If you're a follower of the KSVR Facebook Page, you probably noticed the reference to both KSVR staff and volunteers attending the recently held National Federation of Community Broadcasters Conference in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
So, my suitcase is open, and while I should be sorting through laundry, I've been sorting through all my "paper memories" -notes, conference handouts and brochures, none of which will be destined for a recycling bin anytime too soon.
Last year was my first opportunity to attend this conference, and following my return home from Portland, I promptly delved into the world of "social media" by setting up a Facebook Page, Blog Site, and another co-worker and I got to work designing brochures and program guides. That summer, we held the first "KSVR Open House" and started taking a serious look at volunteer opportunities we could design and promote throughout the Skagit Community.
One story worth sharing from this conference, actually did not take place at the conference site itself. A group of us KSVR attendees, felt compelled to go visit what was described as one of the "top tourist destinations in the world" -located in Bloomington, Minnesota. And where might that be? In our consumer-driven society, none other than the Mall of America. I was on the lookout for a Minnesota sweatshirt to bring back for my daughter, and one would think in a location with hundreds of stores, that would be simple to find. There are four stores located in the Mall, catering specifically to those seeking Minnesota souvenirs, and while they all featured excellently priced and designed sweatshirts, I found myself leaving this great tribute to our shopping society empty-handed. Why? There are 11 recognized Tribes in Minnesota, yet, each store exclusively featured the "Made in China" dreamcatchers, that send chills up my spine. None of the wild rice grown or harvested by the Ojibwe, no beadwork or weavings by the Dakota Sioux. Discouraged, I made another round of searching local stores in downtown Saint Paul, and each time I asked shopkeepers "Where might I find a Minnesota sweatshirt?" they would cheerfully say "You've got to go to the Mall of America!"
There's a reason I'm taking the time to write this message in blogger, as opposed to the dozens of messages it would take to write all this in facebook limited-character messages. Many parallels exist between this scenario and that of community radio. As the consolidation of media continues, it is imperative that the public continue to question the sources of information that "look great on the outside", like the Mall of America dreamcatchers, and seek out the small print. The National Federation of Community Broadcasters is a national alliance of stations, producers and others committed to community radio. KSVR 91.7FM is a community radio station, striving for authenticity in serving the many populations that reside in Skagit County, and a member of this larger network of community radio stations that comprise NFCB.
Since Day 1, KSVR has been committed to providing local programing in both English and Spanish. Countless volunteers have had opportunities to produce music and information programs, and/or take radio broadcasting classes at Skagit Valley College. Students have benefited from scholarships money from KSVR, and the opportunity to participate in the campus radio club and on-air time devoted to student broadcasting.
In the months to follow, look for more opportunities to become further involved within the KSVR Community Network. Learn about the programs and people helping to steward this local resource, at the KSVR booth at the Skagit County Fair, at the August 14th open house, and perhaps the easiest way -by tuning in to 91.7FM or listen live at ksvr.org (and check out the program guide posted at the website).
As a note to how my souvenir story ended, after several more attempts to locate the desired sweatshirt, I found myself back at the airport, where I discovered discounted sweatshirts and a complete lack of dreamcatchers. I also found a shop that did make some effort to distinguish between "native made" and "non native made" items, by attaching tags to the beaded necklaces coming from oversea waters. It was well worth my time, to let the store employees know that I appreciated this sort of labeling which was non-existent at a location that numerous people apparently seek out as a top travel destination.
Community radio also welcomes that public dialogue -and it's essential to have community input because a true community radio station must have the interests of those in the listening area first and foremost, not the programming interests of the producers and DJ's -or we really are not much different than commercial stations who at times are driven by financial profits made from advertising sales, to fund programming. You, the listener, have an open invitation, always, to tell us what you think -by phone, email, mail or in-person! So, let us know what we can start doing, what we can do better, and remember, you're part of that "We"! That's Community, with a capital C.
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