Programming Highlights: KDRT

Bill Buchanan calls last week’s "Davisville" one of the best he’s ever done. As he tells the story, he answered a poster at Armadillo from someone looking to form a punk-rock grunge band, and scored an interesting interview with the person behind the poster -- Sonja Martin, 22. She has strong opinions, clear answers, and a goal that a lot of people (especially artists and anyone working in an un/underpaid field) will recognize -- the drive to do something meaningful and difficult, because you really have no other choice.

Nik Joshi (aka DJ CharSoVees) lets us know about the move of his Bollywood radio show, Duniya Dar Dashan, to Mondays from 6-7 p.m.

A Million Thanks

Thanks to Assembly Member Mariko Yamada (D-4th), who presented us with an Assembly Proclamation honoring our 25 years of service, live on the air election night. Mariko was long ago a board member for this organization (in its DCTV days), and has remained a stalwart friend of community media.

To all the candidates and campaigns that participated in the June 2014 election. The candidate statements, debates and forums all become part of DMA’s permanent archive, as does the wonderful election-night show hosted by Andrea Jones and Lea Rosenberg. Thank you also to the wonderful volunteer crew (Tyler Shaffo, Cliff Gamble, Bryce Parker, Eunah Cho, Daniel Choi, Bill Lorfing) and our exceptional staff (Diane Dedoshka, Jeff Shaw, Alex Silva-Sadder and Darrick Servis) for a job well done. We’ll be back with programming for the Nov. general election, and local races and ballot measures.

Davis Bike Collective Offers Premium for Your Donation

Davis Bike Collective has donated a limited number of vouchers for KDRT listeners who donate $10 or more to Davis Media Access before June 30. The vouchers are good for an hour’s use of tools and consultation with a bike mechanic at the Collective shop.

Such a deal! Select the voucher when you donate online at kdrt.org. And many thanks to our friends at Davis Bike Collective.

A Note From the Director

In my work, I am often the encourager and cajoler in the mix: please show up, participate, make your voice heard, support this work, contribute. I thank you all for taking the time to read and respond to so much of what I write. I’m about to do just a tad more wheedling, but not before sharing some good news.

I am very pleased to announce that Davis Media Access (DMA) has successfully wrapped its fundraising campaign Celebrating 25 Years of Community Media in Davis. Our must-meet goal was $20k in support of our programs and services, and as of today, we have reached: $24,100. That money keeps KDRT on the air for another year, and also helps offset some of the cost of producing intensive local election coverage and supporting youth media projects (yes, we do an astonishing amount with relatively little money).

Please help us meet our goal - $2k to go

Each year DMA conducts an annual appeal campaign to raise funds for our hallmark programs & services. We've been raising money all month, and we are getting close to our goal, but still have about $2,000 to raise by June 1. If you have not made a donation yet, we need your help!

Here’s 10 GREAT reasons to support DMA’s community-building work:

  • PSA Day for local non-profits
  • Extensive voter education programming for June 3 election, including community partnerships recording forums and debates
  • Support for youth efforts, from local television & radio series, to recording youth projects such as Mariachi Puente
  • 120 hours of locally produced radio programming every week, via KDRT 95.7 FM
  • Coverage of community forums on topics ranging from water to racism. Aired on DCTV and archived at dctv.davismedia.org
  • Partnerships and support for Davis Music Festival, Davis Live Music Collective, Davis Parent University, Davis Odd Fellows, Saving CA Communities, DSOMA, and many more community & school groups
  • Archive & replays of weekly Davis Joint Unified School District board meetings
  • Commemorative recordings of all 5 local high-school graduations
  • Kids’ media production and animation camps
  • Hands-on skills building in digital & broadcast media, available to all in our community

Chances are good that you’ve played a role in DMA’s growth. If you’ve appeared on a program, watched or listened to something locally created, had an event covered or promoted, attended a workshop, or had a family member benefit from our training or internships, then you’ve been part of community media in Davis.

Community media works with community support - we thank you for yours! To find out more or to contribute, please visit kdrt.org or davismedia.org, or bring a check by to 1623 Fifth Street in Davis.

To see a list of our donors to date, please click here.

Yours in community,

Autumn Labbe-Renault

Executive Director

DMF4 kickoff to suppport KDRT

In anticipation of this year's Fourth Annual Davis Music Festival June 20, 21 & 22, our friends at DMF are kicking things off with a fund raiser at the Sudwerk Dock Store from 4-9 p.m. on Thursday, May 22. It is in part, a fund raiser for our very own KDRT (thanks, guys!)

Please join us with DMF4 artists:
Bottom Dwellers / Owl Paws / The LURK w/ Million Dollar Giveaway
$5 suggested donation gets you in, and gets a raffle ticket for a chance at a free one-day pass to Bottlerock. Additional raffle tickets sold for $3. There will be specal deals on DMF tickets, chances to support KDRT, new KDRT merch, and more. 
See the Facebook event here or visit kdrt.org for more information.

Voter education programming, partnerships

DMA’s commitment to non-partisan, voter education programming and local election coverage is well known in these parts, and right now, election season is in full swing. With "Meet the Candidates," pro-con statements for local ballot measures, and several forums airing on DCTV Channel 15 on Comcast and available online, we’re working with other community organizations on the next set of forums, and planning for election night with returning hosts Andrea Jones and Lea Rosenberg.

This election season, DMA has been partnering with Voterprep,  a non-partisan web application that helps voters easily make  better-informed decisions. Voterprep does this by publishing candidates' viewpoints on important election issues. Nonpartisan election moderators choose the issues and review viewpoints for publication to the site.  Voterprep is an online election forum in which users can be active – they participate by making suggestions and comments and keeping notes.

Welcoming Eunah Cho

DMA is happy to announce the addition of Eunah Cho to our part-time production staff.
Eunah graduated from UC San Diego with degrees in Violin Performance and Communications in 2009, and has since returned to her roots to help and learn as much as she can at Davis Media Access.  In her spare time she enjoys playing chamber music, marveling at creativity, baking treats for awesome people, and doting on her dog, Molly.