Youth Radio

Joining a local youth radio organization is both fun and impressive. If you are not someone who wants to be an On-Air personality there are still tons of ways for you to get involved: writing, recording, producing and more. Youth Radio needs a large team of people with different skills. Most organizations cover a city or large area and you will have to find one in your area.

A good example of a thriving youth radio organizations is Youth Spin in Austin. On air since 1996, Youth Spin brings varied perspectives of Austin youth through commentaries, interviews, music and more. The collective has been recognized nationally by the National Federation of Broadcasters as a model for youth radio programs. Youth Spin is part of the Public Radio Exchange, where their pieces have been featured and broadcast nationally.

In Brooklyn, New York, every Wednesday at 7pm , Teens Take The Mic hosts a weekly show. Featuring music by kids, music selected by kids, interviews with kids, interviews by kids… Teens Take the Mic explores every genre, you name it – the only constant is that there is always a minimum of one kid in the studio. This radio station also has a completely free after-school program for high schoolers which teaches the basics of radio broadcasting, as well as fundamentals of media literacy, ethics, and journalistic best practices.

Other organizations with great Youth Radio programs are Spirit of Youth Alaska, Converge Radio and Youth Express from Pittsburgh. Youth Express is particularly exciting as it is a 24/7 streaming Internet radio service featuring original writing, music, theater, journalism and reflections from Pittsburgh-area youth. It features a broad range of youth-created content including youth writing from class assignments, Youth-led open mics, Poetry slams and much more.

How do I get started? Just hit the internet and search for youth radio organizations in your area. There are even some with a more national footprint.

How much time will this take?  This is a medium time commitment. Getting involved will require regular activity over a few years. But this makes this project even more rewarding and impressive.

How do I expand this narrative arc? If youth radio is in your narrative arc, consider building on this interest with one of the following:

• If you have a journalistic bent, check out our posts on two incredible organizations promoting written and visual journalism, YR Media and Podium.me

• Consider starting a school radio or TV station if one does not already exist.

HOT TIP: The most impressive part of launching a new radio or TV station at your school will be your ability to bring this program to life. So don’t shy away from the need to organize here. For maximum wow effect, complement this project with a local impact project or capstone project in radio, journalism or TV.