“Because today’s radio is dominated by the big guys, there is very little discovery, local talent and free form featured on the air.”
Santa Fe, NM (PRWEB) January 14, 2014
Radio Free America, an online/mobile platform for non-commercial radio stations, is launching its new site with no-cost tools and services to keep community stations alive and well in America. Founded by Kenneth Pushkin, a serial entrepreneur and lifelong community radio lover, Radio Free America is designed to optimize the radio experience for users and maximize opportunities for community radio stations.
In 1981, Pushkin launched Radio Free America, a 30-minute show produced at KUNM. It quickly syndicated, and within six months was on 600 college affiliates. Pushkin explained, “The show became a cult success because of its cutting edge programming.” Pushkin’s commitment to innovative, thought-provoking radio continues thirty years later, as he re-launches the brand with today’s innovative technology and commitment to a sustainable product that will endure.
Among Radio Free America’s offerings are tools that allow stations to archive and replay content, stream to a larger audience, and gain information on their listening audience in a more precise way than terrestrial radio can provide. Radio Free America celebrates the independent station DJs and Program Hosts, by engaging listeners live and in real-time during shows, as well as providing various community-building tools and resources. Listeners will have a broader choice of independent radio stations and DJs - both live and archived, available at no charge online and with the mobile app - creating an environment of discovery and entertainment.
“Because today’s radio is dominated by the big guys, there is very little discovery, local talent and free form featured on the air,” Pushkin added. “I believe independent radio is inherently American – the last bastion of free speech. I’d like to see community and independent radio stations adopt the Radio Free America platform to realize their full potential.”
Regarding the value of personal musical curation and the celebration of college DJs in these times of pre-programmed algorithms, KUNM DJ and former station manager David House says, “There is so much media available out there right now…but still to have somebody to help you pick and choose…the human factor is always big.”
Tristan Klum, Program Director at KUNM agrees, adding “I’m excited about Radio Free America because it solves some problems that stations like mine have. Archiving, analytics, and the audience engagement opportunities, which are all free of charge, help us compete for listeners with for-profit stations.”
To fund the initial launch, Radio Free America is seeking crowd funding through Indiegogo. The money raised will be used to finish building out the new platform.
“With the new Radio Free America platform, we are providing a tool that will help independent, community and college radio stations compete with the larger mainstream resources,” Pushkin said. “By providing these tools at no cost, more stations and DJs will be able to reach more listeners, bringing greater exposure to bands and other talented contributors, and we feel this is something that will resonate with the Indiegogo audience”.
Radio Free America has already raised $20,000 in its crowd funding campaign, (which ends January 25th) with the funds earmarked for its launch phase. To donate and for more information, visit: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/radio-free-america.
“Radio Free America is designed so that everyone wins,” he said. “The stations win by getting no-cost services, greater exposure and revenue sharing as we move into selling advertising. The DJs and Program Hosts win with the unique custom profile panel, archived programming available to their fans, real time interaction, analytics and the opportunity to discover new talent for their shows. Contributors win by uploading their original content in front of the national audience of DJs and Program Hosts – today’s taste makers. The listeners win by having an array of great public radio and a constant stream of new discoverable content available to them 24/7. And advertisers win by having their brand or service promoted on a socially responsible medium.”
More On Radio Free America
Radio Free America is an online / mobile platform for college, independent and non-commercial educational stations and their DJs and Program Hosts - along with the listeners and the contributors that make up the broader community. Radio Free America provides not only the streams, but essential tools and services - at no charge - to optimize the radio experience for all users and stations. The platform is a cloud-streaming and cloud-storage environment intended to support and enhance public radio stations, allowing them to preserve and distribute the innovative, free form content served up in this, the last bastion of non-commercial radio entertainment.
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