The new 88.9 FM (88Nine RadioMilwaukee), operated by the non-profit organization Radio For Milwaukee, wants your thoughts about life in the Milwaukee area.

The station -- expected to launch on Feb. 26 -- recently launched its Sphere Research Project. It will use the survey results to jump-start a community conversation about issues most important to area residents and to help shape future programming on the station.

"The Sphere Research Project will take this new media entity, 88Nine RadioMilwaukee, into different parts of the community and allow us to include an incredibly wide range of viewpoints and voices in our programming," said J. Mikel Ellcessor, Executive Director of Radio For Milwaukee. The station hired Ellcessor, a former executive with WNYC-FM in New York City, late last year. He still lives in Brooklyn, with his wife, but spends many days each week in Milwaukee.

"RadioMilwaukee is a radio station, an on-line experience and will develop into a community hub. We want to provide the deepest level of service to the community. To do this, we need to hear what's on peoples' minds. We're providing many unique ways for you to tell us what you think about your community and the Milwaukee area."

The research will be used by RadioMilwaukee to make programming decisions and in its larger objective of community building. The results will be released publicly after the surveys are completed this spring.

OnMilwaukee.com will be a RadioMilwaukee media partner and OnMilwaukee.com's Jeff Sherman is on the station's advisory board.