Sudwerk Brewing Co. hosted a party for KDRT’s anniversary
By OLIVIA HOKR — city@theaggie.org
Davis Media Access (DMA) is a non-profit that began in 1988 with a singular local cable access channel known as Davis Community Television (DCTV). After more than 35 years of business, DMA has since incorporated an additional cable access channel as well as a radio station, KDRT-LP 95.7 FM. This year marks the 20th anniversary of KDRT’s addition to DMA.
“Our mission is to enrich and strengthen the community by providing alternatives to commercial media for local voices, opinions and creative endeavors,” the Davis Media Access website reads. “DMA carries out that mission by partnering with and providing support to a broad range of other local nonprofits, public-sector entities and community-based groups. Local election coverage, youth media, and capacity building are hallmarks of our community engagement work.”
On Oct. 18, KDRT celebrated its anniversary with music from DJs and local bands at Sudwerk Brewing Co. Jeff Shaw, the production manager at Davis Media Access, expressed the importance of supporting the upbringing of local media programs in our community.
“Local media channels and local media programs are more important today than ever before,” Shaw said. “We want to be broadcasting local content on every channel we can: radio, cable television, print and online. We want local media to be an essential part of your media diet. We want to use local media to make local connections that build community health. Connections with your neighbors, council members, musicians, store owners, teachers and other citizens. For those connections to grow, we need local media, in all forms.”
KDRT was the first low-power FM radio station in the U.S., making it stand out from other stations. They run on 100 watts or less and emphasize the need to fill the media hole at a local level. KDRT is volunteer-produced, educational and focused on local listeners, but they have also drawn in global listeners through their podcasts and website, according to Shaw.
Because KDRT is low power and their signal only reaches a small distance, they have experienced struggles, such as being forced to change station numbers from 101.5 FM to 95.7 FM.
Despite encountering a few obstacles, Shaw said that KDRT has become a vital part of the Davis community and brings people closer together in ways that only a local media program could.
“We’ve had too many high points to list,” Shaw said. “From hosting touring musicians, helping local music venues sprout, doing live broadcasts from Davis Music Fest, Pride and Martin Luther King [Jr.] Day, to smaller moments like getting kids and teenagers on the air for the first time, broadcasting a live radio theater class or just last weekend broadcasting during Davis Neighbors Night Out. Every broadcast week brings some moment of magic that is unique to community radio.”
To commemorate the history and impact of local broadcasting, the anniversary celebration brought current and past DJs from KDRT and rising bands like Cowboys After Dark together to continue providing the Davis community with local music. Davis Mayor Josh Chapman made an appearance to congratulate Davis Media Access on the ongoing success of their media projects. Supporting the non-profit organization that is dedicated to spreading music and stories in the city of Davis is an important part of community building and can be done by tuning in at KDRT-LP 95.7 FM or online at kdrt.org.
Written by: Olivia Hokr — city@theaggie.org
