Hollow Earth Radio – LPFM Coordinator Position
Deadline to Apply: Oct 11
Send Resume & Cover Letter to:
Overview
Hollow Earth Radio(HER) is a freeform online radio station based in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood. It provides a popular, accessible forum for underrepresented music, sound and neighborhood perspectives. As a non-profit enterprise run solely by volunteers, HER supports the local music and arts community in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest region. We build on community participation through extensive volunteer training to empower ordinary folks to operate an online radio station and performance center.
Starting in October of 2013, the FCC is opening a new licensing window which will make available several Low Power FM frequencies for community & nonprofit organizations like HER. Although we have sustained our operation for the past seven years completely on volunteer power, we are now offering a paid LPFM Coordinator position to help us transition to this new phase.
Position Description:
This position will be responsible for community building & outreach surrounding our LPFM transition projects, overseeing LPFM committees, creating a “Neighborhood Newsroom,” and working with radio engineers to help facilitate a studio & broadcast equipment upgrade to meet FCC/LPFM standards. The LPFM coordinator will be HER’s community liaison, advocating for community members and organizations to get involved in the station at this exciting time.
Purpose and Objectives:
HER hopes that by having a hyperlocal community radio station, residents in the surrounding neighborhood will feel empowered to get involved and use our public space and infrastructure to share underrepresented sounds, ideas, and perspectives with their neighbors. With a short-range LPFM radio station we will have the opportunity to reach even more people in our community, including a whole new segment that may have no other reliable way to access our broadcasts or our content otherwise.
The purpose of this position is to upgrade our studio, train volunteers, and inspire as much community and neighborhood involvement with HER as possible to prepare for an LPFM radio station. HER’s mission is that new groups and neighborhood volunteers become valuable parts of the Hollow Earth community – learning how to make radio and creating new programming for the neighborhood.
Duties:
Oversee existing community partnerships as well as be responsible for bringing new neighborhood and community groups on board to participate in HER programming.
1. Develop and facilitate two neighborhood workshops. A) Discover what neighbors want to listen to on the radio. B) Discuss opportunities for neighbors making radio programs.
2. Assist in the development of a “Neighborhood Newsroom” program that trains neighbors and community groups to take part in making radio.
Work with technical staff to research, develop, and facilitate an upgrade to our radio studio & broadcasting equipment so that it complies with LPFM & FCC requirements.
3. Work with technical staff to help foster a simple, easy to understand technical setup and training for volunteers.
4. Keep weekly office hours to train volunteers to use the upgraded studio, field recording equipment, and the neighborhood newsroom.
5. Supervise specific volunteers and committees working towards HER’s LPFM goals.
6. Create, promote, and facilitate specific outreach & orientation events that are intended to educate the community about HER’s mission, the LPFM opportunity, and the resources we have.
Skills & Qualifications:
A college background in media or journalism desired or an equivalent of two or more years experience working/volunteering in radio/media/journalism/community organizing are highly desired.
We are looking for candidates with experience in promotional and community outreach campaigns.
Radio and/or audio technical skills a plus but not needed. Willingness to learn these skills from technical staff and share them with volunteers are a must.
Excellent communication skills (in person and online) with experience training people.
Must be self-motivated, able to work independently, and open to receiving support & feedback from the HER board, Director, and LPFM committees via email and weekly or bi-weekly in-person meetings.
Commitment and Compensation:
LPFM Coordinator position is a stipend position. The position is 10 Hours A Week for 42 weeks (beginning on or after Oct 14 2013) with a possibility for continuation. $20/hour
HER’s Commitment to Creating a Safe Space:
HER strives to be a safer space – a supportive, non-threatening environment that encourages open-mindedness, respect, a willingness to learn from others, as well as physical and mental safety. It is a space that is critical of the power structures that affect our everyday lives, and where power dynamics, backgrounds, and the effects of our behavior on others are prioritized. It’s a space that strives to respect and understand survivors’ specific needs. This is no space for violence, for touching people without their consent, for being intolerant of someone’s religious beliefs or lack thereof, for being creepy, sleazy, racist, ageist, sexist, heterosexist, trans-phobic, able-bodiest, classist, sizist, or for using any other behavior or language that may perpetuate oppression.
Women, people of color, LGBT people, people with disabilities, and people with a connection to The Central District community and neighborhood are encouraged to apply.