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At a time when the media is increasingly dominated by far-distant entities offering homogenized broadcasting it is important that the means exist for local people to share their talents and speak their minds. Entirely listener supported and volunteer powered WCOM offers just that opportunity through the energy, talent, enthusiasm and dedication of its many volunteers. In August of last year, WCOM volunteers came together to determine what was needed to ensure the continuing growth of the station and its goal to facilitate community access to the airwaves for the purpose of sharing culture, news, music and information. This report to you, our supporters, our underwriters and our growing number of listeners, celebrates the accomplishments of that effort over the past year and lays out some of our dreams for the future. 
This past year – August 2006 to August 2007 - WCOM:• Added over 25 new, live, locally produced programs to even better become “your voice in the community” • Totally redesigned the website including Spanish • Provided timely response to persons interested in becoming involved with grassroots radio • Switched WCOM internet streaming to Ibiblio • Developed communications with The People’s Channel and The Carrboro Citizen • Improved communications with sponsors • Joined the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Dreams for the future: • Improved signal reach • Increased diversity of programming • Equipment upgrades • Greater volunteer involvement • Improvements to the physical plant • Be an integral part of the community. 
What’s Going On• Wall of Music – WCOM is collecting… • September 30 is the Carrboro Music Festival – Visit the WCOM stage • October 11 – Benefit Concert for WCOM at The Cave • Festifall – Look for WCOM sharing a table with The People’s Channel WCOM Wish List • Two weatherproof outdoor speakers • Three new professional quality CD players • Two new Electrovoice RE20 mic’s • LCD monitors • Computer Experience the excitement of all volunteer non-profit community radio! If you have some experience with broadcast audio and radio hardware and believe in the value of community radio, we can use your help. WCOM is also looking for people to help produce our newsletter, get involved with innovative fundraising projects and help spread the word about volunteer-powered community radio. To find out more go to our website and/or e-mail volunteer@communityradio.coop. | |
 This Thursday, August 30, from 6-8pm, WCOM is scheduled to be the featured nonprofit at Weaver Street Market’s 2007 After Hours concert series, with Contrazz, a jazz fusion band, taking the stage, as WCOM volunteers man the grills to raise money for our all-volunteer station. Come on out and join the fun and support WCOM! |
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Chris Frank, one of the original creators of WCOM as we know it, opens at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway in “Lone Star Love” on December 3rd. In his role of Bardolph he will be part of the trio of Falstaff’s men in a take-off on Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Windsor,” along with Red Clay Rambler members Jack Herrick as Pistol and Emily Mikell as Nim. Falstaff is being played by Randy Quaid in his first appearance in Broadway theatre. Check out www.redclayramblers.com to find out more about the history of the play and then make your plans for a trip to New York to see one of Carrboro’s own on the Broadway stage.Chris has been a member of the Red Clay Ramblers for many years as a highly gifted artist on guitar, accordion, tuba, ukelele and trombone. He played in Doug Marlette’s “Kudzu” as the Mystic Pilgrim at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. and in an off-Broadway production of a previous incarnation of “Lone Star Love.” As exciting as this is, it is his talent in other fields that has benefited WCOM the most. Way back in the beginning he “heard in the air” word about people starting a local non-profit radio station. He e-mailed Ruffin Slater to find out what was happening and when it was time for the station to go on the air he heard back with the suggestion “Let’s have lunch.” That marked the start of Chris’s long list of contributions to the realization of the dream of a community radio station. In the form of website design, engineering, program development and being an available general master of all trades Chris is one of the main reasons that WCOM exists today. In fact, the website is still hosted by efolkMusic, efolkmusic.org, a non-profit that Chris originated to help the Red Clay Ramblers stay in touch with fans at a time when CD stores and radio seemed to be fading away. The idea of selling music by the track on line was conceived to help save Indie music. efolkMusic is an aggregate of folk musicians that offers the chance for musical artists to self-publish their work. Chris’s own favorite music is “whatever music I’m hearing,” and his favorite instrument is “the musical." Other miscellaneous favorites are peaches, Bonobo monkeys and Canadian author Robertson Davies. We suggest you check them out. When asked for a ‘message to the world’ Chris replied, “Come see us in Lone Star Love”. We thought that was a good message but prodded him for more so he answered through the character of Mystic Pilgrim, “The lower you fall, the higher you bounce.” Here’s hoping you bounce real high, Chris! | |
 Ernie Hood is featured in the Summer 2007 Sigma XI news.Click here to take a look. | |
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WCOM Radio • 201 North Greensboro Street • Carrboro, NC 27510 | |
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