NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974). News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: June 10, 2013 Matthew Berry, 202-418-2005 Email: Matthew.Berry@fcc.gov STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI ON WRDN, REEL COUNTRY 1430 AM Durand, Wisconsin is a small town of about 1,900 people. Set on the banks of the Chippewa River, Durand is about 200 miles northwest of Madison, 80 miles southeast of Minneapolis, and 30 miles west of Eau Claire, a straight shot along Wisconsin Trunk 85. I’ve never been to Durand (although I hope to go someday), but I know many towns like it, including the one where I grew up. In places like Durand, a local radio station is an important way— sometimes one of the only ways—for folks to feel like they really are a part of the community. On May 13, 2013, I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Winnekins of Durand. Brian and his wife Karla own and operate WRDN, Reel Country 1430 AM. Brian talked to me about the invaluable service WRDN provides to people in and around Durand and about some of the problems his station faces. Brian also gave me a folder full of letters. The first letter described some of his ideas for improving the AM band. The rest of the letters were from citizens of Durand and nearby Arkansaw. They mentioned how grateful they were to Brian and Karla for buying the license to WRDN and bringing it back on the air in 2012, after five years of radio silence. They discussed how much they appreciated having radio coverage of local events like high school sports (WRDN is the home of the Durand Panthers). And several noted that WRDN helped local residents who were elderly or physically impaired stay informed about goings on around town, such as church services and weather updates. These letters had a strong impact on me. With Brian’s permission, and after making redactions of certain personal information, I’ve posted the letters along with this statement so that you can read them too. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of AM radio. And it’s no revelation that I’d like the Federal Communications Commission to start an initiative to revitalize the AM band. I hope that the words of these Wisconsinites, along with the everyday hard work of AM operators like Brian and Karla Winnekins, help illustrate why it’s important for us to do so. There are so many people in the Durands of America who could benefit from that effort.