Radio is awesome! : solarpunk

[-] keepthepace@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago

It is fun as a quirky hobby, but really, depending on it for information and entertainment was really bad. Radio and TV are what created mass culture, removed local dialects and accents.

It is a one-to-many channel where people in charge of the station have disproportionate power.

It is nice to have as a simple alternate way of communicating, but boy, how am I never giving up internet access to get back to those.

[-] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 2 points 23 hours ago

As with most things, when big corporations take over it becomes bad. Definitely agree with you that using it as your only way of getting info is bad, but it's not much different from relying on one influencer or podcaster for all your info other than it being more likely to be more well researched. I will say at least with my local one it's a pretty diverse method of entertainment. They've got all kinds of weird and quirky shows on.

[-] keepthepace@slrpnk.net 1 points 22 hours ago

It is not only corporations. Single governmental voices are bad too, and many non-profits have their own political biases.

The difference with influencers and podcasters is that you have the choice between thousands of them. Radio would be like having the choice only between the top 5 of youtube, and you would have to tune in at a precise time to get it.

[-] Psythik@lemm.ee 19 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Speaking of which, if anyone is interested, I'm (re-)starting a community radio station for Lemmy users, by Lemmy users. Launching this year:

!radiolemmy@lemm.ee || https://radiolemmy.com/

I'll need DJs and curators to help me make programming blocks. If you have music you'd like to share or a podcast then you are needed! Check the community often; within the next few days I'll make a post on how you can help contribute.

Edit: Given the community we're in, I feel like it's my duty to mention that unless you so happen to live in my neck of the woods, this will be an internet-only station for the vast majority of listeners. The OTA component will come later next year, and will be extremely low power to avoid expensive licensing fees (the digital broadcast license is expensive enough as-is).

Not as exciting—I know—but I'm still hoping that some of you will still check it out when I launch in Q3 this year.

[-] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 6 points 4 days ago

Woah, that sounds awesome. I'd definitely be interested in helping out with that.

[-] Psythik@lemm.ee 1 points 17 hours ago

The website for the station is up! Here's how you can contribute:

https://radiolemmy.com/how-to-contribute-to-radio-lemmy.html

[-] Psythik@lemm.ee 8 points 4 days ago

Thanks for your interest! This is actually my second attempt at a radio station for Lemmy.

The first go around did okay but the schedule was fairly empty most days. I did have a couple of dedicated DJs who would put on some amazing live shows, but for most of the day the station was just playing random music and the listener count would plummet as such.

This time I have a game plan. Taking my time to make sure I don't launch until I have a full schedule filled out.

If you know anybody who wants to build a programming block or do a live show, please send them my way! There will be plenty of timeslots available, from 30 minutes in length up to 6 hours. You can make a prerecorded show, or do it live. Music or talk. Whatever you prefer.

[-] Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml 4 points 4 days ago

I'd be interested in helping with some programming. Maybe a short prerecorded show, that would be cool to get involved.

[-] Psythik@lemm.ee 1 points 17 hours ago

Pinned post is up! Instructions for how to contribute to the station are within: !radiolemmy@lemm.ee

Alternatively you can go here to get started: https://radiolemmy.com/how-to-contribute-to-radio-lemmy.html

[-] Psythik@lemm.ee 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Perfect! Thank you.

I need prerecorded content as well as live DJs; a regular output of content is preferable so I can get you on the schedule, but anything and everything helps, even if it's a single 30 minute performance.

Check back on the community in a few days for instructions on how you can contribute (look for a pinned post). And thank you again.

[-] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 16 points 4 days ago

I'm involved with a radio station in my area and it's soooooo cool to sit in on shows. All of the stuff you hear is done by live humans. They go in and manually put CDs and curate the playlists and control the levels of everything. Sometimes they talk in between with some context for the song or random musings they have. Sometimes whoever is hosting will dedicate a particular song to somebody they know. It's so endearing and human. Occasionally they'll have a prerecorded show but most of them are live.

[-] hoch@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

Oh boy, I sure do love advertisements

[-] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 6 points 4 days ago

Really depends on the station. Some of them (especially the bigger ones) will have ads quite frequently, but others will have a few every now and then and there are some that don't have any at all.

[-] DrBob@lemmy.ca 29 points 5 days ago

What's the radio?

[-] Cris_Color@lemmy.world 17 points 5 days ago

I'd like to know also, what a beautiful little object

[-] shittydwarf@sh.itjust.works 9 points 5 days ago

+3

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[-] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 4 points 4 days ago

Over all a nice little radio. Only thing I'm not a fan of is that it's only got a micro USB port for its power source. I don't like micro USB cuz it tends to break. Other than that, it's got decent sound quality and you can connect to it via Bluetooth and play music from it. It's tiny and compact.

[-] Cris_Color@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

I've seen some videos where folks have replaced micro or mini USB with type c, but it seems a little involved unless you're already comfortable with electronics. Still a cute little radio though!

