Radio Empowers

Radio Empowers

The old-fashioned medium of radio broadcasting has always—and hopefully always will—empower those behind the microphone. AND, it has the potential to amuse, entertain and empower those who listen.

One thing I have learned after 45 years in the community broadcasting business is that you can’t judge a book by the cover and you never know who is coming through the door. Everyone has talent and you have to let it shine. You have to give everyone a chance.

This applies to youth. Listeners to KFFR will often hear young voices on the radio. Think of all the public radio stations you have ever listened to … hearing young people on a public radio station is extremely rare in the world of big voices on NPR, BBC and high-budget public stations. Commercial radio? Never.

In my career I have encountered plenty of resistance to youth radio but I have always been willing to stand and defend the concept. Grumpy old people who haven’t been conditioned to listen to kids will object given the chance. Happily, KFFR has always put kids on the air and our audience is acclimated and supportive.

At first, most kids that get into broadcasting don’t know what radio is but once they get a taste of speaking into a microphone, playing their favorite music or interviewing a friend, they light up. Radio gives young people a chance—sometimes for the first time ever—to be heard by the broader community. Having someone listen to you is not to be underrated. Community radio gives voice to the fun and funky people in the community and that includes young people.

I discovered this by mistake. When I was in my 20’s I was hired as Station Manager of KDNK in Carbondale. The station was two years old and offered a delightful, chaotic mess of locals spinning music on turntables. In 1986 an eight-year-old kid named Andy Zanca walked up the stairs to the radio station and asked if he could hang out. I put him and one of his buddies on the air and youth radio at KDNK was born.

Andy is no longer with us but his sister, Anne-Marie Zanca recognized how much radio meant to her brother and she started a non-profit in his name. I’m happy to see that the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program is still going strong. The organization does classroom partnerships and produces youth radio that is some of the best in the country. Check them out at azyep.org.

Andy Zanca and Cody Swidler broadcasting on KDNK.

Here at KFFR we have welcomed kids since day one and it doesn’t surprise anyone when a local group of elementary school kids takes over the airwaves. That’s how it should be. Our kids are inheriting this crazy world and we might as well give them something meaningful to do while they grow up.

Last year we produced a “Youth Week,” which highlighted student talent from Kremmling to Winter Park. We broadcast fun snippets from little kids and serious discussions with high schoolers. We highlighted partnerships with local classrooms and the library.

At Blues from the Top we broadcast live all weekend, not from the main stage, but from the youth stage, giving young talent a serious leg up. In our local music series, “The Sound of Grand County,” we invite local teens to be part of the scene.

Middle Park High School now has an internet radio studio and kids are learning the ropes with the help of KFFR. Since the beginning we have welcomed student interns and they often have an advantage when they move on to another chapter.

One huge benefit for listeners to youth on the air is that we get to hear what’s on the minds of our local kids. Once they get going in the studio they are not intimidated or self-conscious and they share their lives with us without filters. That’s some of my favorite broadcasting.

We have another Youth Week coming up May 6-10 and I hope you enjoy this window into the world of our local young people. I hope you listen. That’s where the empowerment comes in … people listening to another person on the radio. No matter what the age, I think one of the hardest things to learn in life is how to listen, whether it’s mixing on a radio console or hearing the answer to an interview question. It’s a mad skill that’s hard to teach and even harder to learn. That’s what we are trying to do at KFFR.

Steve Skinner is KFFR’s Program Director.

Featured Image – A visit from local students from Fraser Elementary School