I spend a lot of time rummaging around SoundCloud. Some of this energy goes into following the service’s engagingly sporadic use by community radio stations.
WFMU in New Jersey, for example, has a SoundCloud page titled WFMU Marathon. “Share an MP3 only (for size & compatibility) telling us what you love about WFMU,” the account requests. “Keep it under thirty seconds and no obscenity, please.”
Among the many consequent recordings, I’m partial to this little ersatz march routine:
. . . and this bongo homage has its moments:
At many stations individual programmers post shows every week, or just a group of shows, or just one. About a year ago, for example, Colorado based KGNU’s Morning Magazine posted one of its episodes, but no more. Then the Boulder Weekly uploaded a KGNU Morning Magazine episode, but no more (again). On the other hand, Austin signal KOOP’s Wildcraft Radio Show regularly publishes its deejay dedications, many of which are quite touching. Here are several for Mothers Day:
In other instances, community radio station content surfaces because musical groups post their interviews on them to their SoundCloud accounts (see, for example, the Kenan Rainwater Band’s interview on WFHB out of Bloomington, Indiana). But I’m particularly partial to this plug for the From Ark to Microchip show on KKFI-FM out of Kansas City, Missouri, which is purportedly endorsed by none other than former United States President Harry Truman (who, it should be noted, has been dead for some time). “Although I haven’t got a dime’s worth of interest in it, I hope the show is a great success,” Truman allegedly says:
Many community stations have official SoundCloud pages, but they have no content. Or, they’re full of tunes that appear to be there for no reason or rhyme, other than, presumably, some respective staffer or programmer with access to the account liked them; or they’re filled with a potpourri of songs, manager’s reports, and assorted on air moments.
Bottom line, it’s hard to figure out what exactly to do with SoundCloud if you’ve already got a radio station. How does your staff use the application? Please let us know.
