Signal: January 2009

Photo: Captain Nandu Chitnis

From poverty, to absent fatherhood, to blue-flavored soda - youth in 2008 showed again the power of young people telling stories their way. Want proof? Check out the Best Youth-Made Radio of 2008 playlist. With contributions from the likes of Youth Radio Vermont, Radio Rookies, Listen Up New Orleans! and Third Grade Audio (to name just a few...) you'll have excellent listening for hours.

Want to hear more? Visit New From Youth Radio and Growing Up. Or make your own playlist! And tell us about it.

For those of you with that popular gizmo, the iPhone, PRX has been working with some of public radio's most prominent organizations* to bring live broadcast right to your phone. The Public Radio Tuner lets you listen to hundreds of public radio stations while you're on-the-go. You can head to iTunes and download the free application right now.

Here at GPRX headquarters, we're still happy listening to radio the old fashioned way...on PRX.

Diego Ruiz

When we learned that outLoud member Diego Ruiz loves radio as much as the environment, we knew he'd be a perfect fit for the brand new Youth Environmental Editorial Board (YEEB):

"I'm Diego Ruiz, the first person in the new position of YEEB. My job is to review, playlist and spotlight youth-produced pieces about environmental issues. So, if you have any ideas for a piece about how an environmental issue affects you and your community, get recording now!

"A little bit about me: I got my radio start at outLoud Radio in San Francisco. I'm in my first year of college at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Yes, it is that cold outside right now. Especially for this transplanted Californian.) I'm intending to major in Environmental Studies, so this new position really is a perfect fit for me. I can't wait to listen to your guys' voices and hear your new perspectives on environmental issues. If you'd like for me to listen to your piece or have any ideas about the position, please don't hesitate to email me at diego[at]outloudradio[dot]org."

Two totally unrelated goodies for you this month. First, to get your wheels spinning on just how creative and dynamic integrated online documentary can be, see/hear/read/enjoy this story about St. Michael's Hospital, told by Filmmaker-in-Residence Katerina Cizek for the National Film Board of Canada.

Then, check out Mikey, the new small mic from Blue that plugs right into your iPod. At $79.99 it's not exactly a steal, but it does let you listen to music once you're done recording...

Photo: Megpi

• PRX 3.0 - the new, spiffy version of the site - makes giving feedback as easy as commenting on someone's Facebook photo. If you were intimidated by the old review format, it's gone! Leave a comment.
• Feeling election withdrawal? Don't want to give up civic participation? Visit the Message for Obama Flickr Pool and OnDayOne. Or get in the mood by listening to Inauguration Audio.
• As of January 1st, PRX is officially PRX, Inc., out on its own as an independent organization and no longer under the Station Resource Group, our "parent company." What does this mean for you? Very little! But you can read all about it.
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Photo: Jimmy McDonald

Try some of these upcoming events for inspiration and as a tool to pitch to stations.

Jan 19 - Martin Luther King Day
Jan 20 - Inauguration Day
Jan 27 - Chocolate Cake Day
Feb - Black History Month
Feb 2 - Groundhog Day
Feb 14 - Valentine's Day
Feb 16 - Presidents' Day
Feb 24 - Mardi Gras
Mar - Women's History Month
Mar 8 - International Women's Day
Mar 17 - St. Patrick's Day