Here is a visionary idea. Probably it is not practical at the moment, but I thought about it and if an idea can be thought than it is possible to make into reality.
Check out:
KYOU Radio
The above link will take you to a San Francisco commercial radio station that is turning its total programming (over the air and via computer) over to listeners via Podcasting. Listeners develop the content and the broadcasters provide the scheduling.
What is Podcasting: The technology is a new take on syndicated content feeds like RSS. But instead of pushing text from blogs and news sites to various content aggregators, podcasting sends audio content directly to an iPod or other MP3 player (i.e., browser). It works and feels like radio. Podcasting and its spin-offs will up-end traditional radio and television broadcasting.
Based on the Podcasting concept, my idea is to propose that a consortium of local charities in cities across the country form and purchase one of their local AM/FM radio stations and turn it into a dedicated charity focused broadcasting facility (e.g., WCHR). The consortium would share the broadcast channel and use it for fund raising (i.e., radiothons), charity awareness, specific needs (blood donations, transplant donations, volunteers, etc.), and other community projects.
The station would be mostly automated using Podcasting techniques to push syndicated audio content to the station. Listeners would be able to hear broadcast material either through the standard radio broadcast or via IPods and Podcasting aggregators on their computers (which will be very common in less than a year). Contributed music feeds from listeners (as the station in SF is doing) would fill in during lulls of audio talk.
Since overhead would be rather low due to its automated nature, station production costs would be minimal. Support grants and limited, charity relevant, advertising would offset these costs.