Lightning Cripples Cabool, MO KZGM Radio

A radio station in Texas County, MO is crippled by Mother Nature and has lost the ability to broadcast live.  And KY3 TV reports KZGM KZ88, a listener-supported community radio station, now asks the community for help.  Some believe the station's current lack of live coverage could even affect safety.

"So many times, when we're out here in the rural area that we're in, basically our towns get lost as far as events that go on, activities that go on.  The talent of the people, there's musicians, just all kinds of things, and we wanted to be able to cover them," said KZ88 program director Myron Jackson.

Right now, they're experiencing technical difficulties.

Myron Jackson

"You're listening to KZ88 KZGM.  Early Saturday morning, lightning damaged some of our transmitting equipment," says the message playing on the air at 88.1 FM.

"We found that some data cables that go up to the top of the tower that send our signal basically from our studio to the transmitter either got hit by lightning or it was a near miss by lightning," Jackson said.

Until KZ88 can get the cables on the tower repaired, they won't be able to broadcast live, and that's actually a safety concern for some people in the area.

"We have less to cover than for instance, TV stations, that have a huge area to cover, and when there's multiple warnings going on if a huge front comes through," said Jackson.

He does live weather coverage at all hours, keeping an eye out for his neighbors.

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