Redwood Radio Project
Local Info when you need it.
No Electricity. No Cell Service. No Subscription required.
What’s This all about?
Redwood Radio Project is a Monte Rio-based effort to build an ad-free, low power, public safety-focused local radio station before a Feb. 6, 2027, FCC deadline makes this dream highly unlikely in the future.
Our Mission
To support our neighbors and visitors before, during, and after disasters by providing accurate, highly local, specific, data-driven information to help make decisions that save lives and property — especially when the power’s out, you’ve lost cell service, or your cell phone’s dead.
Our plan is to expand into community news, features, local DJ sets, and other entertaining programming after we meet our initial mission.
Our Team
Led by a freelance journalist and Monte Rio resident of 10 years, the team encompasses long-time radio engineers who live in Monte Rio, Villa Grande, Occidental, and Santa Rosa.
We’re also operating under the guidance of a well-respected Low Power FM consultant with experience standing-up stations in tricky terrain.
Our Listeners
Redwood Radio Project plans to serve Monte Rio and Villa Grande, but the opportunity could exist to expand our audience to other areas in the future.
According to FEMA’s National Risk Index, Monte Rio and Villa Grande fall in the second highest risk category based on a federal analysis of natural hazards, expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
Our Problem
Our power cuts out often, and our cell signals aren’t great to begin with. Throw in a fire, flood, earthquake or other civil disturbance and we’re quickly incommunicado, a dangerous proposition when our few evacuation routes can be flooded, washed out, or blocked by fallen redwoods or active fire.
We want to ensure our neighbors have critical, hyperlocal information when electricity and cell service fails.
Remember this: Power’s Out. Turn on. Tune in.
Our Plan
In the next few months, we need to raise roughly $40,000 to deploy a Low Power FM radio station, build the broadcast apparatus locally, and meet all FCC filing requirements.
Once broadcasting, we’ll be tied-into the national Emergency Alert and Public Warning systems and the county’s emergency operations center, ensuring listeners get information and direction from local, state, and federal officials in times of crisis — whether or not you have electricity, a cell signal, or a charged cell phone.
We’ll provide updates with data from organizations including the California-Nevada River Forecast Center, NOAA, and the National Weather Service. And we’ll shoot to highlight the kind of local info you don’t get from KSRO or KRCB: that there’s a tree down on Monte Vista Terrace, which stair the water has reached at the beach parking lot, and what Baxman’s up to.
