KXCI Community Radio is located in Tucson, Arizona - 91.3 FM on the radio dial.
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What does Community Radio mean to you and what should our priorities be for the future?
Please leave your comments below.
~ KXCI Strategic Planning Committee
posted by Celia Blackwood @ 9:22 PM
30 comments
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30 Comments:
I just bought a new radio, and, alas, I can't get KXCI anymore. Could this be because my other favorite stations are now broadcasting in hi-def, and KXCI isn't there yet?
If you're not there yet, I'd suggest making that a priority. Although I'm currently listening to the iTunes stream, I'd like to get you on the radio again.
And, about that mission statement....
I have long wondered where this mission statement came from. How can an organization whose primary function is to provide radio programming to the community not mention that in its mission statement????
Currently, the mission of KXCI is to "serve the media public of Southern Arizona by raising the awareness of KXCI and our community; increasing our listening audience; and expanding and enhancing community interaction." Isn't there something missing here? You could easily, and perhaps more effectively, accomplish all of these things without even turning on the transmitter.
This sounds like a mission statement for a support group for the station or a marketing firm. Isnt there any part of the mission of KXCI that involves developing creative radio programming that meets the needs of its listening audience by providing music, community affairs, etc? Is it part of the mission of the station to include community members in the process?
I think KXCI is halfway to its strategic goal: future thinking and innovative music for progressive people. The Kidd Squidd, electronic Fridays and Democracy Now are good indicators of this strategy. Music that appeals to young people is a good indicator, as are programs for progressive minded people. I urge you not to throw the baby out with the bathwater when rethinking KXCI's strategy, although less country and bluegrass might be a goal. Too many country hicks and hillbillies do not do justice to a high-minded organization. For proof, watch Deliverance. Thanks for giving us the chance to provide input and keep up the good work!
Please do not change most of your programming. Your Morning Brew, Petey Mesquitey, The Chill, The Music Mix, Rubys road house, halftime at the apocalypse, Rosies rythm, onda suave, sabor del barrio, Locals Only, Dr Dans upcoming shows, Kidd Squid and the Blues review.
Democracy Now is irritating and gets in the way of Great music and great variety (which is what KXCI means in my mind). But someone has to play Democracy Now, i guess, free speech and all. I just don't find that show to be of much value as the topics discussed can be found in other places with less bias and whining. When it comes on I switch off KXCI and move to my iPod or some such.
If this is a funding issue (the wife and I donate) why not have more varied fundraisers instead of just the membership drive? Get with local bands and/or places like Congress or with the City and take over a park and setup shows and festivals where you can bring in artists and sell booze and food to raise cash. I'd do my part and eat and drink to kxci's benefit. Get local businesses to donate items to raffle. Maybe you are doing this already and i'm just not aware of it.
If this is just about a redesign of KXCI for the sake of it, I would suggest against it. I think you have something unique going on. This radio station is one of the last homey feeling stations I know of. I include streaming internet stations and XM radio as well in that survey.
I love the variety, the actual People talking and doing the programming. The occasional mistakes that the DJs make remind me of being young when ALL radio stations had actual people there. Between the people and the local focus it connects people like me to the station
I'm just a jackass so my comments should be taken with a grain of salt, but things like 'strategic planning' and 'redefine the mission, vision, and values' sounds a lot like corporate bullshit buzzwords. I've had to sit through many meetings at various jobs where things like that get said. What i've learned in those situations is to be wary of anyone using those words since they have no real meaning and in many cases get thrown around when people are wanting to look good, busy and as if they are promoting progress.
A bit of a rant but you asked. :)
I'd like to see more variety with electronica, classical and jazz included. Little to no country & western is also desirable. It seems now that certain DJs mixes include a lot of country and or folk music while others include a lot of old rock. Perhaps shifting some of the scheduled time to alternate weeks rather than the same program weekly would be a good variation. Underground music and music from other countries are also themes I'd enjoy more of along with what used to be a regular program - Brainwaves. Maybe some live concerts.
During the fund raising, music seems to come out of the woodwork and is more enjoyable than what's delivered normally. Morning Brew is great with Jim Blackwood as he truly mixes up an eclectic selection. Can't say I like when others substitute for him - sorry, but Randy Pederson plays too much country and local stuff for my taste. Democracy Now is really great at the lunch time hour.
