A Panel Discussion of Grassroots Leaders on Building Community Radio in Communities of Color
Thanks to the passage of the Local Community Radio Act, 2012 offers the largest expansion of community radio in U.S. history. But for whom?
Radio remains relevant in our communities, yet people of color own only 7 percent of radio stations. Commercial media consolidation and unfair restrictions on community radio have narrowed already limited access to the airwaves for communities of color. Unable to get an FCC license, Albert Knighten was recently arrested and charged with running an unlicensed station serving the black community of Dunbar, Florida with gospel music and local public affairs programs. With an opportunity to transform the national radio landscape on the horizon for 2012, Knighten missed his own arraignment to come to Washington and share his story. He joined other grassroots leaders from across the country to discuss the challenges and successes of building community radio in communities of color.
Cosponsored by Prometheus Radio Project, Media Action Grassroots Network, Color of Change, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Free Press, and New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative.