Cincinnati is fortunate to have a community media center, Media Bridges, which makes it easy for our citizens to have their voices heard. The organization operates our city’s public access television channels and will soon launch an FM radio station, Radio Free Queen City.

You can support independent media in Cincinnati, and help raise the money needed to launch the new station, by attending the Free Wave Riot this Saturday, September 5 at the Know Theater. The event, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Media Bridges, will help feature live music from local bands IsWhat?, the Tigerlilies, Fourth Letter Gang, Culture Queer, J. Dorsey Blues Revival, Losanti, and the Frankl Project. Spoken word performances, dancing, and video installations will also be part of the art presented at the event.

A raffle will be held with lots of great prizes, including an Enjoy the Arts membership, Media Bridges merchandise, and gift certificates to Coffee Emporium, Total Juice, Enzo’s, Chez Nora, and more.

Tickets are available at the door and at WVQC.org. The suggested ticket price is $9.57 (since the new station will be at 95.7 FM), but donations of any amount will be accepted at the door.

One of Cincinnati’s great unique assets is Media Bridges, our community media center. The non-profit organization operates four of the city’s public access television channels and broadcasts an Internet radio station, The Bridge.

Beginning August 1, Media Bridges will be adding yet another outlet as they launch Radio Free Queen City. This new low-power station, officially known as WVQC-LP, will broadcast on 95.7 FM. It will feature content produced by volunteers, focusing on issues, arts, and culture relevant to the community. The station will air city council meetings, some alternative national programming, and Spanish-language news. Media Bridges says WVQC will not duplicate the programming of other Cincinnati-area stations.

Media Bridges first applied for a license to operate an FM station in 2001, and the FCC granted the license last year. A campaign has been launched to raise the $127,000 needed to purchase the transmitter, build a new radio studio at Media Bridges’ Over-the-Rhine location, and fund the station’s first year of operation. Once operational, the FM signal will cover a 3-5 mile radius, and will presumably be streamed online for those outside the core of the city.

Cincinnati is currently served by another non-profit volunteer radio station, the East Walnut Hills-based WAIF, which has been surrounded by controversy in recent years.

• New Cincinnati Radio Station Debuts Aug. 1 – John Kiesewetter’s Television & Media blog
  
• About Radio Free Queen City