Thanks!
I like KXCI pretty much just as it is. I do miss the variety of having more music mixers rather than the longer Morning Brew and Home Stretch. Other than that, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
I love KXCI exactly as it is! I am open to some changes too but I really, really hope you keep the kids DJ camp. My son Nathan has been looking forward to attending for several years now and is finally old enough to participate this summer. If there is an issue of enrollment we will help you recruit additional students. Public radio will be a critical tool for bringing about future social change, but only if we train the next generation. Please let us know of there is anything we can do to further support this critical program.
It would be great if KXCI takes a lead in empowering youth to use the media of radio. You've been doing this through your camps--keep them! Keep Democracy Now!, keep world music, Latino (beyond Mexican) music, folk music (beyond Country-Western)--these are hard to find on mainstream radio. Thanks!
I am writing in support of continuing the DJ camp for kids this summer. I teach a developmental course at the UA and was happy to promote KXCI to my students (a few weeks ago I played Tinariwen's Cler Achel for them, a song I was lucky enough to first hear on Global Rhythm Radio :). I believe that early introduction to community radio is integral to promoting "community" and I'm hoping that the strategic plan adopted includes continued opportunities, like the DJ camp, for listeners of all ages.
Thanks for the opportunity to give input.
less heavy metal late at night remembering to have the web streaming on late at night hope the focus will continue to be music would like to be able to listen to programs over the web on demand-- log on,select from the previous day or week,and listen. good luck with the vision thing
There is one thing in particular I would greatly appreciate. This would be KXCI's ability to transmit data to those radios with the capability of receiving and displaying the artist name and title of song.
I greatly appreciate this feature on other local channels.
Aside from this minor, but important [to me] improvement, all I ask is that you keep on doing what you're doing (which is a wonderful job)
I would love to hear more of "the chill" type hour at night- also have you considered adding steven hills show "hearts of space"?--(international amibient music)? they play it on kuat on sun night at 11pm(too late). i'm not sure if this is the kind of feedback you're looking for. but thanks for reading.
I would like to see a bit more Jazz in the overall mix, especially since KUAZ doesn't have daytime jazz anymore. But infinitely more importantly I would like to see your coverage expanded to include the North and West. You can go at least halfway to New Mexico or Old Mexico and still get KXCI. But go North of River Rd and forget it. When your coverage expands to include me I will happily become a member of your great station but as long as I am excluded I feel I have no choice but to refrain from contributions to your station. And don't refer me to web-streaming, it doesn't fill the bill for me. Thank you for this opportunity to provide input.
A station I can receive more than half the year! I live in Sierra Vista and by a fortunate antenna location I can hear the station during the cold months. Devote maximum effort to getting the antenna off Mt. Bigelow.
Radio formatting that encompasses a wide variety of interests and genres continued. Would love to see Sunday programming at the same high levels as Saturday programming. Put the jaz show on a weekday evening, or Sunday evening. Can the slightly off center interest programming for Sunday afternoon. A lot of dials are turned off by that program. Also in the political/idea realm, you need to be as diverse as your musical tastes. The political orientation of this station excludes half the populace you serve with it's far leftist orientation. Why you're not as diverse politically as musically is a mystery. Is diversity in political thought somehow not acceptable to this station? Why exlude a broader perspective that includes all sides politically, including the conservative?
No more "music mix" during the day, or at least a severely reduced "mix." Instead, use the time for national and local news (something sorely lacking on KXCI), and perhaps even a daily one- or two-hour
talk show. (Yerkey would be a good choice as the host for such a show.)
Failing that, at least a real music mix during the day -- i.e., one featuring many different genres rather than the usual bland "mix" of pop and folk.
It would also be good to have a real jazz program sometime during the week. Maybe on Friday night in place of the electronica. (KXCI used to have a great one called "The Ragged Edge," or something like that.)Best regards
I have three main ideas when I think of improvements to KXCI, I feel they
are important.
--I think more shows featuring only world music are a must!
--Democracy now should be repeated in the evening at some point each night for those of us that can't listen to it during the day due to work, and can't always access a computer for the podcast.
