WVQC news

The Future of Media Needs You

Katie Finnigan — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:08:20 GMT

Dear Media Bridges Producers, WVQC Members and Friends,

Below is a link that will allow you to comment, formally and to the FCC, on what is arguably the most important issue of our time, The Future of Media.

Has The Media, as you have come to utilize it, done more for you than to deliver you to advertisers? Has it met your needs as an American citizen, providing you with the information you need on the platform you need it in order to make decisions in the voting booth, in the supermarket, at the doctor’s office?

Are you satisfied with the quality of your local commercial television stations? Your public television stations? Your internet service? Your smart phone? Do you get your information from these devices?

How do local public access television stations and community media centers like Media Bridges fit into your decision making? What services do programs like these offer to your community? Does your organization use Media Bridges to help create your promotional message, to disseminate the word of God, to inform local citizens about the activities of your city council and in your City Halls?

What can the FCC do to strengthen these programs? How should the FCC handle policy around these programs? The FCC needs your comments to make their decisions. Please take the time and make a difference.

Media Bridges, Cincinnati’s Community Media Center and Public Access Television Station, and access centers like it all around the country, are being defunded or legislated out of existence.

As you answer the questions in this FCC call for comments, remind them that no discussion of The Future of Media is complete without the diverse local voices, created by average local people and run on your local public access channels.

Please take a few minutes and go here and take the time to shape The Future of Media in the United States of America.

A Night to Re-Member

Katie Finnigan — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:48:40 GMT

A Night to Re-Member

Last week, WVQC's founding members gathered together for our first annual meeting to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and make big plans for the next.

In just a year, WVQC has grown from a sheet of paper authorizing us to construct a station to an independent radio powerhouse, broadcasting over 40 locally produced shows each week covering everything from veterans' benefits to GLBTQ affairs to spoken word. That's in addition to airing over 90 hours a week of music by Cincinnati's best local artists.

Stay tuned for leaps forward in the months to come as we keep improving our content and offering more ways to access it. To all our fans and members, thank you for your support in our first year and keep looking forward to new strides in our second.

$10,000 Grant from the Ohio Valley Foundation moves WVQC Closer to Launch

Katie Finnigan — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:11:43 GMT

$10,000 Grant from the Ohio Valley Foundation moves WVQC Closer to Launch

WVQC is pleased to accept a $10,000 grant from the Ohio Valley Foundation. Thanks to their support, and the support of members, donors and local organizations, the launch of WVQC: Radio Free Queen City is closer than ever. We're now just waiting FCC approval for our tower site... We're on our way!

Download the full Press Release

Business and Pleasure

Katie Finnigan — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:46:36 GMT

All WVQC members are invited to WVQC's first annual Radio Rendezvous, a membership meeting and happy hour where you'll get the chance to nominate candidates for the WVQC Advisory Board elections and mix and mingle with your fellow producers and members. This is a free, members-only event. Complimentary beer and wine will be provided.

-------	Who:	WVQC members
	What:	Radio Rendezvous: Membership meeting / Happy hour
		Friday, April 16, Doors open at 6
		Membership meeting: 6:30-7:30
		Happy hour: 7:30-8:30
	Where:	Media Bridges
		1100 Race St.
		Cincinnati, OH 45202

Click to RSVP

Membership Meeting:

Nominations will open for WVQC's first annual Advisory Board elections. Nominations must be made and seconded by members. They can be made at the meeting or up to seven days afterwards. All members are eligible to run and vote.
There will be a launch announcement and an update on the state of the station
You'll get to voice your opinion and hear more opportunities to get involved in WVQC.

Happy Hour
Meet, drink and be merry with your fellow WVQC members and producers. Bonus, the drinks are free.

Happy Holidays WVQCers

Katie Finnigan — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:41:39 GMT

A new Crazy Keith video is our special gift to you. Add a $39 G3 iMac to your wishlist and support WVQC this holiday season. The new low price is only good until the end of December.

WVQC on the Frontlines

Katie Finnigan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:54:09 GMT

WVQC on the Frontlines

Check out the article about WVQC in the November issue of Cincinnati Magazine.

Low End Theory

WVQC 95.7 FM may have a weak signal but the studio is ready to rock.

By Kathy Wilson

Stay tuned for WVQC 95.7 FM.

