creative pollination
Monday, October 25, 2010
LPFM - voice of the marginalized or outlet of marginal value?
Ah, technology.
I was once a non-believer. I denounced connectivity and smart phones, partly because I hadn't experienced the staunch egotism that comes with having the internet at your fingertips.
What's that song?
Who said that quote about wild women?
What's going on with the upcoming election?
Then I misplaced my phone for roughly 24 hours. Not being reachable was scary to say the least. My temper flared in a fashion I hadn't known since I was a raging teenager.
My point: how relevant are low power FM stations in a world that falls deep in the abyss of personal, instantaneous technology?
The introduction of mobile devices has changed the face of information. Though we still fall into narrowing views based on our perceptions and ideologies, being up-to-date with current events becomes easier by the minute. It creates a unique opportunity for people to be deeply involved with the world. My relationship to the internet has grown into a dependency rather quickly. When it comes to community radio, is it worth the fight when faced with the projected path and growth of technology?
When it comes to musical exposure, Facebook and MySpace can host fan pages and allow access to mp3s. I know I'm not alone with a constant need for new music. I also know the majority of people in my circle are just as mobile and spread out as I am. Listening to a community based radio is awesome in theory--in reality it doesn't fly. Giving away music seems to be the best way for independent artists to expose their tunes. Whether its a live show, a free CD, or a pirated album, access to music has diversified greatly. www.listentoyoutube.com can convert any YouTube video into a cute little mp3 with a click. Everything is available.
In my opinion, community radio is becoming obsolete. Dominant forces sadly rule the airwaves. I feel that people have departed from using the radio as a communication medium largely because of the internet. We have google and e-mail. We can text blurbs of information to personalized groups from our smart phones. Satellite radio enables a specific audience to hear the exact topics they're interested in. Just like the newspaper, community radio is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
In my opinion, community radio is becoming obsolete. Dominant forces sadly rule the airwaves. I feel that people have departed from using the radio as a communication medium largely because of the internet. We have google and e-mail. We can text blurbs of information to personalized groups from our smart phones. Satellite radio enables a specific audience to hear the exact topics they're interested in. Just like the newspaper, community radio is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Being within a three mile radius long enough to absorb community news would be nice, but unfortunately I'd have to say yeah right.
1 Comments:
Unknown said...
Nice analysis--it seems we are forced to consider what exactly we mean by "community," and how do our media support this community?
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