The U.S. Senate has passed the Local Community Radio Act, which will open up more of the radio dial for new Low Power FM stations.
Could it be that just as we’re all fearing a crackdown on Net Neutrality, humble community radio stations will come to the rescue as information relay hubs? Any college dj with access to an old-fashioned set of Encyclopedia Britannica in hardback could set up an info hotline for listeners to call in with questions. Sure it might be a little slower than Google, but it would certainly add the warmth of the human touch. I envision university libraries housing radio stations on their top floors, with stables of work-study students acting as “runners” to look up information in the stacks. And we could still call it “WWW” — for World Wide (radio) Waves.
And to think the decision came with Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius. Any thoughts on whether that bodes well for mass communication with some soul or bodes ill for the act gaining any traction?
In all seriousness, as someone who listens to my local college and community station daily, I’m actually really happy about the decision. Let’s keep putting more communications power into small, localized outlets. — amanda
it works………
http://www.kkfi.org/streaming.php
Started in 1988, KKFI has been the Kansas City area’s independent, noncommercial community radio station …
one of the longest airers of Amy Goodman’s DemocracyNow!
Welcome to KKFI 90.1 FM
KKFI is an independent, non-commercial, non-profit, 501(c)3, volunteer-based, community radio station. Our vision is to provide a broadcast voice to the voiceless…to those in our community who are otherwise un-represented or under-represented by mainstream media. Our eclectic music programming includes blues, jazz, reggae, rock, hip hop, alternative, Hispanic and world music. Our local and national public affairs programming includes shows dealing with working class, peace, justice, GLBT, and alternative health issues.
ef – World Wide Wadio Waves!
Amanda – In terms of harmful exposure, no, nothing more than what the analog varieties can already do. Digital in the sense I’m using it is only the method by which the information is transmitted.
Harm from radio comes from exposure to both short wavelengths and proximity, i.e. microwaves are bad, and so is FM right up close (to the transmitter).
“Shortwaves,” as a term is now actually very quaint when described technically. At the time, 1920’s, they were shorter than what was normally used (what we call AM radio) and the name simply stuck. FM radio is much shorter in terms of wavelength, and those frequencies were even used for radar in WW2. It was the development of radar that drove absolutely huge changes in electronics and radio, and led to quite a bit of the technology we use today.
Where the exposure line gets murky and confusing is microwaves. Cellphones count as microwave devices, and with their digital transmission methods, the signal has more potential to cause harm, especially when held near the head. Continuous exposure is very, very harmful, but occasional use is not. An example: which potato will be better, one left in the microwave for 8 minutes, or one for 20 minutes? After 20 minutes of microwaving, that potato should explode, but not after only 8 minutes.
I could go on for ages, as this is a field of knowledge that is being added to all the time. Any more questions, and you’d be better off emailing me off the blog!
Wadio Waves
brendan — very interesting info, indeed! my scientific knowledge of digital radio vs fm vs shortwave is rudimentary at best. i’m curious about one thing: is there any concern about health effects of digital radio the way there are about cell phone use, etc. — whether in terms of humans or honey bees or what-have-you?
thanks!
The newspaper and magazine mail deliveries were always subsidized by tax dollars, so that the citizens could become educated on the issues. My dad only had a 4th grade education, but he read every newspaper and magazine and farm journals and always voted the issues. He would have been 90 this year. Everything old indeed!
Very neat news, Amanda! I’m a bit of a radio fanatic actually, and the more the merrier! Myself and a few other radio-nerd types are trying to get even more frequencies available for broadcasting here in the US: shortwave! Right now it is technically illegal to broadcast to a domestic audience here, but there are ways around it, like broadcasting to Canada or Central America. We need to change that law first (adopted during the Cold War) and get a more laissez faire attitude going at the FCC to allow easier experimentation.
My fellow radio heads and I are also seeking to introduce cheap digital radio here as part of this: there is an international standard already adopted by the FCC, and we’d like to see it used as local radio too. Experiments already accomplished show it to be very effective at covering large areas with low power, and rivaling FM for quality. In Mexico City a long term test showed the ability to cover the entire metropolitan area with only 1000W and in stereo.
It has lots of other things going for it too: multiple audio channels are possible, and even scrolling text and low-res video. A project for Belize wants to use it as a sort of national school network, used for both classroom instruction and teacher’s continuing ed channel.
We’re seeking to implement two different ideas that will combine to allow for even more local radio using much newer technologies. There are some technical issues involved, certainly, but they are not insurmountable.
Okay, I’m off my soapbox now… said the natal Aquarian with Mercury in conjunction.
I love it! I was 13 when I first heard the Beatles on a late night radio station from Boston that we could only tune in on a clear night and only late at night. It always felt like we ‘discovered’ the Beatles. There is something wonderful about radio.
Oh that IS good news, Amanda, thanks so much for posting it….. Maybe this will also pull some of the teeth of the talk radio hatemongers who have so dominated the airwaves. Very glad to know this.