Soon, listeners who find a sweet spot within a three- to five-mile radius of Media Bridges’s nascent low-power, noncommercial, 100-watt radio station could hear Spanish-speaking announcers, their favorite homegrown bands, a discussion of gay and lesbian issues, or any number of Queen City–specific programs. It may sound redundant to add another low-power radio station to the dial—there’s already the venerable 34-year-old 88.3 FM WAIF, a station known to loyal listeners as “Stepchild Radio” for its grassroots sensibilities and disparate programming. However, in WVQC—recently dubbed Radio Free Queen City—Media Bridges is offering The Little(r) Station That Could. Katie Finnigan, the AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteer getting the station ready to go, says that WVQC will fill a void: “There’s a lot to cover in Cincinnati and two community [stations] dedicated to it is not enough.” Radio Free Queen City is part of a larger national trend, adding to the hundreds of low-power radio licenses granted over the last decade by the Federal Communications Commission. Many of these stations broadcast (weakly) from the homes of private broadcasters, who snapped up the licenses as a result of, according to The New York Times, “a brief window of eased federal regulation intended to foster competition within the big corporate radio chains.” Read more

Photo by Ryan Kurtz

IT"S REFURBISHED!!

Katie Finnigan — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:07:46 GMT

Crazy Keith returns. This time with Igor in the basement of Media Bridges. Scary. If you're brave enough to buy one his newly returned to life macs contact Media Bridges at mac@mediabridges.org or 513-651-4171. Go to www.mediabridges.org/mac for more information. Proceeds go to benefit WVQC.

Policy Update: Local Community Radio Act passes committee with Unianimous Vote

Katie Finnigan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:22:38 GMT

On Wednesday the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed the Local Community Radio Act The act will repeal unnecessary restrictions on the placement of low power FM (LPFM) stations on the radio dial. It will allow hundreds on communities to have access to local, independent radio across the country.

The bill is now expected to move to a full House vote. Call your representatives and tell them to support the bill.

Policy Update: Local Community Radio Act goes to Committee Vote

Katie Finnigan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:38:08 GMT

Tomorrow at 10 a.m. the House Energy and Commerce committee will vote on the Local Community Radio Act. The bill would remove onerous restrictions on low power FM (LPFM) stations like WVQC and allow community radio to expand to more cities and towns across the country.

The committee is chaired by longtime LPFM supporter Henry Waxman. If the bill passes it will move to a full House vote. Call your rep and tell them to lend their support today!

Check out the Promethus Radio Project for more information on LPFM and the Local Community Radio act.

Policy Update: Low Power Radio Triumphs over Big Broadcasters in Washington

Katie Finnigan — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:20:28 GMT

For those of you keeping score at home, it's LPFM: 1, Commericial Broadcasters: 0, (ok, probably more than 0 in all, but for this legislative round it's 0).

The article below is from Prometheus Radio Project. Thanks for all their hard work!

Low Power Radio Triumphs over Big Broadcasters in Washington

Thursday, 08 October 2009

Local Community Radio Act Sweeps House Subcommittee in 15 to 1 vote

The Local Community Radio Act was passed out of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet this morning in a sweeping 15 to 1 vote. The Act would allow for the creation of hundreds of new, low power FM (LPFM) radio stations that would broadcast community news and local perspectives to neighborhoods across the country.

“All I can say is, it's about time,” said Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), a co-sponsor of the bill. “It was absurd and ridiculous that broadcasters went to such great lengths to block the public from having some small measure of access to the airwaves, and disgraceful that we had to spend more two million dollars to prove what the FCC already had shown—that LPFM would not interfere with full power stations.”

Big broadcasters have historically opposed the Local Community Radio Act, claiming that LPFM could cause interference to full power stations, a concern later disproven by a Congressionally mandated study. But with unanimous FCC support, strong bipartisan co-sponsorship, and grassroots momentum, even industry news is now predicting a win. “We do not expect that there is any stopping it at this point,” the Radio Business Report commented this morning.

“The bill still has a long way to go in the legislative process, but I am optimistic that by the end of the year the Local Community Radio Act will be signed into law,” said Congressman Doyle (D-PA), lead co-sponsor of the bill with Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE).

