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Autumn Labbe-Renault's blog

Musicians On the Backlot - Nat Lefkoff

Mon, 08/22/2011 - 12:55pm | Autumn Labbe-Renault
We're getting excited about On the Backlot - Celebrating Local Music & Media, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011 from 6-10 p.m. and today I'll begin profiling some of the musicians and bands who'll be playing.
 
First up is Nat Lefkoff, 17-year-old indie-folk singer-songwriter from Davis with a knack for beautiful melodies and triumphant vocals. According a recent writeup, "Nat's live performance is a great example of his ingenuity as a musician as well as his charisma in his stage presence. Nat uses his music as tool of expression and is known for lyrics of heartbreak and sorrow, as well as self revelation and love, creating a balance of light and dark which is captured in beautiful pigment with each set he plays."
 
Nat is a senior at Davis High School and recently spent some time in the recording studio with Simon & The Fire Breathers. He's been playing all around town, from the Village Home Performer's Circle to The Odd Fellows, and we're mighty pleased to bring him the Backlot audience.
 
You can listen to clip's of Nat's music here:

and at
 
Next up, we'll be profiling Tha Dirt Feeling, Belle Francisco and Hardwater.
 
On the Backlot will feature a celebration of KDRT 95.7 FM’s 7th birthday, and the unveiling of DMA’s newly rebuilt community television studio. A fund raiser for DMA’s programs and services, tickets are $10-$20 sliding scale and will be available at the door. info@davismedia.org for more information.

What's Your Story? Annual Campaign Supports KDRT

Tue, 04/12/2011 - 11:51am | Autumn Labbe-Renault

whatsyourstory

Say “media,” and what comes to mind? The word encompasses so much, and all of it at risk. News outlets are struggling, public broadcasting is under attack, a free and open Internet is imperiled, and community media centers much like Davis Media Access (DMA) are closing their doors across the country. DMA’s doors are, thankfully, open and accessible to all, but—we need you to help us keep them open with your support of DMA’s annual fund raising campaign. Between now and June 30, our fund-raising goal is $25k in support of DMA's many programs and services. Much of our fund-raising helps create the infrastructure that makes KDRT possible. Whether you participate, watch, listen or just value the fact that non-commercial community media exists in Davis, please contribute today. Here's some food for thought: what sets DMA apart and makes it such a valuable community resource, one worthy of your support?

Farewell, George

Wed, 01/19/2011 - 5:51pm | Autumn Labbe-Renault
George Moore, friend and mentor to so many of us here at KDRT/Davis Media Access, passed away this morning. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife Diane, his children and his extended family. Our community here is sad and rocked by thinking about a KDRT without George. George Moore I could tell you about George, who played show tunes, or jazz, or segments of historical Jewish radio. Or George, who helmed the KDRT Steering Committee and served on the Davis Media Access board of directors for several years. George, who opened his home for countless meetings, plodded through a rewrite of the DMA Bylaws with me, who helped me navigate ADA compliance for our new ramp at this building, who wrote policy, raised money, and vetted programming proposals. He did all of this, for years on end. He was a tireless advocate for KDRT, a fierce fighter when the chips were down, and a fun companion when it was time to celebrate.

Jan. 12 on Speakeasy

Tue, 01/11/2011 - 7:23pm | Autumn Labbe-Renault

Tomorrow we’re getting up close and local about a big development in national media policy. I recently blogged about the passage of the Local Radio Act in December; the bill was just signed into law by President Obama. I'll host DMA’s Jeff Shaw, who will also speak to his role with an organization called Common Frequency. We will talk about what the bill means, the back story to getting it passed, and what happens next. 10 a.m. Wed., Jan. 12 on KDRT or here on the website.

Radio Act a major success for media democracy

Tue, 01/04/2011 - 10:25am | Autumn Labbe-Renault
By Autumn Labbé-Renault This column originally published Dec. 30, 2010 in The Davis Enterprise I’ve written much about how media policy trickles down from the Beltway and affects us in our communities. Davis is extraordinarily rich in local media and I know we’re effective locally, but at the national level, efforts to make media more democratic and inclusive have frequently met with discouraging ends. However, I’m choosing to cap off the year with a happy ending. This is the story of the Local Community Radio Act, “the little piece of legislation that could.” Replete with tales of hula-hooping justice seekers and strange bedfellows, it’s really a story about the power of overwhelming grassroots pressure brought to bear on the legislative process.

Local Radio Act Passes House and Senate!

Sat, 12/18/2010 - 4:43pm | Autumn Labbe-Renault

Breaking news from our friends at Prometheus Radio: Thousands of community groups rejoice at new opportunity for locally owned media WASHINGTON, DC – Today a bill to expand community radio nationwide – the Local Community Radio Act – passed the U.S. Senate, thanks to the bipartisan leadership of Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and John McCain (R-AZ). This follows Friday afternoon’s passage of the bill in the House of Representatives, led by Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Lee Terry (R-NE). The bill now awaits the President's signature.http://www.prometheusradio.org/node/2438

Jean Jackman, Davis Community Scrapbook on next Speakeasy

Wed, 12/08/2010 - 3:43pm | Autumn Labbe-Renault

Jean Jackman guests on the Dec. 15 edition of "Speakeasy," a local talk show that airs alternate Wednesdays at 10 a.m. on KDRT-LP, 95.7 FM in Davis. Repeats air the Thursday after taping at 5:30 p.m.

Jackman is a storyteller in the oral tradition, a writer, producer, environmental and social justice activist. She writes the nature
column, "At the Pond" for the Davis Enterprise. She is the author of "Down home tales of Davis," a history of Davis integrating the oral history of long-time Davis residents and pioneer descendants. And, she is the founder and curator of "Davis Community Scrapbook," a collection of short stories, anecdotes, songs poems, photos and paintings, all about Davis. The interview will cover all this ground and highlight stories from the Scrapbook.

Hosted by Autumn Labbe-Renault, "Speakeasy" features interviews with people doing interesting work in Davis and beyond.

LGBTQ Bullying on Nov. 17 Speakeasy

Sat, 11/13/2010 - 9:44pm | Autumn Labbe-Renault

Listen to the interview at http://kdrt.org/node/4190 I nearly lost a friend to suicide because he was mercilessly bullied for being gay. I heard a powerful young woman speak recently and decided I'd like more folks to hear what she has to say. On Nov. 17, I'll welcome Ashley Horan to the show. Ashley serves as the intern minister for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis. In her capacity as a liaison to students at UC Davis, Horan has spoken about the intolerance that has fueled a widely publicized rash of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) suicides recently, and the resulting "It Gets Better Campaign" on YouTube and Facebook. Horan, who identifies as a queer person of faith, speaks about the perception that people of faith are responsible for perpetuating intolerance, and posits UU as a place and a faith welcoming of all people. She shares a message of encouragement for all who are being bullied because of their sexual preference. Please tune in Wed., Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. or catch the archive here on kdrt.org.