KOOP is a community radio station in Austin, Texas that aims to provide programming for underserved communities. It operates on a cooperative model and is funded through listener donations and underwriting. The communications analysis identifies successes like community outreach programs but also challenges like an outdated and disorganized website, lack of consistency across social media accounts and blogs, and recommendations to improve the station's online presence.
2. KOOP’s Mission
The mission of the Corporation is to provide high quality,
innovative, and diverse community- oriented
programming to Austin with an emphasis on those
communities that are ignored or underserved by
mainstream media; including serving and promoting
specific communities of African-Americans, Asian-
Americans, Chicanas/os, elders, gays, lesbians, homeless,
immigrants, Indigenous peoples, Latinos/as, peoples with
disabilities, women, working and poor people, youth, and
other underserved communities. KOOP Community Radio
supports the struggle for social justice and peace. KOOP
Community Radio will operate with a high level of
participation and accountability to the communities being
served.
3. KOOP at a Glance
- A community orientated & cooperatively ran radio
station in Austin, Texas
- 12 hours of broadcasting on weekends, and 9 hours of
broadcasting on weekdays
- Shares the 91.7 FM frequency with KVRX, UT’s
student-run nighttime radio station
8. Cooperative
All donations above $25 give the benefit of
becoming a member of KOOP
Members have voting rights in the annual elections for
board of directors
Anyone is allowed to go through DJ
apprenticeship free of cost
Most on-air DJs have no prior radio experience, before
joining KOOP
11. KOOP Blogs
Shows have a blog linked to the webpage
Some of the longest running shows have over 400
posts
Most blogs consist of playlist schedule, relevant
concerts/shows, and other events
17. Social Media
Multiple Facebook accounts for the station
Staff forgetting passwords often joked about on-
air
Few shows have their own Facebook profile
Similar case of duplicate profiles
18. Blogs
Lack of consistency
Some shows not represented at all
Some currently running shows updated extremely
infrequently
Dated-ness
Shows canceled over 4 years ago, still listed
19. Recommendations
Site design-aesthetic overhaul
Condensing and clarifying site organization
Incorporating links to social media, besides
“like” buttons
20. Recommendations
Removing and cleaning up show blog list
Increase the frequency of the station’s, and
certain show’s, blog updates
Clean-up repeated new volunteer web-pages