Right now, we have the opportunity of a lifetime to empower our communities through radio. The Federal Communications Commission this year voted to clear the airwaves and expand community radio across the U.S.! This is our chance to own media that reflects our voices, culture, and stories.
Low power FM community radio stations are media outlets that are owned and controlled by nonprofits, as opposed to the corporations that currently dominate our media landscape. Radio has proven to be a powerful organizing tool for decades, and building this communications infrastructure into our toolbox can have long-term benefits for our communities.
In last month’s newsletter, we asked you what you would do if you had your own radio station or program. Here are some your answers:
I would use it to bring local news to the residents, interview local artist or activist/organizers and local individuals who make a difference. I will inform the community about local resources and local issues and how to go about it. I will organize the community even better!!!!!!
I will train my community people to operate it by themselves so then they will have more opportunity to raise up their issues related to their land, natural resource, culture, livelihood and rights. I hope that the real community radio will benefit their own community better then community radio program by someone else.
All three and despite being in the lower Appalachian mountain area of Georgia, we may actually have access to so-called celebrities. (We’ve got a bit of music already but recently opened a movie studio.) We’ve also done talk radio on an Internet streaming format a few years back and we do live streaming video as well. What the radio would do is open the door for broader reach … more timely reach of what we already do on the web and that is the true value of the radio is that it opens an audio channel more widely available for our real-time in the moment media experience.
I will use it for cultural music and to inform the community.
If I had a radio station, I would play music (Rhymesayers-like), interview racial justice organizers and leaders and solicit robust discourse based on facts not myths. Building the power to move on three levels – influence decision makers; set the agenda and shift the meaning – racial equity is doable and good for all!
Include a program on current controversies with “experts” and concerned citizens; adapt NPR materrials; run a housing program covering broad and local issues, including interviews; run an early childhood program on funding, health, etc.; run an environmental issues program, etc, etc ! Good luck to us all!
I would play independent artists who never get their music played in mainstream music outlets. People who say Hip Hop is dead haven’t heard the good stuff.
Maybe it’s superficial, but I would want to do a show about food, I want to do a show that celebrates good food, culture, love and life.
