Happy National Radio Day! A few days ago, I got a request for information about college radio history and it is a reminder that the story of college radio in the United States is not well documented. The truth is that college radio stretches back to the earliest days of radio in the U.S., with […]
There are undiscovered musical treasures potentially fading away in closets, basements and storage units around the world. Seattle radio station KEXP teamed up with local universities and media organizations to help save a little of this cultural history with the Pop-Up Music Memory Digitization Lab. For one day members of the public were invited to […]
The annual Princeton Review “Best College Radio Station” list has me in full-on analysis mode this week, as I scrutinize the list of 20 schools with “popular” radio stations. Based on surveys conducted at around 380 institutions, it reflects a microcosm (less than 10%) of the universe of more than 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities […]
This week, colleges and college radio stations across the United States are touting appearances in the newly released Princeton Review Best 384 Colleges (2019 edition), which includes a variety of survey results, both serious and whimsical. Notable to college radio fans, the included “Best College Radio Station” list is derived from student responses to a […]
Today, it’s not uncommon for mobile phone-wielding college radio participants to document every bit of minutiae from their stations and shows, leading to countless photos and videos across social media channels, from Instagram to YouTube. But back in the 1980s and 1990s, photos and videos was taken more sparingly because most people didn’t carry cameras […]
Radios in the woods, a pond station, and a Theremin are just a few of the goodies to be seen and heard at Wave Farm in Acra, New York. A non-profit arts organization, Wave Farm runs community radio station WGXC-FM and offers grants and residencies in transmission arts. For a radio nerd like me, a […]
While planning my East Coast summer vacation, I fantasized about visiting numerous college radio stations in New York and Massachusetts, as I dreamed off ticking off more stops on my 140 station+ tour series. It’s always a balancing act, as my family members aren’t nearly as obsessed with sticker-covered cabinets, vinyl collections, and vintage audio […]
Radios in the trees, a transmitter in the pond, and a weather-driven synth. These are just some of what you’ll find on The Wave Farm, a 29-acre property in New York’s Hudson Valley dedicated to radio and transmission arts. It’s anchored by community radio station WGXC, accompanied by a cornucopia of additional tiny terrestrial and […]
The California Historical Radio Society (CHRS) will be presenting its annual Radio Day by the Bay this Saturday, July 21st in Alameda, California. Always a draw for radio enthusiasts and history buffs, the event will include a live auction of antique radios and electronics, a live radio play (“Pat Novak for Hire”), a surplus vintage […]
It is long past time when a community or college radio DJ or programmer can simply show up to do their show and expect to have an audience. Everyone who has a radio show bears the responsibility to build an audience for that show, and their station. Audience building is a challenge for every radio […]
