KDRT Gets Ready to Turn 14

This column was originally published in The Davis Enterprise on Aug. 3, 2018

It is four hours till we flip the switch that will put Davis’ new community radio station on the air. I’m in charge of the launch party, and tending to many last-minute details, when I see him—a tall, rangy man with a kind face. I’d met him some weeks before at an outreach event for KDRT, and he told me he and his wife had just moved to Davis from New Mexico. He’s now strolling towards me, introducing his wife, and they tell me they’re here to help.

And help, they did. As I recall, he stepped in and helped with sound that day, and she did what she does best – made connections with bands and community members. This memory is from a golden September day nearly 14 years ago—Sept. 24, 2004—as we prepared to bring community radio station KDRT on the air for the first time. The man was Jim Buchanan; his wife, Diane Crumley. Little did I know then what they would mean to KDRT, to the community, or me, and that 14 years on, we’d still be working and planning together.

Jim’s radio show, “Live Tracks,” was one of the original shows on KDRT, and he broadcast continuously on Thursday nights until taking a brief hiatus this year. (Good news for local music fans, though—as of two weeks ago, he’s back on the airwaves Thursday nights from 7-9). “Live Tracks” has always highlighted the countless live, local performances that Jim diligently records. As an exacting audio engineer, these shows simply won’t air if Jim doesn’t feel the audio is just right.

Both Jim and Diane have played many roles within KDRT and Davis Media Access over the years—DJ, producer, operations staff, committee member (Jim); committee member, board member, fund raiser, and community organizer (Diane). Jim also helps his brother, Bill Buchanan, produce his long-running public affairs show, “Davisville” on KDRT.

Together, they’ve been a steady presence on the first Thursday of every month at the Davis Odd Fellows’ Thursday Live! music shows in downtown Davis. Jim helps with the sound checks and the audio, while Diane tables at the back of the hall and reps KDRT and Davis Media Access. Month in and month out, year after year, they are such a fixture that co-organizer Juelie Roggli never fails to mention them by name.

DJUSD Production Internship Applications due September 7!

Davis Media Access offers a limited number of internshipships every four months.  Geared fror high school students, interns get hands-on production experience that helps build resumes and looks great on college applications! If you are interested, please download and read through the descriptions on this page: 

Currently, the DJUSD Production Internship is accepting applicants and is only open to DJUSD students.  Applications are now due September 7, 2018 for the Fall Semester.

If you have questions, please contact Jeff Shaw at 530-757-2419 ext. 14.

Connecting to What Matters

If this is your first visit to our website, welcome, and thanks for visiting.

Davis Media Access (DMA) is a non-profit community media & technology center currently celebrating its 31st year of serving Davis and environs. Elsewhere on this website you can read about what we do; the purpose of my message here is underscore why we do it. DMA’s community-centered work connects us to what matters: newsmakers, schools, families, youth, teachers, local elections, policy makers, community activists, neighborhoods, social justice activists, other non-profits, businesses, libraries, veterans, senior citizens, musicians, artists, and more.

Big Day at the Dock Celebrates Non-Profits

As the Big Day of Giving – affectionately known as Big DoG—gears up for its fifth year, three local non-profits have teamed up to create a community event with a focus on fun and philanthropy.

Davis Media Access, Davis Music Festival and Davis Phoenix Coalition are the combined force behind “Big Day at the Dock” to be held Thursday, May 3, 2018, from 6-10 p.m. at the Sudwerk Brewing Co. Dock Store, 2001 Second Street in Davis.

Big Day at the Dock features live music by local bands, information tables and giving stations from a wide variety of non-profits, a BBQ by Davis Firefighters, a photo booth, and of course the beer for which Sudwerk is famous. The event is an all-ages venue.

"Non-profits do transformative work across diverse interest areas. Big missions and tight budgets are the norm, and for the Big DoG., I didn't want us to be siloed in our efforts," said Autumn Labbe-Renault, executive director of Davis Media Access. Along with Kyle Monhollen and Gloria Partida of Davis Phoenix Coalition, Labbe-Renault is organizing an event that now includes nearly a dozen local non-profits: Cool Davis; Davis Arts Center; Davis Media Access ;Davis Music Festival; Davis Phoenix Coalition; Davis Shakespeare Festival; International House of Davis; Yolo County SPCA; The Pence; Yolo County CASA, and Yolo Land Trust.

Please join us. Come hungry and thirsty, come to learn about non-profits with whom you may not be familiar, and help make the Bog Day of Giving 2018 one marked by generosity and conviviality. Questions? Contact Autumn.

City holds Public Charrette on Downtown Davis

The City is conducting an 18-month process to plan for the downtown’s future. Over the next several months, the City will work to identify all of the essential elements that make up a vibrant and inclusive community, and address current challenges to reach this vision.

The Charrette  is a multi-day opportunity for residents, property owners, and students to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to craft a vision for Downtown Davis. The ideas developed during the Charrette will help guide the creation of the Specific Plan for the downtown.

Daze of Justice

In solidarity with the Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees who are the target of recent deportation efforts, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis invite you to see the documentary, Daze of Justice, that follows a group of Cambodian American women who returned to Cambodia to testify in the historic trial against the Khmer Rouge.

Rocklin-based Filmmaker, Michael Siv––who barely escaped the infamous “killing fields” of 1970s Cambodia–– will talk about the project. He will be joined by Chen Kong-Wick, whose brother Rottanak was arrested by ICE in Davis in October and released in January.

Yolo County Supervisor, Don Saylor–– an author of the Yolo County’s Safe and Welcoming Resolution––will facilitate a discussion after the film.

Friday, March 30, 7-9 p.m.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, 27074 Patwin Road, Davis

The UUCD Social Justice Coordinating Committee and Immigration Justice Team invite the community to join us in this free event to build awareness, healing and community around sanctuary.

For more information, contact: Stefan Harvey at stefh2002@yahoo.com

General Orientation & Workshops

Curious about KDRT, DCTV or DJUSD Channel 17, and want to learn how Davis Media Access can help you? Plan to attend our next General Orientation, Wednesday, September 16th, at 7:00pm.

Potential volunteers must attend one of these, held monthly. They last about an hour and include the history of DMA, a tour of the facilities, and information on how to get involved. 

Anyone is welcome to attend an Orientation, but to use our equipment or facilities for your own productions you must live, go to school, or volunteer at an organization in Davis, CA. Davis Media Access does not charge for the use of our equipment and facilities, but attending a General Orientation is mandatory.

Because of COVID-19, this General Orientation is going to be carried out via ZOOM. Be sure to reserve spacetime on your calendar and computer, tablet or phone time. Details are mailed after registration.

Honoring a Hawaii Slack Key Master

One of the musicians featured on DCTV in recent years was Uncle Richard Ho'opi'i's, who passed away earlier this month. With the assistance of KDRT Programmer Beth Post (Na Mele O Hawai'i,) we were able to record him as well as renowned slack key guitarists George Kahumoku Jr. and Led Kaapana in a very special performance in the DCTV studio. Both Uncle Richard and Led Kaapana are recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship, and it was an honor for us to be able to record these musical and cultural legends.