Wednesday, September 26, 2007

New hunk of infrastructure for peace

Getting ready for a little hunk of infrastructure. Omni people are preparing to join the media revolution. On October 12 we will (if all goes as planned) submit an application to the FCC for a high-power radio station license. It'll have the potential to reach a big hunk of Northwest Arkansas, and a bit of Oklahoma and Missouri.

We have big hopes for this station. I imagine it radiating out between the hills and through the hollers of the Ozark Mountains, bringing surprising new insights to hill people who pride themselves on their lack of larnin. Maybe inspiring people who think there's nobody else like them in the universe, because they think there must be some better way to get through life, then what's happening now.

Maybe we can find some hill folk who want to do programming. Some Cherokee Indians who want a voice for their tribe. They'd be a wonderful addition to the list I've got in my mind, of environmental programming, talks by UA professors on intriguing topics, stories by Omni travelers about what they learn in the world, students showcasing current bands, music from all over, reports on the City Council, children's stories teaching peace, justice and an earth restored... and lots of people making it all work.

A year ago we'd almost given up hope. After months of meeting, thinking and planning we just couldn't seem to pull all the strands together. Several of us attended the Great Media Conference in Memphis where FCC Commissioner Johnathan Edelstein played blues, and Bill Moyers said "we change big media or die trying." The real reason I went was to find something. I needed to find the information, or the inspiration, or the people, to pull the radio thing off, or die trying. Well, maybe not die... just give up the project. That just didn't seem like a good option though.

Well, there was Joe Newman. He came to the media conference looking for some way to do radio too. And he had some skills to give it a good shot. I'm glad you came along Joe. You've done a lot of hard work on preparing for this FCC application. If we don't get it, we'll have done our best, and you're the bulldog who's kept the ball rolling. He's not the only one though. We've only just begun, but lots of people have already put good work, and solid effort, and real money into this, and I'm proud of us. Very proud.

Media for peace, justice and ecology. This is a piece of peace infrastructure. Pretty exciting, very challenging, with incredible potential to help make the changes that need to happen. We're stepping into the media world with faith that our voices are incredibly valuable. With confidence that the world needs to hear us in a serious way. I am proud of us. Very proud.

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