[-] DrBob@lemmy.ca 11 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Crosley radio model CR3036D – CL

@cris, @shittydwarf

[-] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 5 points 4 days ago

Yep, that is the model.

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[-] Charlxmagne@lemmy.world 17 points 5 days ago

Bring back pirate radio 🏴‍☠️ (UK people will remember)

[-] hobbsc@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 4 days ago

it's alive and well. schedules are often posted on hfunderground.com

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[-] Geodad@lemm.ee 23 points 5 days ago

My local radio stations suck. They're all country or religious, and 1 NPR station.

[-] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 18 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Thankfully, most radio stations stream online as well, so even if your local options suck you can still find some great stuff online.

This is CHSR, from Fredericton, NB.

Things I've encountered when listening to this station:

Modern jazz
A regular segment dedicated to new music from female artists
Progressive news and politics from Rabble
Thrash metal
The latest chart hits
a selection of country and western that somehow didn't suck???
Progressive news and politics from Democracy Now
Big band jazz
Discussions of intersectional feminism
Giblert and Sullivan
1920s classics
Two guys talking about comic books and wrestling
Bluegrass hour
Just a whole episode of the Canadaland podcast
Irish rebel songs
A discussion of Jimmy Carter's foreign policy and its effects on modern day Isreal
New East Coast bands
A podcast hosted by the Green Party
Prog Rock
Frank Sinatra
Celtic traditionals
Writing advice
French hip-hop
A history of electronic music which I tuned into just in time to catch the host going off about what a tit Grimes is
Classical music
and one entire day of nature sounds

Basically, it's the greatest radio station ever.

[-] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 5 days ago

WBOR from Brunswick, Maine Forever!

(Internet Roadtrip homies will know!)

Lovely little college station.

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[-] HurlingDurling@lemm.ee 13 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

All my homies listen to NPR

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[-] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 5 points 4 days ago

The cool thing is that most radio stations these days also stream on their websites, so if you haven't got any good local stations you can stream other small community ones. Radio garden is a cool website where you can stream stations online from around the world.

[-] gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 5 days ago

Dad once did radio DJ for a few years professionally, had to have a broadcast license and everything

I've thought about getting on the airwaves myself for the fun of it but have no fuckin clue where to start lol

[-] HakFoo@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 5 days ago

Hamstudy.org is good to cram the license questions, and you can get a basic 2m/70cm band handheld transciever for less than $100 (well, you could pre Random Tarrif Gameshow Time)

[-] Sunny@slrpnk.net 9 points 4 days ago

Question: Do radio broadcasters have any indication/numbers on how many are listening in while on FM/AM?

[-] scoobford@lemmy.zip 7 points 4 days ago

Not from broadcasting, but they can pay a ratings company like Nielsen to research certain samples of the population.

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[-] Psythik@lemm.ee 5 points 4 days ago

Only in internet radio.

I have a theory that the reason why FM radio stations often hold contests is so that they can gauge how many people are listening. By counting the number of entries and calculating an estimate of what percentage of radio listeners enter their contests, you can get a rough estimate of how many people are tuning in.

Kind of like how Nielsen operates. Send out a survey to a percentage of the American population, and from their answers you can figure out how many people watch a certain show.

[+] mutual_ayed@sh.itjust.works 19 points 5 days ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

[deleted]

[-] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Lights out
Pirate radio, turn that shit up

[-] misteloct@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Reddit 'Wholesome': Local inspirational 6th grader raises enough money in bake sale to pay off autistic classmate's lunch bills.

Lemmy Wholesome: Actually wholesome.

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[-] oscillator@slrpnk.net 8 points 5 days ago

In Germany we quite a few really cool alternative radio stations. They all have their local frequencies, shows and so on, but also share a German-wide morning show. It’s mostly recoded by the bigger projects, like in Berlin, but otherwise it would just take too much resources from small volunteer run stations.

[-] shucks@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 days ago

Do you have any info on how to listen to these stations? Like frequencies or a website where schedules are posted?

[-] oscillator@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago

Assuming you speak German: https://www.freie-radios.de/

Or here a audio platform where a lot of their content is posted afterwards, where you can discover stations and shows: https://www.freie-radios.net/ (albeit those are confusingly similar URLs)

[-] shucks@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago

Thank you :)

[-] hobbsc@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 4 days ago

we lost our local radio station last year as the owner aged out. I'm worried about who will acquire that slice of the spectrum.

there is a college station still in a neighboring town at least.

[-] Rolder@reddthat.com 7 points 5 days ago

I’ve got a nice little local radio station I like because they play a wide variety of stuff. Not just the same ol top 10 on repeat. Plus very few ads (unless it’s Membership Drive season)

[-] Hikermick@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

College radion is my go to

[-] glibg@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 days ago

Hell yeah community radio!

[-] Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml 8 points 5 days ago

Pretty cool little setup

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Solarpunk