A little-recognized aspect of Illinois’ new statewide cable TV franchise law is that it takes away local municipalities’ ability to enforce zoning laws and similar provisions when it comes to how cable TV providers use the public right-of-way. Residents of Evanston, IL got a rude wake up call to this provision when AT&T started installing large and loud refrigerator-sized utility boxes in front of and behind residences all over this Chicago suburb. Not only is the city government prevented from doing anything about it, but it’s actually required to help AT&T put them in place.
Scott Sanders of Chicago Media Action has been working with Evanston residences who’ve organized a coalition called Stop the Box to press for changes in the state franchising law. On the second half of the Oct. 16 radioshow Scott calls in from outside a public meeting held on this subject, and hands the phone to Mary Beth Kisner-Griffin, one of the local organizers, who tells us more about how AT&T has worked hard to disempower local residents and governments.
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mediageek 16 October 2008 part 2 – broadcast quality mp3
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[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20081016-pt2.mp3[/mp3]
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This week Mitchell Szczepanczyk from Chicago Media Action joins us to talk about some of their top media reform issues right now. In particular, we get into the digital TV transition, and the folks who will be left behind, along with CMA’s challenges to Chicago TV broadcasters’ FCC licenses over the poor quality of their local election coverage.
Podcast/Download:
mediageek 16 October 2008 broadcast quality mp3
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[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20081016.mp3[/mp3]
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Tags: broadcast license, chicago, chicago media action, cma, digital transition, dtv, fcc, wnur
Download, Listen Now, Podcast | Paul | 
October 17, 2008 11:45 am | 
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My new timeslot on WNUR is an hour long, giving me twice the airtime of the original mediageek radioshow. What I’ve decided to do is treat the first half-hour as a self-contained program matching the format that the program has had up to now, distributing this to the show’s affiliate stations around the continent.
With the second half-hour I’m taking a looser approach, often focusing on issues that are more local in nature for the Evanston-Chicago area. If the week’s guest is able to stick around we’ll try to take calls.
This week guest Shawn Campbell of the Chicago Independent Radio Project was live in the studio, so we talked a little bit more of the project’s history with regard to the former community-radio format of Loyola University’s WLUW, and took one phone call.
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mediageek 9 October 2008 part 2 broadcast quality mp3
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[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20081009-pt2.mp3[/mp3]
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There is a group of motivated radio lovers in Chicago who think that the city needs a real community radio station, independent of a college, university or other organization that might change its mind about who can be on the radio. Shawn Campbell is the president of the Chicago Independent Radio Project, and she joins me this week to talk about why Chicago needs community radio, and how they hope to squeeze a new noncommercial station onto the dial.
Podcast/Download:
mediageek 9 October 2008 broadcast quality mp3
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[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20081009.mp3[/mp3]
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Due to being overworked, along with a last-minute pre-emption, this week’s show is an encore edition from May 23:
This week the feature is the other NPR – Neighborhood Public Radio. It’s a broadcasting art project, taking open-mic studios to art galleries to connect with the surrounding community through radio. I had a chance this week to stop in to NPR’s storefront studio next door to the Whitney Museum in New York City, where they’re participating in the Whitney Biennial. In part one of my interview, NPR’s Lee Montgomery tells us about Neighborhood Public Radio, its origins and what they’re doing.
Podcast/Download:
mediageek 3 Oct. 2008 broadcast quality mp3
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[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20081003.mp3[/mp3]
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This show marks the debut of mediageek on its new home station, WNUR 89.3 FM in Evanston, IL, broadcasting to the north side of Chicago and the North Shore suburbs. My pal John Anderson guests to help re-inaugurate the program as we review the raison d’ete of mediageek, and new producer Andrew Gothelf shares his own brief experience interning in a commercial radio newsroom that quickly disappeared.
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mediageek 25 September 2008 broadcast quality mp3
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[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20080925.mp3[/mp3]
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Tags: chicago, commercial radio, communications act, diymedia, evanston, mediageek, radio, radio news, wnur
Download, Listen Now, Podcast | Paul | September 25, 2008 11:01 pm | Comments (0)
In the best blogger style, I’m remembering to post this only hours in advance…
Beginning tonight at 9 PM CDT the mediageek radioshow begins a new chapter with a new station. Tonight is the debut of the mediageek radioshow on WNUR 89.3 FM, the radio station of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, serving the north side of Chicago and the North Shore suburbs. As I’ve mentioned on the blog and radioshow, I moved to Chicago back in April, saying a teary goodbye to the studios of community radio WEFT in Champaign, IL where the show got its start. Since then I’ve been producing the show at home, while it continues to air on WEFT and a dozen other stations.
Besides the change to a new station and city the show now moves to an hour-long format. Because the current mediageek affiliates only have a half-hour set aside for the program I’ll be doing the show in two segments. The first half-hour will be much like the current show, with news headlines and feature interviews.
With the second half-hour I’m planning to take a looser approach. When there are live guests who are willing to stick around the full hour I’d like to take live listener phone calls. WNUR has a live web stream, so this opportunity will be available not just to folks listening in the Chicago area. I’d also like to spice things up by featuring more audio collage, sonic art and broadcast things that have less to do with policy and regulation. I’ll post the second half-hour for podcast and online listening, too.
So, tonight’s the first trial balloon in the new approach. I’m glad that my pal and frequent guest John Anderson will be along for the ride via phone from Champaign.
Tune in tonight, Sept. 25, from 9 – 10 PM to WNUR 89.3 FM, Evanston, IL, and online at WNUR.org.
In the best blogger style, I’m remembering to post this only hours in advance…
Beginning tonight at 9 PM CDT the mediageek radioshow begins a new chapter with a new station. Tonight is the debut of the mediageek radioshow on WNUR 89.3 FM, the radio station of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, serving the north side of Chicago and the North Shore suburbs. As I’ve mentioned on the blog and radioshow, I moved to Chicago back in April, saying a teary goodbye to the studios of community radio WEFT in Champaign, IL where the show got its start. Since then I’ve been producing the show at home, while it continues to air on WEFT and a dozen other stations.
Besides the change to a new station and city the show now moves to an hour-long format. Because the current mediageek affiliates only have a half-hour set aside for the program I’ll be doing the show in two segments. The first half-hour will be much like the current show, with news headlines and feature interviews.
With the second half-hour I’m planning to take a looser approach. When there are live guests who are willing to stick around the full hour I’d like to take live listener phone calls. WNUR has a live web stream, so this opportunity will be available not just to folks listening in the Chicago area. I’d also like to spice things up by featuring more audio collage, sonic art and broadcast things that have less to do with policy and regulation. I’ll post the second half-hour for podcast and online listening, too.
So, tonight’s the first trial balloon in the new approach. I’m glad that my pal and frequent guest John Anderson will be along for the ride via phone from Champaign.
Tune in tonight, Sept. 25, from 9 – 10 PM to WNUR 89.3 FM, Evanston, IL, and online at WNUR.org.
Download/Podcast:
mediageek 19 September 2008 broadcast quality mp3
Listen Now:
[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20080919.mp3[/mp3]
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Our man keeping tabs on the FCC Matthew Lasar is here again to talk about the FCC’s plan for a cost-free and porn-free wireless internet service, and other important stuff that files under the mainstream radar.
Podcast/Download:
mediageek 12 September 2008 broadcast quality mp3
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[mp3]http://www.mediageek.net/sound/2008/mg20080912.mp3[/mp3]
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