Right now, NFCB hosts its unconference, Wish You Were Here. The virtual event is 2021’s edition of our community media convergence, a long-running commitment to education for nonprofit radio stations. This week, NFCB offers a variety of sessions for member stations as well as the general public:
Monday, July 12
Music Reporting: What You Need to Know
Few areas of regulation are as treacherous for community radio stations as music rights and stations’ obligations to report their streaming. In this lively yet accessible conversation, Spinitron’s Eva Papp, one of community radio’s best experts on the subject, will help you decipher all you need to know to ensure your station is meeting all its obligations.
One Mic, Many Voices
Lack of diversity in gender, identity, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic range have long been part of media. Even with the advent of independent community radio, most voices are white, male, and middle class. How can women and non-binary folks intentionally diversify the airwaves? The WRIR collective One Mic, Many Voices started to bring diverse voices to community radio through intentional recruitment, training, and facilitation of production. Learn more in this session about their local engagement efforts.
Tuesday, July 13
Keynote: Navigating the Sea Of Mis/Disinformation for Media Makers: What the COVID-19 Vaccine Situation Can Teach Us
Partisan political battles are still raging nationwide. COVID-19 conspiracy theories, false information about vaccinations, and weaponized social media are deepening divisions and creating confusion in cities and towns everywhere. What are the foundations of such beliefs, and how can media help address the underlying issues? The National Federation of Community Broadcasters welcomes you to a discussion on how public media can address the flood of memes, fake news and information biases to help communities.
PUBLIC EVENT | Tuesday, July 13, at 4 ET | Register here
Wednesday, July 14
Launching a Community News Effort: Doing a Lot with a Little
Three different journalists from three different stations in three different time zones share ideas and resources for stations ready to invest in starting up a news effort. We’ll share a range of approaches to producing local news, including writing headlines, sourcing free audio segments, engaging via social media, involving students, covering social movements, and highlighting marginalized voices.
Thursday, July 15
Audio Narratives Demystified
Radio and podcasts have seen audience gains through longform presentation styles. This session, get some context as well as a breakdown of the most popular audio narrative formats. In addition, you will receive a basic technical understanding of how to record, edit, and distribute an audio narrative production. This is a great session for stations and producers looking to expand their arsenal of audio approaches, and how to create them.
Keynote: When Every Day is a Mental Health Day
As the boundaries between home and career, the personal and professional dissipate, leaders have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to create a safe space for people to bring their whole selves to the work they do. Karen Hawkins, co-editor-in-chief of the Chicago Reader, will offer suggestions for leading with compassion, how to make boundary-setting safe, and being OK with not being OK.
PUBLIC EVENT | Thursday, July 15, at 4 ET | Register here
Friday, July 16
Painting Stories with Sound
In this “Best practice” workshop, Nick Dunkerley of Hindenburg Systems will share two decades of practical experience in recording and producing material for your audio stories. Whether you are producing a radio drama, a news story or a podcast, the principles remain the same: you are painting images with sound. How do you record the best-sounding interview? How do you create an intimate space with your interviewee to make them comfortable opening up to you? How to capture audio images in the field? How do you begin using your digital audio editor as a palette? Painting layer upon layer of audio color will make you story come to life, but only if you have the audio material you need to work with.
Crowdfunding and Community Radio
Crowdfunding – raising small amounts of money from a large group of people to reach a goal – has long been a go-to for entrepreneurs, influencers and inventors. KWMR has utilized crowdfunding as a tool during on-air fundraising to great success. In two pledge drives, the station gained about 250 first-time donors. Join us for a quick low down on how KWMR used crowdfunding successfully and learn other ways it can be used to support your station.
People needing access to member registration should contact NFCB here.
