"Southern Maine Community Radio"

I've written here before about WMPG, the radio station of the University of Southern Maine, which bills itself as "Southern Maine community radio",  and now I'd like to elaborate a little on just what "community radio" is all about from the perspective of  one member of the community - me.

I listen to WMPG a lot and one thing I have noticed is that every volunteer DJ (with the notable exception of "the Humble Farmer") gives the phone number (780-4909)  to the station and invites listeners to call in with requests, comments, feedback or whatever is on their minds.  I'm a literal-minded person, so I take them at their word and I often call in to make a comment or request a song.  And the surprising thing is, they (almost) always answer and seem genuinely glad to talk to a listener and they're eager to do whatever they can to please their audience.

So when I called Suzanne while she was hosting The Evenin' Blues show last week and requested a song by Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women, she was sincerely sorry that she didn't have anything with her to play but she promised to play something for me on her next show, which was today.  And she delivered on her promise in "community radio" style!

This afternoon when I tuned in to Suzanne's "Red, hot and blues" edition of the Evenin' Sun I was treated to not one song, but almost an hour's worth of music from Saffire and it's members who have gone off to do their own thing - she played my request alright, but on steroids!  And of course I called her to thank her, because when you're part of a community, that's what you do.

The Fall Begathon, WMPG's semiannual fundraiser, starts soon and you can be sure that I will call Suzanne again with a pledge of support - I hope that you will, too.  Here's some Saffire-the Uppity Blues Women to tell you why you should: