On the Dial

Despite the appeal of new, innovative media, young people still make time -- more than 10 hours a week according to industry surveys -- for radio. Teenagers enjoy radio's compact usability, allowing it to accompany practically anyone, anywhere, anytime. And teenagers are discovering that radio is a powerful megaphone for their voices and ideas.

Across the country, radio stations, youth centers and schools are developing partnerships to bring radio broadcasting workshops to more young people, especially in remote rural areas. The Chadron (Neb.) Native American Center has formed the Unity Youth Group, which partners with radio station KILI to teach Native youth how to produce public service announcements. Appalshop's Media Institute [1] in Kentucky works with youth on radio production in Appalachia during summer programs. Participating students become trainers themselves and feed the instruction they receive back into their communities.

The Experimental Gallery [2] in Seattle and Youth Radio [3] in San Francisco have programs that train incarcerated youth. Youth Radio works with Camp Sweeney in Leandro, Calif., to teach these young people how to write commentaries. Each week, Youth Radio's outreach coordinator, Michael Rubio, with the help of a peer trainer, brings a portable DJ setup and tape machines, teaches music mixing and tape recording, editing and commentary writing. (These commentaries can be heard on Youth Radio's Web site [3].)

Rubio explains that the purpose of the program is less about developing broad career goals than about sharpening important life skills. Communicating through radio depends on the ability to speak and write clearly.

"For disadvantaged youth, especially those ensnared in the criminal justice system," Rubio explains, "the chances of launching careers in radio or some other broadcast career can be pretty slim. What we want is for them to develop their communication and writing talents. These are skills that last a lifetime."