Today is the final day of the annual KDVS fundraiser and we are still $17,000 from our goal of $60,000. This is not the money we would like to have, it is the money we need to bring you all of the valuable community services you benefit from.
Right now you may be wondering "What is KDVS?" or thinking "I don't listen to KDVS." KDVS is an integral part of the community here in Davis and around the world. Broadcasting locally and streaming around the world via the Internet, KDVS is a rare resource for non-commercial interests. 5 corporations control the majority of media in the United States and they don't care what you think unless if will make them money. MSNBC gives Rachel Maddow a seat in front of a camera not because it is a liberal news organization, but because she attracts viewers and increases General Electric's profit. General Electric builds nuclear weapons. KDVS does not. KDVS is owned by the community and wants your voice to be heard. Whether you are a Yolo county farmer, a member of the recently cut UC Men's Swimming team, or a student paying 32% more to go to school next year at a University that is laying off its teachers and expanding its administration. You are not represented in broadcast media. You are represented by KDVS and other small, community radio stations who also deserve your help.
You might not listen to KDVS's music programming or care for it's daily broadcast of Free Speech Radio News, but KDVS highlights stories that aren't going to make us money. We local issues because they affect us. We highlight bands that make great music that EMI doesn't care for. We raise awareness of University of California's financial turmoil because it matters and the mainstream media doesn't care for it. We provide students, teachers, families, and laborers with a cultural outlet when they otherwise would not have one.
KDVS has a plethora of departments dedicated to advancing the interests of the community at large. Our sports department broadcasts games and digests sports news in the program "Aggie Talk." They've been covering the sports cuts and continue to promote Aggie sports around the world. We have a music department that is dedicated to advancing underground music from Davis and around the world so that people can connect with music they would have never heard otherwise. The programming department has flexible guidelines that promote the playing of underground, non-commercially viable music you won't hear on other stations. The Public Affairs shows on 90.3 fm provide profound analysis of local and worldwide issues that are not sponsored by "too-big-to-fail" banks or the defense industry. Our Events department sets up shows in the area for bands with cult followings or no following yet what-so-ever. Even shows that are not directly set up by our events department are fueled by KDVS related community members and get exposure on our website and over the air. Our Engineering department provides affordable recording for musicians that wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise. The News department brings unfiltered community news to the world and tries its best to provide both sides of every issue. With student reporters, we do our best to cover underexposed issues and events in the community. Our record label produces small bands that would be get picked up elsewhere or without more money. We provide internship opportunities for inventive students. We provide public announcement services for non-profit organizations and events at no cost. The list is almost never ending. I could write a book about KDVS and everything it has done for the community. Please just remember, that even if you personally don't listen to KDVS, KDVS provides a smattering of community services offered no where else that you may have indirectly benefited from or have directly benefited from.
Please, help keep KDVS alive. Go to fundraiser.kdvs.org and pledge any amount of money you can. We have some exciting things in store next year and it would be a tragedy to lose this tremendous community resource. Ultimately, KDVS values you and not our (non-existent might I add) corporate interests. So, please give if you can and if you cannot we will still have your interests at heart when we get in front of that microphone down in Lower Freeborn.
Sincerely,
Neil Ruud
KDVS Webmaster
webmaster [at] kdvs [dot] org
The views presented here are not necessarily those of The University of California Regents, The Associated Students of the University of California Davis, KDVS, or its sponsors.
