throughout the planet.
A substantial portion of the station’s operating budget is raised by an annual event. WCFA’s annual Soup-er Bowl Supper & Auction was postponed last month due to snow.
It has been rescheduled to March 1 from 6 to 9 pm at the West Cape May Fire Hall, 732 Broadway. There will be homemade soups, a salad bar, and desserts for a $12 contribution at the door.
A live auction with Auctioneer John Alvarez will include a wide variety of items from gift baskets to small furniture. There will also be bag auctions available as well.
For more information, call the Center for Community Arts at 884-7525.