RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue
the Black comrmjnitv which had migrated into the urban centers of the North during the War to work in def ense industries . Тћеу played the latest gospel, jazz , and rhythm and blues recorđs , they discussed local politics and folklore , revitalizing the Afro—American oral tradition to become the "grapevine" of the community . Although they were commercial operations , such stations worked to serve the social needs of their llsteners and were means by which the cultural traditions of the community could be preserved (Barlow , 198T). The second realm was the progressive political activists who were concerned about the growing Cold War climate in the country . They saw radio as a channel for communication to combat the mainstream political ideologies of the established commercial stations. The first, and oldest, of these stations is KPFA in Berkeley, Californla , established by Lewis Hill in 1949. The station was conceived as an experiment in đirect sponsorship by its listeners , rather than sponsorship through the sale of commercial time . Its stated purpose was to promote "peace, social justice , promotion of the labor movement, anđ support of the arts" (Stebbins, 1968, p. 61). through the use of news , public aff airs , music , discussions , lectures , debates , drama , dramatic readings , children's programs , and listener call-in programs . This was distinctly different from the market-đriven radio that had proceeded it: "We all know , for example , that the purpose of commercial radlo is to inđuce mass sales . For mass sales there must be a mass norm , and the activity must be conducted as nearly аз possible without risk of departure from that norm . But art and the communication of ideas - as most of us also appreciate - are risky affairs , for it can never be predicted in those activities just when the purely individual and abnormal may assert itself . Indeed to get апу real art or апу significant communication , one must rely entirely on Indlviduals , and must resign himself to accept not only their umgueness but the possibility that the inđlvidual may at апу time fail . Ву suppressing the individual, the unipue, the industry reduces the nsk of failure (abnormality) and assures itself a standard product of mass consumption” . Lewls Hill (1951 in 1966) After some early problems with fundmg in the 19505, KPFA has been broađcastmg contlnuously for more than 30 years , sustamlng itself almost entirely from contributions from its listeners . Its parent сотрапу , the Pacifica Foundation has since established radio stations m Los Angeles , New Уогк ,
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