Pensacola is getting a new hub for community collaboration in the form of a radio station appropriately named Free Radio Pensacola.
The project began as an idea among radio enthusiasts seeking to bridge the cultural corridor from New Orleans to Miami through a DIY radio station situated in the heart of Pensacola.
“A free-form community radio station that over the years will begin to be molded and shaped by the community in which it is broadcasting,” said Coy Glass, co-founder of FRP. “So, something that is uniquely Pensacola and that will, you know, amplify local stories and voices and local music, as well as regional themes.”
FRP leadership is looking at a gradual buildup of broadcasts, beginning with highly curated music programming while over time adding programs originating from the local community.
“It’s eventually going to be freeform community radio,” Glass said. “At first, while we’re getting started, obviously, we will be curated. It’s just going to be music-type programming until we get a strong community response and get people that want to make shows and that are making shows consistently. Because that’s what we really need is consistency. People that are motivated and interested, passionate, but also consistent.”
The goal of FRP is to have an open opportunity for community members to broadcast their voices and their art on a public platform aimed at strengthening the artistic roots of the area.
“The idea is that over time we will evolve into a community station,” said Sean Linezo, co-founder of FRP. “But before people can go on air, there are some basic responsibilities that should be understood and practiced.”
Basic responsibilities include FCC rules and guidelines as well as other radio standards that any broadcaster follows to maintain a license.
FRP is hosting the 2026 Grass Roots Radio Conference this weekend in Pensacola, which will culminate in a launch party on Saturday at the historic Bunny Club to celebrate the first broadcasts of the station. The conference will feature voices of all backgrounds in public radio from across the country, including Musician Dave Dondero, Pacifica Network’s Ursula Ruedenberg, and InWeekly Publisher Rick Outzen.
“It’ll be bringing in experts from all over the country to our front door, into our house while we’re standing up our own little community,” said Glass. “The idea is to have a barn raising and turn our antenna on at the same time that we gather all the experts in the field here to celebrate with us.”
FRP’s goal for the conference isn’t just to celebrate the launch of the network either. They intend for the three-day event to act as an opportunity for community education where anyone interested can come and participate in learning workshops aimed at fostering a growing interest in public radio.
“Probably the bigger part is actually an opportunity for the community to come out and learn from these experts,” said Glass, “That’s sort of how we’ve designed it. Are you interested? That’s great. Come to the conference and learn how to make radio. Learn about radio, the mechanics of it, not just how to talk into a microphone, but the other parts of it. It’s really just an opportunity for us as a new station to bring all that vast knowledge here, and then as a community it’s a chance for us to come together and learn how to make radio.”
“So, c’mon Pensacola, turn on and tune into what’s happening,” added Linezo. “Check out the conference, check out freeradiopensacola.com, and learn what ya can. If you’re interested in something other than talk radio and algorithmic playlists, consider supporting our efforts to develop a community radio station dedicated to music, arts, culture, and experimentation.”
Free Radio Pensacola’s antenna went up Monday, September 23, with the final bolts securing the tower going in while a fiddler on the roof provided an appropriate soundtrack to mark the occasion. The scene set a perfect example of a group attempting to achieve something adventurous and unpredictable while maintaining the tradition of DIY radio in a rapidly changing technological world.
The station will officially launch Saturday, September 26 broadcasting on frequency WPNX 107.7 FM at the conclusion of the Grassroots Radio Conference. The GRC will take place Thursday, September 24, through the 26th, centered at the Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center, 117 E. Government Street. The conference will conclude Saturday night with a launch party at Pensacola’s historic Bunny Club on West Belmont Street.
