Billy Kalb writesWhat CHIRP Means to Me: Billy Kalb

When I was 13 years old, I spent a lot of time listening to Zone 105, the sole FM outlet for alternative rock in my Minneapolis-adjacent suburb. And when I say a lot of time, I mean I scraped together every spare moment I could possibly find to tune in. I could ID every song they played within the first couple seconds. The music selection wasn’t impeccable — sure, the Zone introduced me to Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana, but it also played dreck like Matchbox 20 and Sugar Ray — but it was enough to know that there was something exciting out there just outside the mainstream I had known. I was young and just beginning to explore, but I loved that station.

By age 14, my faithful alt-rock station started introducing “classic alternative,” then abandoned playing new music entirely, and then the classic alternative format basically turned into a repetition of tired ‘80s hits. So I did what any 8th grade idealist would do in this situation and wrote the station management a strongly worded three-page letter laying out exactly where they had gone wrong. I never heard back.

Lesson learned early on: if you truly love something, don’t expect commercial interests to look after it for you.

When I joined up with CHIRP Radio in 2007, we didn’t have a radio station yet — it was just an idea, a plan that we figured we could pull off if we got everything right. But what excited me was the possibility of a truly independent radio station, one that would belong directly to the community of people who believed in it and made it happen. This would be a station where we ultimately answered to our listeners and our volunteers, not some out-of-touch executives who wanted to dumb things down in order to boost ad sales. There would be no ads to sell. It would be our very own radio station from the ground up.

Seven years later, I look at what we've built and I’m astonished. We have a diverse group of DJs who play the music that they’re most passionate about, the kinds of music you won’t hear on any other station in Chicago — or anywhere, for that matter. We play incredible artists from our own city that the big guys on the FM dial don't even know about yet. We give away tickets to amazing shows on a daily basis. Our listeners tell us again and again how much they love the way we take chances with our programming and surprise them with what we play. This isn't soulless, computer-generated playlist algorithms; this is the sound of real, live human beings sharing songs that mean something to them -- a vanishing phenomenon in the 21st century. CHIRP Radio is the station that I wish 14-year-old-me could have listened to. I'm older now and still exploring, but CHIRP is my home. I love this station.

But the very strengths that make CHIRP great -- the independent approach, the community focus, the total lack of annoying commercials -- means that we rely on our listeners to help keep CHIRP strong through your generous financial support. Because it's not just our station, it's your station: through your contributions, past and present, you've helped us build this station and keep it strong just as much as we have. As we head into the final days of our Spring fundraising drive, I invite you to help us continue the work we do by giving to CHIRP at whatever level fits your budget. If you believe in this station, if CHIRP means something special to you, then you already know that it's up to all of us to sustain it. Your support keeps CHIRP truly independent.

Thanks for listening, and thanks for letting us do what we do.

Nicole Oppenheim: Ear Candy writesWhat CHIRP Means to Me: Nicole Oppenheim

Hi there!  I'm Nicole Oppenheim, Secretary of the Board of Directors and DJ at CHIRP.  I'm happy to say that I've been volunteering with CHIRP for almost 6 years.  I'll be honest.  The main reason I volunteer with CHIRP is because it's fun.  I have made many friends in the organization--some best friends--and it feels good to interact with people who like independent music as much as I do.

It's so satisfying to be part of a large organization of people willing to work hard and give independent artists a voice in a big city like Chicago.  Everyone in CHIRP does this work because we love it.  We're a non-profit, so we're not out to make money.  Our goal is to focus on independent, local, and generally lesser-heard music as well as to give local community artists, activists, and other interesting people a voice in the conversation.

We are loyal to Chicago, but our focus is not narrow.  We play music from all genres, all eras, all locations.  Major stations and broadcasting companies may speak louder than we do, but we are here nonetheless and we're committed to being the best independent media outlet in the city.   Unlike the bigger stations, we don't take money from advertisers or special interest groups.  We are listener-supported and our programming reflects that.  You won't hear lengthy commercials or the same bland songs played over and over.  Our DJs bring you the best of independent music, local and otherwise, and we strive to create and maintain the best soundtrack possible for our listeners.

As a member of the Board of Directors and a DJ, I support CHIRP with my time, my money, my voice and my ever-growing music collection.  I am proud of what I have helped to build.  If you are interested in joining us, by all means check our website to see when the next Volunteer Orientation meeting will be held.  We'd be glad to have you on board.  If you don't have the free time to commit to CHIRP, please consider making a donation, large or small.  We would not be here without your support and we truly appreciate each and every one of you.

Shawn Campbell writesWhat CHIRP Means to Me: Shawn Campbell

I don't know what it is, but radio has always been the thing. You know, THE thing. It's hard to explain. From the time I was about ten years old, I wanted to work in radio. And from that point forward, it was  the only thing I wanted to do. So I went to college and studied radio and worked at my college radio station (see photo - and scrunchie). I got a job in commercial radio, did that for awhile, went to grad school and studied more radio (WHY?), then worked some more in commercial radio. It had its moments, but there were always compromises.

Then in 1999, I made the move back to non-commercial radio and found my true home. To get to play the bands you think are amazing, no matter what label (if any) they are on. To have the chance to showcase organizations and issues no one else is talking about. To get to make your own playlists and curate your own shows rather than going from a pre-programmed playlist. To work with passionate, like-minded music fans. All are pleasures of non-commercial radio.

But even in that non-commercial world, there are battles to fight, and at the end of the day, the party that controls the broadcast license controls the fate of the station. And with that in mind, in 2007, I decided Chicago needed a truly independent community radio station. I got a great group of people together, and we sat on the patio at Moody's and plotted out what was to become CHIRP.

Since then, it's been quite a run. We built the station we imagined. We literally created it from the ground up. More and more people joined in as we went along, even in the days (years!) before the station physically existed. And now we have more than 250 amazing volunteers. We've won awards. And we won our battle that began with day one of CHIRP -- to change the law at the federal level so we would be able to apply for a broadcast license. We applied to the FCC last October, and currently are awaiting word on our application, but we're very optimistic.

Meanwhile, we're not resting on our laurels -- everything at CHIRP is a work in progress, and we still have plenty of big dreams that we haven't checked off our list. But the fact is, it's only because of the people who have believed in us over the years that this station exists. It's because of YOU. And that's why, as we begin the second week of our spring fundraising campaign, I really hope you'll make a gift to CHIRP in whatever amount that fits your budget. 2014 is going to be a huge year for us, and your support makes all the difference. Thank you so much to all of you who have supported CHIRP over the years, and who are making pledges of support for the very first time right now. As ever, you guys rock.

Mike Pakowski writesWhat CHIRP Means to Me: Mike Pakowski

Today is $10 Day at CHIRP, and I hope you'll join me in becoming a member at this very manageable giving level. If you love CHIRP and what it represents, membership is really important, and $10 Day is a great point of entry.

I started volunteering for CHIRP in 2009, and the station and organization has become a huge part of my life. Not only am I surrounded by people with great taste and interest in the local music, arts, and cultural scene; I’m also surrounded by kind and caring individuals who are passionate about Chicago and everything this great city has to offer. There’s no other organization out there like CHIRP. I am extremely proud to be part of CHIRP, and I am very excited about what the future holds for us.

So please join me in upholding the values of community radio, because it truly is a community. Become a $10 member (or whatever level works best for you) today!