Somali Community Outlet Launches in Minneapolis

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Mahamed and Will in the KALY studio

A new low power FM outlet is now broadcasting Somali music and Somali language talk programming in the Twin Cities. KALY-FM (101.7) began broadcasts from its South Minneapolis location on the Eid al-Adha holiday on September 24. Prometheus Radio Project worked with the new station, operated by the nonprofit Somali American Community, to build the studio, install the broadcast equipment and train volunteers in its operation.

The station will provide basic information like weather updates as well as conversations about issues affecting the tens of thousands of Somali people in the state of Minnesota. "This is the first Somali FM radio station in the U.S. and it's in Minnesota," said Director of KALY Mahamed Cali, adding, "oh my goodness, everyone is excited."

KALY will help new immigrants navigate life in America with instruction on "how to communicate, how to order at a restaurant, talk to their landlord, how the system of education works, how the country works," he said.

"In a media landscape dominated by national networks and clickbait headlines, low power FM is media at its most local," said Prometheus Radio Project Technical Director Will Floyd. "Stations like KALY and WEQY return local flavor to our media and are part of a larger movement of localism and community investment."