--Electro Friday nights should end at 2am not at midnight and when it ends it should not be followed by Dead Air. It is the wrong timing for a show like Dead Air to come on at the pinnacle of Friday night, when people are generally out and theres lots of energy. At midnight the momentum that Digital Empire builds is abruptly stopped. I think extending the programs on Electro Friday nights especially Digital Empire and following them up with something more in tune with electronic music and partying would be more enjoyable. Move Dead Air to a more appropriate time on Sunday or during the
week.
That is all. I listen to KXCI all day long, you all do a great job and truly are the last bastion of real music left on local FM radio, you keep us sane, thank you.
All of the previous comments were received on line prior to March 7. If you sent something and don't see it before this post please try again. If you posted something between March 7 and today please also try again, that information may have been lost.
Due to concerns about privacy the names of authors were omitted.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for taking the time to give your input. There are a lot of great programming ideas comming in and we value that input very much.
In terms of Strategic Planning, we also really want to hear about the bigger picture for the whole organization - in other words the question(s) "What does community radio mean to you and what should our priorities be for the future?"
Thanks again,
Kali Holtschlag
member Community Advisory Board
member Strategic Planning Committee
and most important, member KXCI
I agree with the several comments suggesting that KXCI's most important contribution is carrying programming that is not easily found elsewhere. So, Democracy Now is an emphatic yes!, and conservative viewpoints an emphatic no! These can be found in many, many other places (try any Clear Channel station), and I very much doubt that KXCI's general audience is interested in hearing more hot air from the Limbaugh/Ingraham/Savage contingent. More, not less, public affairs programming, not limited to just Sunday afternoons. Music will obviously continue to be the backbone of the station, but it definitely needs to be broken up with some thoughtful, progressive (not whiny) shows. These require more work, of course, than playing music, and that makes things more difficult, but it's worthwhile.
I believe it is important for KXCI to embrace the concept of "community radio" and do away with the paid programmers and playlists. Let the community volunteers who are willing to devote their time to the station select their own music. The daytime music mixes were much more interesting in the old days before paid staff took over to give the station a consistent "sound" aimed at generating higher ratings.
Of course, the use of paid programmers and playlists has implications that go far beyond the sound of the music. Is KXCI really a "community radio" station or is it actually a commercial wannabe?
In your opinion, what does it mean to be a “Community Radio Station”?
Bring the world to Tucson
Introduce the community to itself
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Follow the spirit of the Communications act of 1934: The radio spectrum belongs to the people
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“More than audio outlets, volunteer-based community radio stations are cultural institutions in their communities, reflecting the unique concerns and passions of the people who live there. With a system of governance based on openness and collaboration, and diverse programming produced by volunteers and funded by listeners, these stations are cornerstones of participatory democracy, offering ordinary citizens the chance to exercise First Amendment rights in a mass medium and audiences the opportunity to directly support the programming that is of importance to them." -Grassroots Radio Coalition
How I want KXCI to be ==>> I hear KXCI playing the sounds no other radio station plays. I hear diverse, unusual music from all over the world as well as from right here in southern Arizona. I hear all genres and styles, old favorites and fresh new releases creatively programmed by enthusiastic volunteers. I hear drama and comedy. I hear little repetition and no evidence of rotations or playlists. I hear human voices that no one else airs. I listen to the members of our community who have little chance to speak and be heard. Artists and local musicians, social and political activists, workers and their organizers, aboriginal peoples, disabled citizens and the glbt community, local small business owners, non-profits, young and old, incarcerated people, the homeless and migrants of all origins. Religions and cultures of all kinds. I hear in-depth discussions of science and politics, social justice and economics, maybe even a farm report! We are the place to listen and be heard.
I feel welcomed and respected by the organization as a member, listener and participant, as do the volunteers, programmers and employees. KXCI operates as a transparent, responsible, accountable, and inclusive organization. It recognizes the contributions of all of its parts. It embraces criticism and dissent as essential parts of monitoring structure and function. It is both supported and governed by the community itself, being truly representative of those it serves. I feel encouraged to participate in all facets of the station. KXCI follows simple, clear policy designed to foster all of these values in a fair and consistent manner.
