 February 2003
American Friends Service Committee Peacework Magazine Patrica Watson, Editor Sara Burke, Assistant Editor Pat Farren, Founding Editor 2161 Massachusetts Ave. Telephone number: Fax number:
pwork@igc.org Peacework has been published monthly since 1972, intended to serve as a source of dependable information to those who strive for peace and justice and are committed to furthering the nonviolent social change necessary to achieve them. Rooted in Quaker values and informed by AFSC experience and initiatives, Peacework offers a forum for organizers, fostering coalition-building and teaching the methods and strategies that work in the global and local community. Peacework seeks to serve as an incubator for social transformation, introducing a younger generation to a deeper analysis of problems and issues, reminding and re-inspiring long-term activists, encouraging the generations to listen to each other, and creating space for the voices of the disenfranchised. Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC. |
Demand Democracy Now! on Radio Now Frances Crowe for many years served as AFSC's program staff and regional organizer in Western Massachusetts. This is a plea for peace activists throughout the United States not only to recognize the importance of good daily radio reporting of the news but also to actively support it. Commercial radio and National Public Radio--which is becoming National Corporate Radio--is largely entertainment and marketing of the corporate point of view. Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman's award winning War Peace Report from Pacifica Radio, comes directly from WBAI in NYC, Firehouse Studio. It is the nation's only daily independent, national grassroots news hour. It is excellent alternative radio. It needs to be used and supported. While available daily in NYC at 9 am and on the Web at Democracynow.org, it is more accessible for those parts of the country that carry it on the air daily. It has proven empowering and has helped to result in strong peace and justice movements developing wherever it is heard regularly on radio. Democracy Now! has also been a tremendous fundraiser for any station carrying it. Listeners become addicted to the truth and want and need it daily. It's a natural for college radio stations. This is educational, factual, and exciting radio. I have been surprised by how few college radios carry Democracy Now! We have been working in Western Massachusetts to get the program aired at the University of Massachusetts, and are hoping that in February the station will agree to start airing the program live from NYC at 9 am daily. Democracy Now! is also available in TV format for Community Access TV. It now airs on more than 120 public radio and public access-TV stations. Mary Aigner, Program Director, KZYX (California) wrote: "In the four years that KZYX has been airing Democracy Now!, it has become an essential part of our news and information programming, providing a complement and balance to the perspectives heard on NPR. Since day one, Democracy Now! has consistently outperformed both Morning Edition and All Things Considered, both during fund drives and in listener loyalty. For many listeners, it is the high point of our broadcast day. We highly recommend adding Democracy Now! to any station looking to expand the reach and scope of their news programming" For me personally it is an affirmation of our struggle for peace and justice. It reports on women and men around the world who are working to build the "Beloved Community" that we so desperately need. It has proven capable of helping stations build audiences. It brings a whole new diverse audience. It is quality radio not influenced by corporate control. It is our kind of radio. It's up to all of us to work at getting this program on the air; it requires writing letters and in-person meetings asking for the Democracy Now!. It requires not giving up on quality radio and the effort to make it available to as many people as possible.
The Democracy Now! contact site is
DEMOCRACYNOW.ORG 
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