World College Radio Day Returns October 1st, Crowdfunded Album To Follow
The Second Annual World College Radio Day takes place October 1st. Last year's event involved 585 college stations in 29 countries with stations from at least 33 countries participating in the upcoming event. Designed to raise the awareness of college radio and give individual stations a fundraising tool, World College Radio Day should also be of great interest to DIY and indie musicians who often find college radio an early source of support.
World College Radio Day was founded in 2010 as College Radio Day, conceived by Dr. Rob Quicke, General Manager, WPSC FM, William Paterson University, and first took place in 2011. In 2012 it became World College Radio Day to reflect international interest in the event.
The hope is that World College Radio Day can raise the profile of college and even high school radio statons and attract new listeners in the process. Participation is free and stations can use the event to inspire fundraising.
College Radio Day – The Album (Vol. 2) Indiegogo Campaign
Given that college radio ranges from terrestrial broadcast to the web and that even obscure and niche artists can often find welcoming djs and listeners, college radio is of great importance beyond its educational mission. While more and more web radio and streaming music outlets are available to musicians, college radio stations tend to have a clearer identity and a stronger following among those that listen regularly than do services that are often viewed as interchangeable by listeners.
If you're a musician, there may still be time to get in on local activity related to World College Radio Day. See if your local college radio station is involved in the U.S. or internationally.
And if you represent a college radio station, you can get involved by registering here.
Crowdfunding The Album: Volume 2
However, unlike Record Store Day, World College Radio Day has spawned a more complex endeavor that now includes College Radio Day Records and, launching October 1st, the College Radio Fund.
College Radio Day Records launched last year to produce "College Radio Day: The Album 2012." This year they're crowdfunding Volume 2 which will feature previously unreleased tracks from:
"Wilco, San Cisco, Passenger, Matt Pond, Lucius, Charlie Peacock, The Front Bottoms, Jukebox The Ghost, Billy Harvey, and more still coming."
It sounds like a great event overall with immediate and possibly long-term benefits for stations, students, listeners, musicians and anybody else that loves music and radio.
More:
- Complete Musician's Guide To Getting Played On College Radio
- Bright Spots For College Radio And Indie Music
- Indie Artists Share How They Got Radio Airplay, What It Meant For Their Careers
Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (@fluxresearch/@crowdfundingm) also blogs at Flux Research and Crowdfunding For Musicians. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
