For Immediate Release: May 2, 2016
Contact: Courtney Holsworth, press@ balestramedia.com, 989.572.8162
Eight Los Angeles-Based Organizations Win License to Bring New, Diverse Voices to Local Radio Scene
Today the Federal Communications Commission granted construction permits to eight Los Angeles-based non-profit organizations to build community radio stations in the Los Angeles area. The organizations immediately will begin to build their stations to bring new voices on air to 101.5 FM. The organizations will bring greater viewpoint diversity to Los Angeles radio, and will work collaboratively to bring the stations to air. The partners include:
"Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory (BHAC) is looking forward to working with our collaborative partners to program an inclusive radio experience for the Greater Los Angeles area," said Executive Director, Carmelita Ramirez-Sanchez. BHAC’s content will sharply focus on the local community, including a multi-generational audience, with households that may include natural, immigrant, refugee and new citizens living under the same roof. Our programming serves as an ambassador for this otherwise marginalized population of listeners. The stations will share timely and relevant information on opportunities, music and media, public policy and interests, life skills, current affairs, health, wellness, technology, science, traditional arts and valuable interactions to allow the community to advocate for innovative communication solutions. In addition to our shared signal timeslot hours, BHAC will also broadcast digitally 24-hours per day."
“We are enthusiastic to utilize our stations to bring underrepresented voices onto the media, and to call for more diversity in the media industry,” stated Alex Nogales, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC). “We will use this platform to interview local Latino creatives so they can serve as models to our kids that grow up in the shadows of Hollywood yet are wary to even dream about breaking into the industry. We will be a resource for Latinos to hone their media skills as we cover issues of import to the community and the country.” NHMC’s broadcast will play during weekday morning drive time hours and will be live streamed and archived on the Internet.
"Catalyst Network of Communities has a charitable mission to help people and groups connect, collaborate, and share resources. Our Low Power FM programming will continue to reflect our values and highest ideals to increase community engagement in Long Beach," stated Jewell Faamaligi, Catalyst's Program Director. "We are excited to have a platform with endless possibilities to share our international city's unique perspectives on the human experience. We hope that Low Power FM radio will add value and become a powerful resource to highlight the richness of culture and diversity that is abundant in Long Beach neighborhoods."
"Ballet Folklorico Ollin will plan programming on the stations as part of its continued commitment to professionalism and community involvement, to high quality entertainment with wide audience appeal, and impactful contributions to the artistic community. Co-Directed by Francisco J. Verdin and Virginia Diediker, Ballet Folklorico Ollin intends to use the air waves to continue to promote and captivate the community at large and introduce new generations to their roots and cultural traditions as an alternative to negative and non productive behavior that is plaguing the young people of our community. The arts are a vehicle to expand minds about issues affecting our communities and engage people in helping to solve them."
"The Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise's programming will be student produced and driven and all genres are on the table," stated founding board member and famed filmmaker, Moctesuma Esparza. "The goal is to give our students the practical experience of having a voice and being heard and to foster career opportunities in producing, programming, engineering and as as talent."
"The radio stations at Edgewood High School will be an extension of technology classes in which broadcast and mass communication techniques are studied," stated teacher Jerry Rhoads. "The stations will help to promote communication between the community, parents and students. Programming will focus on school events and the accomplishments of students, faculty, and staff. The low power FM stations will provide an opportunity for students to cover school sports, music, literary, and academic decathlon events, as well as school news and community events. The stations will help make the school a center for community pride and activity as well as give the community access to school news, activities and celebrations promoting cultural, musical, linguistic, and academic programs."
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The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is a media advocacy and civil rights organization for the advancement of Latinos, working towards a media that is fair and inclusive of Latinos, and towards universal, affordable, and open access to communications.
Ballet Folklorico Ollin is a non-profit cultural organization founded in 1972 with the primary goal of preserving and interpreting the diverse cultural beauty of México re-created here in California through music, dance, and folk traditions.
The Catalyst Network of Communities is a 501c3 nonprofit social impact organization helping you to connect, collaborate, and share resources. We do this by creating projects that inspire empathy and understanding between people. We are building a community of catalysts that embody the common values for building relationships, establishing partnerships, encouraging contribution, and inspiring growth.
The Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise is a public charter school dedicated to ensuring that all students, regardless of socio-economic status, have access to a college preparatory curriculum that focuses of visual and performing arts and enterprise.
Edgewood High School, a California Distinguished School and an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School located in West Covina, California, was established in 1958. Following a 1988 conversion to a middle school, it resumed life as a high school in 2010.]]>
