For farm-related reasons I didn't get to the station until about 15 minutes before airtime - plan in hand. In the world of activism every cause has a particular character as it comes together. Coalitions are individuals in a sense. That's what makes them compelling to delve into. And I wouldn't mind doing some delving myself but that's not what we do at KBOO generally speaking. So what are we talking about when we talk about 'community'? Here's what: even a small advocacy station such as this can galvanize change by shaming the media behemoths into covering stories they would otherwise stay away from. Because they have sponsors. Sponsors are advertisers out to sell something - often something that emerges from a Rube Goldbergian miasma of pollution, exploitation, blood and money. Mass media prefers not to get its hands dirty - unless, of course, the besmirthing is left behind by money passing through. This station, KBOO, is independent. We can't afford the trappings but we can afford the freedom to bring unpleasant subjects to light. Out-of-state corporate entities intent upon Cascadian real estate, for example. And when we start following a story, in a sense we shame the Big Players into at least tentatively dipping a toe in the dark water, at times even taking the plunge. At this point the 'mass' in 'mass media' is ours: their audience becomes ours. This where change begins to happen.
The anti-LNG Coalition's Olivia Schmidt, Jody McCafferee in Coos Bay and Amy Harwood, Director of Bark-Out were all on the line together this morning, talking about how diverse groups coalesce around a cause and where community radio can take that cause.
- KBOO