Can the Internet save classical music? An interview with KUSC’s Brenda Barnes
It’s hard to believe, but once upon a time classical radio was ubiquitous. Most cities had at least several popular classical music radio stations, and many had three. I remembering setting my clock alarm to a New York City based classical FM signal back in the late 1970s. One morning I woke up at six […]
Hello new Morning Show; goodbye KPFA
You can always tell a true community radio politics junkie, because eventually he or she will open up a post with a line like the following: “This is the last thing I’m ever going to say about Pacifica radio.” Yeah, right. So let me put it a little more tentatively. This is the last thing […]
Hate groups. How should NPR handle them?
Some NPR listeners were clearly offended after a 48-second spot by Barbara Hagerty about the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. The group is composed of roughly 70 members and boasts a website with the not-so-charming URL of www.GodHatesFags.com. Primarily known for their protests of soldiers’ funerals, displaying signs such as “Thank God for Dead Soldiers,” […]
Breaking: The LPFM bill just passed the Senate
Talk about a nailbiter. After languishing for months in the Senate due to a series of anonymous (then outed) holds placed by republican senators, followed by gridlock over the tax bill, it was starting to look like the Local Community Radio Act was never going to make it to a vote. But thanks to the […]
Breaking down the House’s new LPFM bill
It’s certainly easy to understand the sentiment expressed by a commenter to my last LPFM post: If the NAB is for it, you can pretty much guarantee that it is to the detriment to LPFM. And while the LPFM bill passed by the House yesterday, HR 6533, does contain compromises agreed to by the NAB, […]
Public Radio Station WLIU Sold to Community Group, Renamed WPPB
When universities put their radio stations up for sale, more often than not the people lining up with cash in hand are non-local radio groups. So, it’s a wonderful surprise when those who work at a station that’s on the chopping block take the initiative to save the station from outside parties. As we reported […]
Radio Survivor’s Holiday Gift Guide Round-Up
Happy Holidays from Radio Survivor! As the shopping season gets even more frenetic, we wanted to help simplify things for you by sharing a few of the radio-themed gift guides that we’ve put together for our readers over the past year. On these lists you’ll find radios, books, toys, accessories, DVDs, radio shows, and other […]
NAB and Media Access Project salute House passage of LPFM bill
It’s darn cold in DC today, but I don’t think hell has yet frozen over. Nevertheless, the National Association of Broadcasters just sent out a press release praising the LPFM bill that passed the House this morning. NAB President and former Oregon senator Gordon Smith said, “The revised legislation will expand the number of LPFM […]
Breaking: revised LPFM bill just passed the House
Seems that things are starting to move again on LPFM. The House passed HR 6533 this morning, “to implement the recommendations of the Federal Communications Commission report to the Congress regarding low-power FM service, and for other purposes.” The bill was introduced by democrat Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania and co-sponsored by republican Terry Lee of […]
NAB “getting beat up” over their opposition to LPFM
Grassroots heat has been getting hotter this week as the Senate runs out of time to vote on the Local Community Radio Act, expanding low-power FM. There are some signs that the action is having some effect. Free Press campaign director Tim Karr tweeted on Thursday, NAB lobbyists overheard at DC event: “We’re getting beat […]