I must have been a pretty good boy in 2015 because on Christmas morning I found in my stocking a cute wooden radio that is shaped like an acorn, and is about the same size. It’s made by the Dutch company Kikkerland, which also puts out other small novelty accoutrements, like robot tea infusers and […]
Author Archive | Paul Riismandel
A Subjective History of Podcasting
Trying to catch up on my podcast queue, I tuned into this recent episode of Benjamen Walker’s Theory of Everything podcast, entitled, “Secret Histories of Podcasting.” In it he goes digging into the very early days of the medium in the early 2000s, when Dave Winer–who wouldn’t talk to him for the podcast–hacked a version […]
Podcast #28 – A Deep Dive into the Public Radio Bid for KUNV
We follow up on Nevada Public Radio’s proposal to take over programming on KUNV, the community radio station owned by the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, that we first reported on last week. We hear from a volunteer programmer, Ken Lange, who opposes the deal, and from Flo Rogers, CEO of Nevada Public Radio, […]
On the Hunt for Truly Weird (Internet) Radio
I’m turning to you, dear Radio Survivor reader, for help. I’m looking for some really good and weird radio shows or stations that I can dive into during these dark winter days here in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. I need rejuvenation, and I hope you can help! What am I looking for? […]
New LPFMs: Don’t Let DJs Own Their Time Slots; Be Ready to Fire the Bad Ones
I’m so excited that hundreds of new LPFM community radio stations are going on the air right now. First, because it represents massive growth in the number and diversity of broadcast voices. Second, because it’s an unprecedented opportunity for experimenting with what it means to be a community radio station. I’ve had the pleasure of […]
Art Bell Calls It a Day for ‘Midnight In the Desert’
Perhaps it was too good to last, or maybe it’s time to revive the tired old saw, “this is why we can’t have nice things.” In any event, Art Bell’s return to nightly broadcast is over, yet again. In a blog post dated December 11, Bell writes that he is “going to hang it up” […]
LPFM Watch: FCC Uses ‘Rocket Docket’ to Resolve Contentious Philly MX
New low-power FM construction permits continue to trickle out. One new one was issued this week to Nueva Imagen Community Church in McAllen, Texas. ‘Rocket Docket’ Resolves Contentious Philly MX The FCC resolved a highly contentious fight between two time-share groups for one frequency in Philadelphia, using the so-called “rocket docket” process intended to speed […]
Podcast #27: Public Radio Bid for UNLV Station, Rdio Shutdown & Net Neutrality
College Radio correspondent Jennifer Waits joins Paul and Eric to examine Nevada Public Radio’s bid to take over programming on UNLV’s radio station. They also look at bankruptcy, acquisition, and shutdown of the streaming music service Rdio, and what that has to do with terrestrial stations. Then Paul discusses why the Appeals Court hearing on […]
Like vinyl? Here Are Recommendations for Good, Inexpensive Turntables
As radio lovers, we here at Radio Survivor are also music lovers, as music is an enormous component of so much great grassroots radio. And so much of that music is found on vinyl, whether digging through dusty crates or finding obscure new releases from small labels. While I don’t take a strong position in […]
LPFM Watch: A Real WKRP to Hit the Airwaves (but not in Cincinnati)
A holiday weekend made things even slower for LPFM, especially considering that the vast majority of applications have been processed. That means applicants are gathering resources, building stations and going on the air. One station that received some press this past week is WAYO-LP in Rochester, NY, which recently started broadcasting online and is crowd-funding […]