The bill gained the support of former doubters of LPFM, including Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), a former lead co-sponsor of anti-LPFM legislation and ranking Republican on the subcommittee, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the only former broadcaster in Congress, and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), who called for the study of LPFM interference in 2000.

“Today’s vote signals a policy shift towards more local and diverse media,” said Cory Fischer-Hoffman, Campaign Director for the Prometheus Radio Project. “We need to use this momentum to push for full passage of the Local Community Radio Act so groups working tirelessly to have a voice in their communities can start building stations.”

Hundreds of groups—including schools, churches, and emergency responders—were denied licenses in 2000 after Congress blocked the FCC from handing them out in crowded media markets.

Advocates point to the successes of existing low power FM stations to prove their value to communities. “When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf, low power radio was the only source of emergency information in a number of counties. Residents in East Texas tuned their battery-operated radios to KZQX-LP while they waited a week for power to be restored,” said Andalusia Knoll, Community Station Director at the Prometheus Radio Project. “In Louisiana, KOCZ-LP has proven essential to the cultural survival of Zydeco music, which is rarely heard on the airwaves. And low power station WRYR hosts public debate about the environmental impacts of development on the Chesapeake Bay.”

“Congress should act swiftly to pass LPFM and support the families, workers, and places of worship that serve as the anchors in our communities,” said Joel Kelsey, Policy Analyst at Consumers Union.

Nancy Zirkin of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights added, “In an era of mass media consolidation, we in the civil rights community believe that it is critical to promote diverse ownership and diverse viewpoints over the public airwaves, and we look forward to the passage of this bill into law.”

The Local Community Radio Act is now poised to move to the full Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by longtime LPFM supporter Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA).

Don't miss Whomageddon! Halloween at Northside Tavern

Katie Finnigan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:42:49 GMT

WHOMAGEDDON!

On Halloween this year, spectators at Cincinnati's Northside Tavern may have to do a double take as they watch and hear local musicians performing, in costume and character, as of some of the most famous musicians in rock history: The Who, Ramones, and Devo.

Performers involved in the concert include John Curley (of the Afghan Whigs and Staggering Statistics), Andrew Higley (Pearlene, Chocolate Horse), Scotty Wood, Jason Knarr, Dave Cupp, and others. The musicians' goal is to help raise funds to support the launch of WVQC: Radio Free Queen City.

The Northside Tavern, owned by local music supporter Ed Rush, will also be contributing. The event will be free for the public, but a portion of bar sales will be going toward Media Bridges and WVQC. The performers will also be donating a portion of their pay to help the cause.

WHO: Local Musicians
WHAT: Halloween Benefit Concert for Media Bridges/WVQC
WHERE: Northside Tavern, 4163 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45223, (513) 542-3603
WHEN: October 31, 2009, 9:00pm
COST: FREE
AGES: 21 and up

Don't miss this fun, FREE Halloween extravaganza!

That's crazy

Katie Finnigan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:14:37 GMT

Watch a crazy man smash a computer with a battle ax. Then get a G3 iMac for $64. All while supporting WVQC.

Hey there, local musicians

Katie Finnigan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:59:20 GMT

We're building our playlist. Send your cd to:

WVQC / Media Bridges
1100 Race St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202

LPFM in the News

Katie Finnigan — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:27:55 GMT

Great article in yesterday's New York Times about low power FM radio. Check it out.

From a porch in Montana, Low Power Radio's Voice Rises

the audio slide show is even better

Low Power, but with Heart

Mark your calenders...

Katie Finnigan — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:09:35 GMT

September 5th, 8pm at the Know Theater... Featuring performances by IsWhat?, J.Dorsey Blues Revival, Culture Queer, Fourth Letter Gang, the Tigerlilies, Losanti and more...

Join us as we celebrate Media Bridges' 20th Anniversary and raise funds for the launch of 95.7 WVQC: Radio Free Queen City. Tickets are $9.57*

In addition to fine tunes, exquisite spoken word performances, dancing, and video installations, we will also have the best raffle in town. Here's a preview of the hot items up for grabs:

A full year membership to the Contemporary Arts Center
Gift certificates to Total Juice, Coffee Emporium, Enzo's, Chez Nora
Media Bridges T-Shirts
WVQC T-shirts
And more...

*(Tickets are available on a sliding scale - if you don't have that much, we'll take whatever contribution you can provide!)

Want to be on the radio?

