KOOP Radio's biannual membership drive is currently in full swing. Our goal this spring is to raise $52,000 which will help keep community voices on the airwaves in Austin.
The Internet…Satellite Radio…HD Radio…MP3 players. A few short years ago the future was filled with the promise that once these technologies arrived, radio stations like KOOP would become dinosaurs. But these technologies did not make KOOP obsolete. If anything, the new technologies help to demonstrate the importance of KOOP to you and other listeners. Here’s how:
- KOOP DJs spend their evenings and weekends elbow-deep in dusty vinyl and local music stores to find unique songs and artists so that you’ll always have great music to listen to.
- While the mainstream news media sticks to a narrow range of issues and celebrity gossip, KOOP's news and public affairs go off the beaten path, with indepth coverage of important topics that receive little or no attention elsewhere.
- KOOP hosts work from personal playlists consisting of thousands of songs, not just the four hundred or so pushed on most commercial radio stations by program directors.
- In a world of conglomerate stations that play the same material over and over, KOOP maintains its independence!
Listener support constitutes over half of KOOP’s annual budget and is essential to keeping community radio alive in Austin.
So, join us in celebrating Austin’s independent voice and help us keep KOOP a quality radio service that is commercial-free. Just dial 512-472-5667 or pledge online.
KOOP Radio provides high quality, innovative and diverse programming with an emphasis on those communities that are under-served or ignored by mainstream media. KOOP is Austin’s community-owned, community-operated public radio station and has been broadcasting at 91.7FM since 1994.
Posted by Kim Simpson
This spring's membership drive features a special thank you gift created by local Austin graphic designer Tom Heimann. (Click on the t-shirt image for a closer look.) We are printing a limited number of t-shirts that won't be available after membership drive. So, be sure to pledge to get yours today! KOOP thanks Tom for donating this wonderfully eclectic Austin art! (Available for pledges of $60 or higher).
See our premiums page for even more gifts available to KOOP donors.
Posted by Kim Simpson
KOOP is enthusiastically teaming up with 3rd Coast Music to sponsor 5 days of music showcases between March 17 - March 21! Get schedule details at the 3rd Coast Music website.
Posted by Kim Simpson
KHOTAN SHAHBAZI-HARMON OF "IDEA LOUNGE" WINS PRESTIGIOUS GRACIE AWARD
Khotan Shahbazi-Harmon, host of Idea Lounge 2:00 pm - 3:00pm Thursdays on 91.7 FM KOOP, has been awarded the prestigious 2010 Gracie Award for "Outstanding Interview Program."
The award was in special recognition of a feature interview with Dr. Shirin Ebadi, the first Iranian Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The interview with Dr. Ebadi focused on human rights, Islam and democracy, modernity vs. westernization, and the creative lengths women go to regain their human rights in Iran today.
The Gracies are awarded by the Board of Directors and Foundation Trustees of American Women in Radio and Television. The Foundation supports educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Gracie Awards, established in 1975, honors programming and individuals of the highest caliber in all facets of radio, television, cable and web-based media. Among past Gracie winners are Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, Ashleigh Banfield, and Maya Angelou.
KOOP Radio provides high quality, innovative and diverse programming with an emphasis on those communities that are under-served or ignored by mainstream media. KOOP is Austin’s community-owned, community-operated public radio station and has been broadcasting at 91.7 FM since 1994.
Posted by Kim Simpson
A quick look at featured programs airing this week (3/7 - 3/15):
This week's Pilot Show is Lights, Camera, Austin with Robert Sims, devoted to all things happening locally and nationally in film. Monday's topics will include SXSW and the Oscars and will feature an interview with SXSW senior programmer Jarod Neece. All listeners will have a chance to win passes, each good for up to 3 people, to attend a SXSW screening at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, 3/13. Robert will also have a number of DVD documentaries on hand to give out as pledge drive thank you gifts. Monday, 3/8, 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. (Update: Robert still has some passes available. Email him at rsimskoop at gamil dot com for more info.)
It's International Women's Day on March 8, so join host John Turner for a special KOOP Spring 2010 Membership Drive edition of From the Other Side of the Mirror, saluting some of the unsung heroes of music including Miriam Makeba, Patti Smith, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and more! Monday, 3/8, 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Under the X in Texas host Ted Branson welcomes Stonehoney for a special KOOP Spring Membership Drive performance live in studio before their Austin Music Showcase Sunday 3/14 at United States Art Authority to benefit The Capital Area Foodbank. Tuesday, 3/9, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
A Neighborly Conversation will feature Kelly Willis (pictured right), seven-time Austin Music Award winner and 2008 Hall of Fame inductee. She'll be conversing with host David Kobierowski and performing a number of songs live in studio for this special membership drive show. Wednesday, 3/10, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Join Abigail Mahnke this week and next on Inner Views, where she'll be interviewing directors from documentary films being shown at SXSW. This Wednesday's program features Mat Hames, who talks about his movie When I Rise, about Barbara Smith Conrad, an opera singer who as a student at UT in 1957 was cast in an opera with a white male classmate, fueling a racist backlash from members of the Texas legislature. She was removed from the cast, but the incident went national and she ultimately beat the odds to become successful. Wednesday, 3/10, 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
People United hears from former International Solidarity Movement activist Joe Carr, about the life and death of his friend Rachel Corrie (April 10, 1979-March 16, 2003), an American killed by the Israeli Defense Force in Rafa seven years ago while trying to block the demolition of a Palestinian home. (Her family's civil case against the Israeli Defense Ministry is scheduled for trial this week in Haifa.) Friday, 3/12, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
And coming up on Sunday...
Slappy Pinchbottom's Odd Preoccupation is pleased as Perl and hyped as Halo and Half-Life 2 put TOGETHER to feature the Godfather and Final Boss of Nerdcore Hip Hop himself, the one and only MC FRONTALOT!!! Tune in to hear Front talk about his SXSW showcases, the vasty and ever-expanding musical movement which IS Nerdcore, and maybe, just MAYBE, give listeners an exclusive sneak preview of his yet-unreleased new record. Join Slappy and Frontalot on Sunday and GET YOUR GEEK ON!!! Sunday, 3/14, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Posted by Kim Simpson
Pictured above are KOOP's own Lee Davis (left) and David Kobierowski (right) broadcasting live at the Sunset Valley Farmer's Market on Saturday, February 20th. Stay tuned for more info on where one of our live teams may turn up next, and don't forget to drop by and say hello whenever you see 91.7 FM KOOP tablers at local events like this one.
Posted by Kim Simpson
Shop local and give back at the same time by ordering flowers at King Florist and mentioning KOOP Radio. Each time you do this, King Florist - as part of its "One Bloom at a Time" program - will donate 5% of the order to KOOP! Order in person at 6009 Burnet Rd., call it in at either (512) 453-6633 or 1-800-582-5464, or send them an email at design at kingflorist dot com.
Posted by Kim Simpson
Over the years, KOOP Radio and certain KOOP programmers have racked up quite a number of appearances in the Austin Chronicle's annual "Best of Austin" issue. Below are just a few of those, but you can see a nice big list right here.
Posted by Kim Simpson
