The importance of place in community radio broadcasting: a case study of WDVX, Knoxville, Tennessee

Abstract

Listening to radio programs was once a family/community event that connected listeners to both place and time. Today, amidst marketing concerns and Top 40 hits, commercial radio has become a placeless medium. Similar music and programs can be heard nationwide, often free of references to the location of their broadcast. One exception to this form of cultural homogenization is community radio. Unlike commercial radio, community radio stations try to distinguish themselves by incorporating aspects of their location and the listening community into their broadcasts. This study uses the community radio station WDVX in Knoxville, Tennessee, as an exemplar for understanding the importance of place. Using key theories on place creation, I argue that WDVX is more than just an FM frequency, but rather a meaningful place to station personnel and the listening community. Through qualitative interviews and observations, I show that WDVX has created a sense of place through the unique sound associated with the space the station occupies, the particular uses of technology in radio broadcasting, and the participatory nature of WDVX at multiple scales. Station employees at WDVX have transformed the physical space of a radio station into space that has meaning; in other words, a place.