A new independent, community-focused radio station went live on the Web from studios in the North Center neighborhood on Jan. 17.

The Chicago Independent Radio Project conceived the station in July 2007, and it has taken 120 volunteers of all ages, a pool of independent donors and approximately $60,000 to fund and produce the nonprofit, music-based station.

“The whole idea of community radio is that you have people who have an interest and a passion in radio,” said CHIRP founder and president Shawn Campbell, who has been working in Chicago radio since 1998. “The airwaves are supposed to belong to the public.”

CHIRP operates solely through its Web site because of licensing restrictions that make it difficult for smaller stations to obtain radio licenses.

That could change if the U.S. Senate passes the Local Community Radio Act, which would make it easier for community groups across the country to get licenses to create small, low-power FM stations.

While CHIRP members wait to see if the Local Community Radio Act will become a reality, they’ve been learning how to run a station.

“For the time being, our strength is our knowledge of music,” Dustin Drase, CHIRP’s operations manager, said. “But we do understand that we have a commitment that we are trying to fulfill.”

CHIRP has had a strong public presence for the past two and a half years at community events.

Drase said CHIRP is developing its news department. The station also hopes to host seminars to teach youth and community members how to be a radio DJ.

“A lot of people think that radio isn’t important in people’s lives anymore. What we see, time and time again,” Campbell said, “is that people really do care. They care a lot. They just felt like there wasn’t a radio station anymore that truly spoke to them. Now that there is one, they’re really, really excited about it.”

CHIRP can be heard via their Web site, chirpradio.org.