Entries categorized as “CHIRP Radio News and Info.” 332 results

Amanda Walz writesAmanda Walz on What Makes CHIRP Radio Special

I began volunteering at CHIRP Radio in January 2014 and started my weekly DJ shift in July 2014. I’d been a fan of the station and had known about it from the beginning, but it was time to get involved.

I’ve always been a music lover and was a college radio DJ, like so many of us, way back when. CHIRP is also a pretty cool way to learn new skills or hone some old ones. No previous radio experience is required to volunteer at CHIRP. I’ve written album reviews and promo scripts for the station. I’ve also just begun learning about radio production. What a great resource!

When I was a kid, my friends and I spent most of our free time hanging out at record stores and going to shows. I miss the camaraderie record stores and local live radio provide. Volunteering with CHIRP is a new way of keeping music and people connected.

Growing up in the Detroit area, I had a lot of public radio station options to listen to; from Detroit and Ann Arbor, to Toledo and Windsor. I was introduced to so many artists through local radio. That’s why I love CHIRP’s format and mission. Music brings people together, and that’s what CHIRP is about. From the Record Fair, to live music events, to tabling at street fairs, Chicago music lovers can come together and contribute to a fun community.

(Click here to contribute to CHIRP Radio's Spring fundraising efforts! Whether you become a sustaining member or make a one-time donation, your gift will help us keep local, independent radio thriving in Chicago!)

Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writes“M in Ohio” Tells Us Why They listen to CHIRP Radio

"Jennifer, Oh Jenny. Ohhhhhhhh..." --De La Soul

I love music. Flat out - absolutely LOVE music! And not just one type of music, but all types of music. All types, that is, but one. All but top 40. I have scoured the internet radio dial for a station that appeals to my broad music sense. Literally for years. Years and years and years and years. I have found several that I like for their genre, but none that offered a broad eclectic mix. Until I stumbled on CHIRP.

I don't know what it was that caught my eye. I think it was the name. CHIRP. How cool is that? I gave it a try and I was hooked from the first set. Absolutely incredible. It plays all the genres I like to hear and more. Much much more. I have been listening to it religiously ever since. So much so, that I have it streaming into my office so that everyone else can enjoy.

Mind you, most of the people in the office are top 40 listeners. They don't know 98 percent of what is played on your station. I get a kick when I hear - "Hey, I know that song!" or "I haven't heard that for years" or "Wow! I have never heard that song played on the radio." I get an even bigger kick when someone hears a song they like and they walk over to see what song is playing and jots it down. Priceless.

I am not a musical genius. I wish I were. I love all types of music, but I know so little about it. CHIRP allows me to vastly expand my musical horizons. The DJ's are awesome. Extremely knowledgeable and not pretentious. I have learned so much. It has been a real education.

What I Like About CHIRP Radio:

1. It is bar none the best radio concept I have ever heard
2. It plays all types of music. I mean "ALL.”
3. I never know what will be played next. It is one amazing song after another.
4. It is live DJ's. Not some canned program or algorithm.
5. The DJs are extremely knowledgeable and dog-gone friendly.
6. All my requests have been played - no matter how quirky.
7. The songs played are clean.
8. It gives exposure to some truly incredible local bands.
9. The playlists are easy to track and follow.
10. It is easy to purchase a song that is played.

*Name withheld by request

(Listeners like M are the reason CHIRP Radio exists. M's donation during our Spring fundraiser is what helps us keep doing what we do. If you like what you hear on CHIRP Radio, consider making a tax-deductible contribution! Your funds go to supporting the day-to-day operations that keep our station live, local, and eclectic. Click here to to make one-time donation or become a sustaining member. Thanks!)

Ross M: Conceptually Gross writesRoss Meyerson on Why He Volunteers With CHIRP Radio

The simple answer to why I volunteered is that I was seeking a like-minded community. When I was a young fellow, I had a ton of friends that had nothing but time and nothing but music on their minds. We spent days listening to music and nights going to shows. As marriages and kids became a thing with them, we all drifted apart. For a long while I was OK with this. We all settle in our own ways and I was content.

But a few years after moving to Chicago (I came here in 2004), I started to immerse myself into the local music scene a bit. Then a writing gig with loudlooppress fell into my lap. All this was great, but it was still a lot of sitting in front of a computer talking to myself.

The last few months I really started to notice the gigantic hole in my existence, that being getting out and working together with folks. CHIRP offered me a way back into the world and a way to give something to a most worthwhile endeavor. I'm excited to meet people, pick their brains, have some drinks, and help any way I can.

(CHIRP Radio's 200+ volunteers make the station go. You can help with a tax-deductable contribution that will help us maintain our facilities and continue to grow. Click here to donate!)

Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesCHIRP Radio’s Spring Fundraising Campaign Starts Today!

Spring is a time to get things started again. It’s a time of renewal and growth, not just for the trees and animals, but us humans as we emerge from our caves and bask in the sunshine. Time to refresh, reconnect, and keep being awesome.

Here at CHIRP Radio, our two part-timers and 200+ volunteers have been as busy as ever. CHIRP Radio is a solid and still-growing presence in the Chicago media landscape. And soon we will be transmitting over the airwaves as we build a broadcast tower and set up our signal on 107.1 FM later this year.

Surfing up and down the dial, it may seem like corporate media conglomerates have won the battle for control of the airwaves, especially in big cities. But look closer, and you’ll see stations like CHIRP Radio are keeping the faith with the independent spirit that saved music from the tentacles of Big Business. We’re helping to keep radio local, eclectic, and personal, the way it was created and the way it’s meant to be.

For all of us, running this station is a labor of love. But along with that are operational matters to take care of. Therefore, it’s time for the CHIPR Radio Spring Fundraising Drive, a time when we ask you to help us sustain our efforts through your donations. Your tax deductible contribution will help us cover the costs that come with running a radio station, which include rent, utilities, and audio streaming.

This Spring’s drive starts Monday, March 16th and wraps up on Friday the 27th. We’ve set a goal of $15,000. There are some great gifts for folks who contribute at different levels. You can even become a Sustaining Member with your yearly, quarterly or monthly contributions.

Help us start off the year the right way. Give today! And THANK YOU for your support!