NORWAY – The Commons Music Collective thinks it’s about time that Oxford Hills had its own community radio station.

And they want other people who think the same way to get in touch with them.

Member Heather Pierson said the collective was barnstorming ideas at a recent meeting on how to promote the open-mike concerts at the Unitarian Church.

“I just happened to say, ‘What this area needs is a community radio station,'” Pierson said. “Everybody was like ‘wow’ and went crazy.”

The collective, a group of local musicians and music aficionados, had been discussing the concept for a month before making the idea public.

Pierson said the group believes it would be a great way to promote local music and musical events. She sees it as a boon for theater groups, libraries, historical societies and other community entities.

She said it would be a great central location to find out what is going on culturally.

“I think there are a lot of people who want something different, something more interesting,” Pierson said. “Since we have been doing this open-mike night, we realized how much talent there is in Oxford Hills.”

Currently, collective members are gathering information on forming a radio station and Pierson said she expects a committee would soon be formed to handle the process.

She said one collective member recently downloaded a document from the Internet outlining the struggles a community radio station in Missouri went through to get established.

“It took a lot of perseverance and dedication and it was inspiring to me that something like that can happen,” Pierson said. “I’m really excited about the possibility and believe the support is there once people are introduced to the idea.”

She said she is aware of the realities needed – a building, tower, equipment, license from the Federal Communications Commission and people.

“We think there are enough people here willing to make it happen,” she said.

Those interested in being part of a community radio station may phone Pierson at 935-4505 in the evening or e-mail her at vesselrecordings@yahoo.com.

Pierson said she may also be reached at the open-mike coffeehouse event at 7 p.m Friday at the Unitarian Church, 479 Main St., or come to the collective’s next meeting at 7 p.m. July 30 at the Fare Share Commons on 443 Main St.

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