A brief notice on WFMU in New Jersey’s Beware of the Blog blog indicates that the feature is going into what could be called a deep hiatus. “After ten fun-filled years, we’re packing up shop here at WFMU’s Beware of the Blog,” the post says. “Many thanks to the dozens of volunteer authors who put […]
Archive | Community Radio
Southwestern College Turns Back Class D FM license as it moves to LPFM
Class D FM radio licenses are a dying breed. Low power and subject to getting shuffled around the dial in order to make way for bigger broadcasters, it can be tough for many non-commercial educational FM class D stations (mostly college and high school stations) to be heard. In recent years we’ve seen a number […]
Can WFMU’s Audience Engine Shake Up Non-Profit Journalism?
Related: Matthew Lasar takes a look under the hood of Audience Engine. Does America’s maverick freeform music station have what it takes to shake up non-profit journalism? It’s no secret non-commercial news online is facing hardships. Funding and engagement remain persistent needs, with no guaranteed formulas for staying afloat in a competitive journalism field. The […]
LPFM Watch: Pirate Roots, Expiring Construction Permits, and a Proposal to Change LPFM Rules
It’s fascinating to learn more about the roots of low power FM and earlier this week, Brian Fauteux published his interview with author Christina Dunbar-Hester, whose book, Low Power to the People: Pirates, Protest, and Politics in FM Radio Activism, looks into the history of low power radio. Dunbar-Hester recounts the important role that activists […]
Alternative to What? Finding a Better Definition for Community Radio
We’re always interested in hearing from our readers and recently received an email from Myke Atkinson, the Station Manager of University of Calgary-based community radio station CJSW-FM in Calgary, Canada. He had written a piece about community radio for the National Campus/Community Radio Association’s email list and thought that it would be of interest to […]
Funky SX! UK gives deejay school community radio license
The United Kingdom’s broadcast regulator has awarded four more community radio licenses, and one of them goes to the Funky Academy, aka Funky SX. Ofcom says that the school will (government-speak alert) “provide a rhythmic-based music service to young people,” defined as under 35, in the Southend-on-Sea borough. That’s basically the northern half of the entrance […]
Low Power Radio and Media Activism: An Interview with Christina Dunbar-Hester
Here at Radio Survivor we are committed to weekly coverage of low power FM radio, so we’re very pleased to feature an interview with Christina Dunbar-Hester for our Academic Series. Dr. Dunbar-Hester is an Assistant Professor in Journalism and Media Studies at Rutgers University and she recently published a fascinating book on media activism and […]
Can community radio counter the influence of Maoist rebels in India?
The Hindu newspaper wants to know why community radio isn’t being more widely deployed in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. “. . . the state continues to overlook and under-utilise the radio in countering Maoist influence,” an opinion piece notes. “Oddly enough, this so in a region populated by numerous tribal languages that possess rich oral […]
College Radio Watch: KCFS to Become Guns, Gold & Rock ‘n’ Roll, Expiring LPFM Permits, and More News
On this week’s Radio Survivor Podcast I discuss the recent changes at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s college radio station KCPR. Tune in starting at around the 16 minute mark to hear my College Radio Watch segment. KCPR was one of the first college radio stations that I visited for my field trip series. Speaking […]
RIP Don Joyce: Negativland Member, Artist, KPFA DJ
I was sad to hear that radio DJ/Negativland member Don Joyce passed away yesterday. As a fan of freeform radio, sound collage, and experimental sounds, I’m awed by the longevity of Joyce’s KPFA radio show “Over the Edge,” which has been on the air since 1981. Thanks to Joyce’s friend and Negativland co-conspirator Peter Conheim […]