
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 […]

Rough notes: reflections on (patiently) listening to the new KUSP
Like a lot of people making their way through the KUSP-FM in Santa Cruz transition saga, I am listening patiently to the new sound. And this, apparently, is what I am supposed to do. “I would love for people just to have some patience,” Nikki Silva of the legendary Kitchen Sisters (which got its start […]

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” […]

Freddy’s Not Dead (treasure and trash from the KZSC record library #1)
This terrifyingly poppy little number is only the tip of the weirdo iceberg. As the elected Librarian of KZSC Santa Cruz 88.1 FM, it’s more or less my job to have a cursory knowledge of everything on the shelves. Be sure to check back in weekly to learn more about the other tasty treats and […]

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 […]

West / east coast classical radio stations sponsor amateur contests
I am digging several just beginning and just concluding local ensemble / amateur contests being run by classical public signals WQXR-FM in New York City and KDFC-FM in San Francisco. KDFC-FM has just finished its Local Vocals High School Choir sing-off, and the prize goes to the Monte Vista High School Chamber Singers from Danville […]

Good Advice: Make The Podcast You Wish You Could Hear
Zahra Noorbakhsh and Tanzila ‘Taz’ Ahmed launched their podcast #GoodMuslimBadMuslim in January 2015, and they hit the ground running. Their first radio interview about their show, for PRI’s Global Nation, was recorded before the first episode of their podcast was up online, but that didn’t seem to hurt their launch as far as they can […]

A Trip to One of Portland’s Newest Community Radio Stations: XRAY.fm
During my summer road trip to the Pacific Northwest, I visited a trio of radio stations (including college radio stations KWVA and KAOS), concluding with a journey to see community radio station XRAY.fm in Portland, Oregon. (more…)

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 […]

India gov’t to community radio: send us your broadcasts via MP3
The Hindu has the details and backstory on India’s security regimen for its 180 or so operational community radio stations. Bottom line: send the government everything you broadcast in digital form. “You are requested to provide recordings of all programmes broadcast on daily basis from the date of receipt of this letter along with the […]