Community radio should be fun, creative, educational, stimulating, inclusive, enlightening, empowering, informative, surprising, activating, and entertaining.
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What KXCI programming is most meaningful to you?
Saturdays
World Music
Airing Folk and Blues Fests
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Electro Friday Nights
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any good informational programming
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World Music
can you tell?
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Blues and News (Democracy Now Jim Hightower)
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Democracy Now
30 minutes
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What could KXCI do to serve the community better?
No more apologizing for our community! Stop thinking of Tucson as a small Austin and start thinking of Austin as a small Tucson
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Stay focused on lifelong learning
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Mission statement say serving comm's of S AZ - who is that? Yaqui, Navajo ~
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Broadcast the Tucson city Council! & these townhalls
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More music, less talk
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More Radical Talk, Slightly Less Music
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Short info alternative news (left radical) throughout programming would keep me listening through the music
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When do you listen to KXCI the most? Why?
Saturdays
Drive time in PM
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Only to Democracy Now
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6 AM - 10 PM
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Thursday pm, Sat all day
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In the car & the blues Show
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What does KXCI do that no other radio station does?
Democracy Now
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local music
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no commercials!
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music no one else plays - music off the grid
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opportunity for listener sponsors
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depth of knowledge of DJ's -
Matt Moon
Michael Hyatt (retired)
Ruby
Bluegrass
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Volunteer DJ's
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specialty shows
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Play Local Music!
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What do you think KXCI's #1 priority should be as we plan for the future?
More "bandwidth" to fill
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Make sure we're LEGAL - fiscally responsible
good infrastructure
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stay focused on lifelong learning
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keep doing a great job
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more than one station to expand programming
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Finances stay strong
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Cultivate younger, broader audience, members
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professional grant writers? legal and financial stability
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What makes you switch to another radio station?
too much talk
rambling interviews
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ditto
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ditto
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listen to Garrison Keillor on KUAZ
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bad music
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turn off Amy Goodman
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I turn off most your music programs
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talking,
short - top of the hour news.
we could: DM - mini prog???
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What kind of programming do you think KXCI does best?
Specialty shows
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democracy now
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local programs (Amanda's 30 Minutes + View from off center)
local musicians
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Specialty music shows
music mix good let the DJ's run with their knowledge
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special programming - Calexico, Folk Festival BC, Around the World in 80 Songs
LOCAL
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What kind of programming do you wish KXCI would start doing more of?
Political talk ... "shorts"
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more Americana + honky tonk NOT on commercial stations
more diverse music mix - too college rock - oriented
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ditto ditto (and a check mark - editor)
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- project vote smart
- interview local book authors
- more coop w. Tucson Weekly
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Turning DJs loose to explore depth of knowledge
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I 2nd that
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Jazz
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+ 2nd that!
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mini-interview man on the street - perhaps on a current issue? from public meetings?
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more news & info - alternative to the usual drone of right-center shit
for local news/info what about tapping into Access Tucson?
ad Pacifica Radio news - at least 1/2 hour
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mix more global in music mix
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Public Affairs
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Your $.02 - please add your own comments
Tucson Needs Radical Left talk
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Just Play the Music!
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Ditto!!
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K.I.S.S. keep it simply songs
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Ditto!!
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I [heart] KXCI
always.
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[ed: following is copied from a paper taped to one page - seems to be answers to questions, but not in quite the same order - maybe from website?]
1. americana: tues eve and some of saturday
2. eclectic, unique
3. more outreach @ more events, not just the ones we have been doing for years; some new ones
4. keep it eclectic and run by volunteers NOT PAID programmers
5. in my car
6. too much talk!!! like when squidd goes on and on and on ERGGG
7. spontaneous "live" music/interviews
8. the specialty shows (where there is complete FREEDOM of choice in music)
9. things like the special we did during the last pledge drive where we did the top 913 albums chosen by dj's; that is UNIQUE and different, and fun to listen to!!
10. 10-12 hrs a wk
11. in my car on the way home, week-days, and saturdays running errands daytime; turn it off wen marty comes on, do not like his ego!
12. female
13. yes/current member
14. 85705 - NW
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