The Other NPR

Monday night, I attended a talk at Union Docs in Williamsburg under the auspices of their Documentary Bodega Series.  Neighborhood Public Radio founders, Lee Montergomery and Jon Brumit were there to discuss their project, one of the many curated art installations that are part of the 2008 Whitney Biennial of American Art currently happening in New York City through May 31.

This NPR is an artist-run radio project broadcasting live from a former shoe store in Manhattan.  They're broadcasting from the Whitney on 91.9 FM  and streaming on their website Wednesdays through Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  The shows are 30 minutes to an hour and they're produced by local artists, activists, musicians, commentators--anyone, really--focusing on under-represented voices.  They are encouraging people to come by the storefront studio located at 941 Madison Avenue at 74th Street.  You can also contact them at [email protected] to be added to the broadcast schedule.

What's so exciting about this is that NPR provides an alternative media platform for just about anyone with something to say.  By opening up channels of communication through internet streams and micro-powered signals, NPR creates an open space, free of FCC rules and regs, corporate underwriters or any body that can regulate/censor information.  Their motto is, "If it's in the neighborhood and it makes noise, we hope to put it on the air."

Montgomery (pictured in the studio above) and Brumit also offer boxed broadcasting kits that they are distributing to cities and neighborhoods across the US.  During their talk at Union Docs, they discussed the genesis and philosophy of their project, talked about some memorable locally-produced radio moments and their reactions to a piece about them that recently aired on "the other" NPR network.  They also played some audio from their other community-based transmission arts projects, State of Mind Stations and Talking Homes, also found on the main website--take a listen.  Also, if you live in the city, you should stop by the station and speak out.  It's an amazing opportunity to be a part of a living, breathing art installation.

Also coming up at Union Docs: a Spring Symposium Fever on April 27th at 7:00 p.m.  You can submit your work or presentation proposal.  It can be any genre, but should be able to be presented in a medium-sized room and run ten minutes or less. They have a projector, mixer and sound system on hand.  Click here for more info.