Last week, from April 22-24, 2009, Prometheus wrapped up our third Low Power FM Leadership days in DC. It was a great trip; we made significant headway on our campaign to expand low power FM, traded stories with allies from around the country, and made (radio)waves with our giant corporate robot street theater piece!
Over 50 people, representing diverse communities ranging from farmworkers from Florida and Oregon, artists and musicians from Chicago to New Jersey, media activists and youth organizers from Atlanta to Detroit, low-wage workers from Baltimore, members of the faith community from rural North Carolina and radio programmers from Idaho to New York City, gathered in Washington DC to demand more Low Power FM radio through the passage of the Local Community Radio Act. Watch the You tube video, check out the photos, or listen to Free Speech Radio News story on the events.
Over ten years ago, the Prometheus Radio Project marched in the FCC- to demand a voice for community access to the Airwaves. This Pirate march, launched the birth of the Prometheus Radio Project. (see video of the March here)
We are grabbing our puppets and heading back to the streets. This time, we are demanding that Congress ACT NOW- to expand Low Power FM radio. We want to see an explosion in local community radio stations- so that the Media is not reserved only by Big corporations and the rich. We believe that community organizations must have legal access to the nations' public airwaves. If you think so too. Join us!
8:30 am-9:30am: Street Theater piece on the Battle for the Airwaves
Meet at 8:30am sharp at the fountain in front of Union Station (Massachussetts Ave. NE & Columbus Circle NE. (Map) for a festive community radio parade followed by the street theater piece: "Corporate Media vs. Community Media"
Not only will we be march in support of more community media, but we are taking our message directly to Congress. Join us at a Policy Briefing on Capitol Hill, where we members of the LPFM community will join a panel to share the importance of local community radio for farmworker organizing, local musicians, emergency response, and diversify media ownership.
12pm- Policy Briefing, Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill - Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2465 (Map)
Introductions
Rep. Mike Doyle (5 min)
Rep. Lee Terry (5 min)
Moderator: Parul Desai, Media Access Project
Panelists:
1) Nicole Atkins, singer-songwriter, NJ
2) Liz Humes, WRIR-LP Richmond, VA (see WRIR Richmond: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqODzA133rk)
3) Erubiel Vallardes, KPCN-LP, Woodburn, OR (See video on KPCN:KPCN Woodburn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzG
4) Cheryl Leanza from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, releasing a report on Minority Ownership of Radio and LPFM potential impacts
Refreshments & Information
Press is Welcome.
After all that hard work- join us for some movement for the movement for Low Power FM Radio:
Friday, April 24
9:30 pm:
Low Power to the People! Hip-Hop & Dance Party