Katie Finnigan — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:02:06 GMT

Applications are now available to host shows WVQC! Download your copy here.

Get the word out about your buisiness and support a good cause

Katie Finnigan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:40:10 GMT

Local businesses, do you want an affordable way to get your message out to people in your neighborhood? Want to support the community? Become an underwriter on WVQC! A 20 second spot sparks local listeners interest in your business and supports independent, community media. Click Support to get pricing or sign up.

New Training Classes

Katie Finnigan — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:30:40 GMT

Want to host a show on WVQC? Good news! Registration is open for new training classes in July and August.

Two new classes are available:

July 1-15, Wednesdays 7-9 PM or
August 5-19, Wednesdays 7-9 PM

The Radio class will train you in radio production and teach you the ins and outs of WVQC. It's required for anyone who wants to host a show and has no prior training in Media Bridges' Internet radio. Each class runs for three weeks. Stay tuned if you've already taken the Internet radio class, we'll be hosting shorter, refresher courses later this summer.

WVQC membership is a pre-requisite for any class. Sign up to be a member at www.wvqc.org/member. Call 513-651-4171 to register for classes or find out more information at www.wvqc.org/classes.

Call to Action: Save Public Access in your Community

Katie Finnigan — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:35:03 GMT

Call your representatives in the House and Senate, tell them to call and write the FCC to rule on Docket #9-13. Please do it today.

Cable giants AT&T and Comcast are threatening to send Public, Educational and Government Access (PEG) television to "digital Siberia."

They are engaging in discrimatory practices that make it more difficult for citizens to find and receive PEG channels. PEG Access is required by law to be treated the same in quality, functionality and placement as other cable channels. The illegal actions of AT&T and Comcast and threaten the health and survival of FEG channels as well as citizens' access to the broadcast media.

The Alliance for Community Media and a coalition of community media groups, municipalities and regional organizations filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling regarding the treatment of local PEG channels on the AT&T U-verse cable TV system. They are simply asking for the FCC to hear their case.

Call and write your Congressmen and tell them to call the FCC to grant the Alliance's petition for a Declaratory Ruling. PEG television deserves a fair hearing. A sample letter to forward to your Congressman is below.

Contact information for your Senators and Representatives is listed at the following sites:

www.house.gov
www.senate.gov

Download a sample letter to forward to your Congressmen.

Sample Letter to FCC

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington D.C. 20554

RE: Petitions for Declaratory Ruling Regarding Public, Educational
and Governmental Access Channels, MB Docket No. 09-13, CSR 8126 (ACM et al.), CRS 8127 (City of Lansing, MI), and CSR 8128 (City of Dearborn, MI et al.)

Dear Commissioner:

On January 30, 2009, the Alliance for Community Media and a coalition of community media groups, municipalities and regional organizations filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling regarding the treatment of local public, educational and governmental access (“PEG”) channels on the AT&T U-verse cable TV system. PEG access is required by law to be treated the same in quality, placement, and functionality as local broadcast channels on cable system. It is very important that the provisions of the law be upheld and enforced, to preserve Congress’ intent of preserving localism, diversity and free speech.

In a separate Petition for Declaratory Ruling, a group of Michigan cities led by Dearborn has asked for relief concerning Comcast’s plan to digitize PEG channels, requiring basic service subscribers to pay extra just to continue to receive PEG channels. Like AT&T’s practices, Comcast’s practices are contrary to law and greatly threaten the future of PEG.

I urge the FCC to promptly grant the Alliance’s Petition and Dearborn’s Petition. The very existence of PEG access is threatened by practices such as those described in the filings. I congratulate you for the speedy opening of the comment period, and trust that the remainder of the process will be equally efficient and deliberate.

I look forward to a positive resolution of this important issue.

