Episodes

On this episode of Radio Survivor, Paul Riismandel talks with the editor and founder of Tedium.co, Ernie Smith about their mutual fascination with back-door, Franken FM stations, the TV broadcasters who use analog Channel 6 to be heard at 87.7 on the FM dial. Also included in the interview, Ernie Smith explains how he approaches writing about things for the internet. Tedium.co covers topics as diverse (and uniquely inconsequential) as FrankenFM and the inventor of the mouse pad. You can suppor...

It’s time to get ready for National Radio Day on August 20. Paul Riismandel has the details at the top of the show, followed by an interview with Ernesto Aguilar, the incoming Membership Program Director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. He shares some highlights of the NFCB’s annual conference this past June, as well as the first-ever NFCB LPFM Summit. Then Jennifer Waits joins to share two radio station tours of new low-power stations in the Washington, DC area: Takoma Rad...

Jennifer Waits brings us a tour of Met Radio at Metropolitan State University of Denver, CO, where the students are trying to embrace the experimental spirit of college radio. Co-host Paul Riismandel delivers a report from friend of the show, Alvaro Burns, in São Bernardo, Brazil, where community radio stations are working together to respond to political challenges in that country and to try to change community radio licensing regulations. Eric Klein shares his current favorite podcast, the Fi...

Not all amateur radio enthusiasts are old guys. This is obviously a statement of fact, but it took a listener to the podcast to write in and remind us. Co-host, Eric Klein apologizes for error. Paul Riismandel attended a local marketing conference as part of his day job and was reminded just how small the world of podcasting still is in 2016. Among the 20 or so people Paul talked to at the conference he estimates that more than half did not listen to podcasts, although many of them had listened...

Eric and Paul do some “dusting up,” by reviewing some reader emails about carrier current radio. Paul brings the good news about KPLU in Tacoma, WA, which was purchased from its university owner by a community group in order to preserve its local ownership. Then Eric wants to share his experience with the NPR One podcast app, which turns into a discussion about giving listeners what they’re really want (which might not be what they ask for). You can support the work that goes into Radio Survivo...

Even when a station goes off the air — like Hastings College’s KFKX — more go on the air every day. Jennifer Waits joins to share the sad news about KFKX, but also has positive news to report about a new LPFM community station in the heart of San Francisco. That station promises to continue the legacy of the dearly missed KUSF. This sparks a conversation about all the evidence for why radio remains a vibrant medium, where licenses to broadcast continue to be in high demand. Paul also brings som...

Low Power FM radio stations can be a great addition to the media landscape in the big city, but on this episode we focus on rural LPFM. Eric Klein takes listeners on a tour of KFSL, the low power FM station that is the sole broadcaster in Fossil,Oregon (population 454). The station is staffed by a mere 3 volunteers, but it plays an important role in their community, especially in wildfire season. In College Radio Watch, Jennifer Waits toured WGTB at Georgetown University, the college station wi...

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the FCC’s open internet rules, also known as net neutrality. Co-Host of the podcast Eric Klein admits that he still finds it hard to believe that the big telecom companies can lose so Paul Riismandel explains it’s not such a surprise that Big Telecom didn’t get it’s way this round. Of course, this is not the end of the story. Jennifer Waits looked deeper into “carrier current,” and in doing so uncovered a bit of the forgotten history of this seemi...

The FCC has made nearly zero progress in its Congressionally mandated review and revision of media ownership rules for more than a decade. Instead the Commission has been dragging its feet for 13 years by failing to comply adequately to the ruling of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Prometheus v. FCC, which challenges the the Bush-era Michael Powell-led rules that the Court found to be unconstitutional. Prof. Christopher Terry of the University of Minnesota joins to explain the Court’s mos...

Community radio is about access and social justice. In a digital world, this includes digital equity: access and training to use the tools of the internet and digital media. Sabrina Roach joins to explain why community radio stations should make digital equity programs and outreach part of the program. Sabrina is a doer with Brown Paper Tickets—the fair trade ticketing company—focusing her efforts on LPFM, community radio and digital equity. Show notes Sabrina Roach at Brown Paper Tickets Nati...

It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for. College radio correspondent Jennifer Waits shares her 100th radio station tour, and reflects on what she’s learned about radio in the process of reaching this rare milestone. What station is number 100? You’ll have to listen to find out. Hours and hours of labor and effort go into touring radio stations around the country, along with producing this podcast every week. The generous support of Radio Survivor readers and listeners helps us keep the lights o...

College radio correspondent Jennifer Waits shares her 99th radio station tour. This time, her guide at Hunter College’s WHCS was prepared with historical artifacts for Jennifer’s perusal. Then Eric and Paul dive into more adult territory, as they dig up the so-called “lost episode.” Six months ago Eric interviewed three podcasters with shows that probably would never exist if radio were their only outlet. That’s because these shows are frank, explicit, sometimes profane, and likely even offensi...