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Articles about Prometheus Michigan: Low-power radio stations can promote community awareness
Articles about Prometheus Michigan: Low-power radio stations can promote community awareness 
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| Michigan: Low-power radio stations can promote community awareness |
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Copyright 2006 Flint Journal All Rights Reserved Flint Journal (Michigan) April 9, 2006 Sunday THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION SECTION: EDGE; Pg. H02 LENGTH: 501 words HEADLINE: Our airwaves; Low-power radio stations can promote community awareness BYLINE: Chad Swiatecki, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it * 810.766.6237 DATELINE: FLINT BODY: Ask Jack Frost how important a community-minded radio station can be to its listeners, and he'll offer up the endorsement he got last month during his show on Kettering University's WKUF-FM (94.3). A woman who had just been released from Genesee County Jail called Frost crying in gratitude because she and other inmates were able feel connected to Flint by listening to Frost (real name: Cleven Williams) play hip-hop and R&B made by local artists every afternoon. "Stuff like that makes you feel great because you know you're really reaching people," said Frost, a Flint resident. "It'd be wonderful to have more stations for people to use for things like discussing political issues and things like the (Genesee County) Land Bank, increasing water rates or playing City Council meetings," he said. "If you make this information more available to people, it's easier for them to act and get involved in things." A group of local activists hopes more stories like Frost's can happen in Flint. They're starting the push to get Michigan legislators to allow more low-power community radio stations to sprout in Flint and elsewhere. Late last month, representatives from the Philadelphia-based Prometheus Radio Project visited Michigan cities such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint and Kalamazoo to discuss issues surrounding low power radio and how to begin the process to allow for more stations. Under the provisions of bills in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, Flint could add up to five stations run by local nonprofit groups such as churches, neighborhood groups and community activist organizations. "The idea of having access to a radio station to spread a message and get people involved is so foreign to most community groups, so we want them to think about having this as a tool for getting more people involved," said Hannah Sassaman, program director for Prometheus. "The response throughout the state was great, but we expected that because Michigan has always been famous for deciding what it wants from its government and then doing what it takes to get it." Sassaman and others will make another trip through Michigan this summer - adding stops in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Traverse City and more - to arrange district visits with local low-power proponents and their legislators. In the meantime, though, she urged those interested in the issue to contact lawmakers such as Rep. Dale E. Kildee, D-Flint, to voice their support for more stations. Some have already taken the lead. Joel Rash, owner of the Flint Local 432 all-ages concert venue, has dedicated studio space for a low-power station in the 432's new location and said he's "dedicated to seeing this effort through." "I think what Kettering does with local music is great, but I'm really excited about giving neighborhood groups shows to let people know what's happening in their area," Rash said. "Or have a Sunday morning show from different local churches so people can hear sermons and music. Those are what make this really valuable." NOTES: The basics Low-power FM stations broadcast with a small radius of up to 100 watts (versus several thousand for commercial stations) and are intended for not-for-profit groups to broadcast music, community forums, local news programs and more. Starting a station realistically costs from $10,000-$20,000, but the more difficult part is getting a license from the Federal Communications Commission, which has a cap on the number of stations allowed. But a pair of bills kicking around Congress (S312 in the Senate, H3731 in the U.S. House) could open up more stations. For more info, check www.prometheusradio.org. LOAD-DATE: March 20, 2007 |
