The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Low Power Radio and African Americans

Community radio has helped farmworkers win better wages, revitalized local music, and exposed human rights violations. Thanks to a recent legislative victory in media reform, the Federal Communications Commission will soon begin the process of accepting applications for licenses to create new community radio stations. In an era of increasing media consolidation that drowns out diverse voices, the community radio initiative presents the progressive and civil and human rights community with a tremendous opportunity to get its messages out in communities around the country. 

Low power radio can help promote social justice and civil rights through news and informational programming. Low power radio stations work closely with local law enforcement officials and emergency service responders to save lives and rebuild communities following natural disasters and can focus on local public safety needs. Low power radio stations do what mega-radio networks cannot: provide local news and meet local needs.

Low power radio is one part of the answer to bringing women and people of color into the civic discussion via the airwaves and to expanding choices for listeners. That’s why the success of community radio is important to the civil and human rights community. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is proud to announce that it has partnered with the Prometheus Radio Project to support those who wish to take advantage of what is likely to be the last major spectrum giveaway ever for the radio dial. If you are interested in starting a station, please contact Jeff Rousset, National Organizer, Prometheus, jrousset@prometheusradio.org.

Here are vibrant examples of the vast benefits of low power radio for African Americans:

KOCZ (Southern Development Foundation), in Opelousas, Louisiana, is credited with helping to keep the region’s “zydeco” music alive. Run by Southern Development Foundation, an African-American community development organization, KOCZ also broadcasts public affairs shows, religious programming, and hip-hop.

KDEE is a Black cultural heritage station near Sacramento, California. The station broadcasts an award-winning environmental radio show for African Americans, as well as local talk shows.

For more information on low power radio, visit http://www.civilrights.org/media/low-power/.