CREATE GREAT AUDIO IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS THIS DECEMBER

If you can afford it, here is the warmest trip you can take while you learn to make great audio. Transom and Outer Voices Radio are hosting a Traveling Workshop December 6-11, 2015 in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.  The workshop is an introduction to audio storytelling. Complete info is here [link].

Nine beginning-level students will be chosen for six-days of intensive training led by Rob Rosenthal. The selection process is competitive. They are looking for dedicated newcomers of all ages who are focused on audio storytelling. Previous a/v experience isn’t required but is beneficial.

Applications are due September 18th. See the application here [link].

THE FINE PRINT

The cost to attend is $2,400 and includes all workshop activities and seven nights of housing. You are on your own getting to and from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The lodging is intended for folks who don’t require a lot of privacy.  Some participants will stay in a dorm style hotel – The Inn at Tamarind Court:  

Others will stay at the simple island-style Samuel Cottages:

If you don’t mind the close quarters, you will love living like a local.

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS NEEDS A NPR NEWS STATION

If you are looking for a way to stay longer in this Caribbean paradise consider bring NPR back to town.  St. John recently lost it’s NPR voice and people miss it.

Commercial station WVGN-FM provided NPR News programming to the Virgin Islands for over a decade.  But, the owner sold the station in March 2015 and NPR News left the local airwaves.

“We held on as long as we could," owner Keith Bass told a local newspaper. "It was just getting a little bit too expensive at this point."

WVGN had a special deal with NPR.  It was one of handful of commercial stations that have aired NPR programming. Bass said: "A lot of people are sad with [the loss of NPR News]." The new owners changed WVGN’s format contemporary hits.

The Virgin Islands looks like a tough place to operate a noncommercial or commercial station.  There are lots of stations on the air competing for a share of a local population of around 100,000.  Given the right situation, an NPR station could succeed here. You'd be the only NPR player in town.

My tip for those interested in bringing new NPR service: Consider LMA-ing an AM signal.  There are LOTS of AM stations here and many cover a huge aress.  If you operated this AM signal you’d cover the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with NPR News: