Prometheus Radio Project - Barnraisings

Barnraisings

In the spirit of the Amish barn-raising tradition, where a community comes together and erects an essential structure, Prometheus holds radio barnraisings. These events bring together the local community with community radio advocates from around the world to build a community radio station, while advancing the movement for media democracy. Prometheus barnraisings gather Low Power FM radio advocates, journalists, radio engineers, students, lawyers, musicians, activists and other folks from across the country to build a studio, raise an antenna mast, and put the station on air for the first time – all over the course of three days. At a typical barnraising, the organization invites expert facilitators to lead workshops on a wide variety of topics, like understanding the workings of the FCC, introductions to various aspects of radio engineering, updates on media and democracy campaigns, and how radio can promote social change today. In the inclusive spirit of Prometheus's mission, the events are open to all.

Prometheus has held eleven community radio barnraisings to date:

• WRYR-LP – February 16–18, 2002 – Deale, Maryland with South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development
• KRBS-LP – April 12–14, 2002 – Oroville, California with the Bird Street Media Project
• KOCZ-LP – November 15–17, 2002 – Opelousas, Louisiana with the Southern Development Foundation
• KYRS-LP – October 24–26, 2003 – Spokane, Washington with Thin Air Community Radio
• WCIW-LP – December 5–7, 2003 – Immokalee, Florida with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
• WSCA-LP – September 10–12, 2004 – Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Portsmith Community Radio
• WRFN-LP – April 1–3, 2005 – Pasquo, Tennessee with Radio Free Nashville
• WXOJ-LP – April 5–7, 2005 – Northampton, Massachusetts with Valley Free Radio
• WRFU-LP – November 11–13, 2005 – Champaign-Urbana, Illinois with Radio Free Urbana
• KPCN-LP – August 18–20, 2006 – Woodburn, Oregon with Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste
• WMXP-LP – June 8–10, 2007 – Greenville, South Carolina with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
• WGXC-FM – September 24–26, 2010 – Hudson, New York with Free103point9

Prometheus has also been active internationally, working with groups in Guatemala, Nepal, Colombia, Jordan, Kenya, and Tanzania.