With Troy (right)- WCUW 91.3 FM’s only employee- and Royce (International Center for Visitors)
Despite technological advancements in the field of communication, community radio- exemplified by Massachusetts based Worcester’s WCUW 91.3 FM- remains a solid medium of conversation among communities.
In a media economy with hundreds of commercial radio stations, cable television and both supported by arguably one of the best internet speeds; it is intriguing how a community radio station can continue to survive. And it’s nothing economic or fundamental; it’s the people’s desire to create and maintain conversations across cultures.
‘WCUW 91.3 FM was established in 1920 by famous American physicist Robert Goddard. Goddard is globally acknowledged as one of the founding fathers of modern rocketry- an invention so loved and hated depending on what side of the modernity you live. Goddard mobilised a group of Clark college students to set up what has become one New England’s pioneer community radio station. The station would later transform into a low power FM broadcast in 1973.
I had a chance to inspect the station’s facilities, April 31, 2013 through a guided tour with the station’s only employee- Troy Tyree. My visit was ostensibly to fulfil a unique desire by the station to have visitors to Worcester record a soundtrack in their mother tongues for promotional purposes. After all, its stated mission is that it will be “community radio for a global audience.” Seven of my colleagues from other parts of the world did the same with the result being promotional messages in Hindi, Arabic, Mandarin, Urdu and many more.
I reason that, in addition to fulfilling its mission station, WCUW 91.3 FM also wants to get visitors appreciate the diversity of the New England district in the US by assuring visitors that someone somewhere in Worcester shares their lingo, and ultimately culture. And thanks to our able hosts at the International Visitor Centre, whose director Royce Anderson is a member of the board at the station, this is an effortless opportunity.
Not that I expect there will be a Ndebele or Shona speaking person in Worcester or the surrounding New England communities but I would not be surprised. I have known Zimbabweans to be everywhere- literally! I chose to premier the recording with a mbira soundtrack, and encouraging listeners to support the station in Ndebele.
Some fascinating realities about the life of WCUW 91.3 FM are worth repeating. It was one of the first 20 radio stations to broadcast in the United States in the 1920s. It broadcasts a variety of musical genres; covers news and has information for almost ethnic group in the Worcester community. No group is more important than the other and the New England based district has no shortage of Irish, Scottish, Italian, Polish, Latino, Indian, Jewish, Albanian and Chinese speakers. “Nowhere else will you find such a rich mix,” reads the station’s website.
It serves a geographic community and is supported through membership contributions. Members pay $40 annually, and the station’s budget is anything above $80,000; half of which admittedly is consumed by personnel costs (remember the station employs one person- the executive director). The station’s finances benefit from rentals received from tenants of part of the building- a pizza shop run by Lebanon nationals.
Among its facilities is a small auditorium that is available for interested organisations and individuals to use.
It hosts one of the largest public collections of vinyl records in Worcester, most of which were donations from music companies. Intriguingly, because of tough copyright laws in the United States- the station cannot podcast its content but it still able to align its work with the new information and communication technologies through online streaming of its programs via www.wcuw.org. Like commercial radio, its programs are archived for 3 months before these can be discarded.
Volunteers produce and broadcast 24/7 and during our visit we were lucky to watch Russ Bellemer (74) in action. His knowledge of music is good. There are nearly 100 others like Russ and they are dedicated in what they do. Troy says since he arrived at the station in 2008 as director he has never had to worry about whether a show will run. “That has never happened,” he says.
All kind and manner of people provide voluntary services not least among them students from a local college who run current affairs programs including news. Of course, there are syndicated shows from NPR and other organisations.
A local fundraising drive was $400 short of the $12,000 target. “It’s the most successful in recent memory,” wrote Troy- thanking the community.
The success of WCUW 91.3 FM is inspirational.
It is regrettable Zimbabwe has not licensed these media forms but discussions about opening up broadcasting media space is cause for optimism.
A sense of duty and service promotes community integration
However their form and nature, we know from WCUW 91.3 FM’s experience that community radio can thrive along new communication and media technologies as well as other broadcasting forms. It’s a unique medium that will be difficult to replace. It may not create substantial well-paying jobs but will enable interested individuals in various communities to provide service and create a sense of community and duty that is often missing in divided communities.
But more important, it provides a voice for all. I am happy to have left a voice in Worcester- thanks to WCUW 91.3 FM.
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Extreme Dimensions 