Sincerely,

On the Fringe

Katie Finnigan — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:18:53 GMT

The Cincy Fringe Festival is exploding downtown from now until June 6 and several fine performances and films are happening right here at Media Bridges. You can buy tickets online at www.cincyfringe.com

Read on below for the details:

A Perfectly Wonderful Evening

Genre: Theatre

Run time: 75 min

Performers: Artemis Exchange from Cincinnati, OH / New York City NY

Description:

Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx: Vaudevillian, cigar enthusiast, Jew. Master of wit. Thomas Stearns "T.S." Elliot: Poet, expatriate, blatant anti-Semite. Master of eloquence. Harold Bloom "The Brontosaurus": Author, critic, literary juggernaut. The Master. Circe "The Girl in the Play": Muse, omnipotent career woman, character actress. Easy on the eyes. One critic, two very mismatched figures, and one hell of a spread. A circus of historical rendezvous, fictional clashes of characters, famous figures, ephemeral beings, the Crown Prince of Bit Comedy's thoughts about Shakespeare, the elegant author of The Waste Land’s fondness for slapstick, puns, cigars, and English Beef with asparagus. All based on a true story, filtered through Bloom's point of view, and warped by the twisted young minds of Artemis Exchange; A Perfectly Wonderful Evening is a ride through one of the greatest meetings of mismatched minds in American history. Or any other history. Ever.

Playing at Media Brides:

Wednesday, May 27 at 7:00 PM
Friday, May 29 at 8:15 PM
Sunday, May 31 at 4:30 PM
Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 PM
Saturday, June 6 at 3:15 PM

Cemetary Golf

Genre: Solo

Run time: 75 min

Performer: Jim Loucks from Venice, CA

Description:

Bravely delving into the lives of a hellfire and brimstone Southern Baptist preacher and his family, this dynamic one-man show is filled with quirky characters. It explores the detrimental effects of fundamentalist Christianity with witty and insightful storytelling. Based loosely on Loucks' childhood experiences in small-town Georgia, Cemetery Golf shows how organized religion's use of fear fosters an environment of control. This timely topic is explored in Loucks' charismatic portrayal of each of the family members, enlivened by Gospel songs and his Southern humor and charm.

Playing at Media Bridges:

Tuesday, May 28 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, May 30 at 8:30 PM
Monday, June 1 at 7:15 PM
Thursday, June 4 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 PM

Incredultity

Genre: Improv

Run time: 40 min

Performers: The Incredulities from Chicago, Il

Description:

Incredulity is an improv show that will be done for the first and last time each night it is performed. Don't believe us; don't be so incredulous. We'll take suggestions from our audiences, put them into our random device, and create the show on the spot. Wherever the wheel spins, the dart lands, or whatever other random act of nonsense occurs will determine what happens in our show. Failure is a distinct possibility. Improvisers thrive on the risk and tension that comes from the presence of failure. You won't believe what's happening right in front of your eyes. Of course you won't, that’s the name of the show.

Playing at Media Bridges:

Thursday, May 28 at 9:00 PM
Saturday, May 30 at 7:00 PM
Wednesday, June 3 at 7:00 PM
Thursday, June 4 at 9:00 PM
Friday, June 5 at 8:15 PM

Film Fringe (Group A)

A group of short films screening Wednesday, May 27 at Media Bridges at 8:45 pm and Saturday, June 6 at 6 pm at the Art Academy.

I Love My Girlfriend - Beery Media (13:36)

Black-n-Bluegrass - Chris Hanby (8:10)

Window - Jeremy Newman (1:22)

Vanessa Rising - e.E. Charlton-Trujillo (11:38)

Kennedy Heights Arts Center - Media Bridges (15:38)

Body Tagging - Ethan Philbrick (9:10)

Last Call - JJ Painter (6:00)

Shades - Matthew Baker (14:43)

Robot Love From Another World -
Kendall Bruns (6:47)

Life on the Fringe - Ethan Philbrick (3:45)

Film Fringe (Group B)

A group of short films screening Tuesday, June 2 at Media Bridges at 8:15 pm and Saturday, May 30 at 7 pm at the Art Academy.

End of all Things - J.C. Shroder (27:45)

Neutron & The Black Demon - Robert Waldeck (4:04)

The Calling - Jennifer Russel (5:05)

Living Under Linda’s Desk - e.E. Charlton-Trujillo (10:24)

en/trap/ment - Ethan Philbrick (1:25)

The Party - Screaming Frog (11:06)

Watermelon - Monte Patterson (3:24)

Headcase - Jason Durham (5:17)

Recession For Men - Matthew Baker (0:48)

Heavy Pedals - Matthew Baker (7:35)

Ethan Dances in Public - Ethan Philbrick (12:19)

Tur-Mohel: Evil League of
Evil Application (3:51)