Robert Jackson, former CEO ofFirst Delta Federal Credit Union, is heading an effort to build a50,000-watt radio station to serve as an educational and communityresource for Mississippi Delta residents.

Jackson, who is also currently a Mississippi state senator, isheading up the radio effort as CEO of the Quitman CountyDevelopment Organization Inc. That organization also sponsoredFirst Delta when it opened as Quitman Federal Credit Union in1981.

“We received notification in 2007 that the FederalCommunications Commission was going to make some space availablefor a non-commercial radio station in our area and we were urged toapply,” Jackson said. “We applied and were approved, but anotherorganization also applied and it took from 2007 to April 2014 forthe FCC to settle all the conflicting claims.”

At 50,000 watts, Jackson said, the new station will stronglyoutshine competing nearby stations that tend to broadcast with only5,000 to 10,000 watts. The station's formats will consist ofeducational programming, including financial education, combinedwith gospel and blues music with a little country music thrown in,Jackson said. As a non-commercial radio station, the effort willrely on support from listeners in much the same way other publicradio stations do, along with some corporate and foundationsponsorships.

Because of its public nature, Jackson said QCDO will partnerwith the nearby Cohoma Community College to run the station onceit's open. Managing the station will provide the college's studentswith a practical way of learning and practicing new skills, Jacksonadded.

QCDO has determined the cost for building the station will be$265,000, and Jackson has launched fundraising efforts to pull thesum together. The organization's current goal is $10,000 to fundstartup costs, Jackson said, adding that he had put up a page on apeer-funding website called gofundme.com to meet the initialgoal.

First Delta had grown to $7 million in assets and expanded toserve communities over a three county area by its 25^thanniversary in 2006. However, it was revealed in 2009 that FirstDelta was the victim of a nine-year fraud perpetrated by one of its loan officers. Atthe time, Jackson said the person was known and trusted by everyonein the community. The fraud cost First Delta about $1million andNCUA conserved the credit union before merging it into the Shreveport, La., headquarteredShreveport Federal Credit Union in 2010.