Bob CollinsA small public radio station in Wisconsin’s northwoods could use a helping hand and it deserves it, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
During the “Walleye Wars” of the 1980s, after federal courts upheld the right of Ojibwe people to spearfish off reservation land at night during spawning, WOJB helped with the overt racism that threatened violence.
WOJB, started by Ojibwe on the Lac Courte Oreille Reservation, about 11 miles outside Hayward, Wis., cut through the anger, airing voices on both sides, and tried to bring cultures together the old-fashioned way: with music, the Journal Sentinel says.
Now, its transmitter is dying and the station’s leaders are trying to decide if there can be a future for a small public radio station in the woods.
It’ll cost at least $80,000, a pretty tough figure to reach when your 500-watt signal (it should be at 10,000 watts) only carries 25 to 50 miles.
It’s public radio the way it was meant to be.
The station gives a voice to the community.
There are only two full-time staff members who go on air regularly. The rest of the airtime is filled by volunteers like Country Dave Keller, who hosts Saturday night honky tonk, or Joan Jacobowski, who hosts Electomania on Friday nights.
Carissa Corbine said, “One of our most popular programs is honky tonk. He (Country Dave Keller) is a household name. People gather around the campfire to listen to him.”
The station looks for diversity in its lineup. There’s a reggae show, afropop, folk, blues, jazz, NPR’s Morning Edition and Democracy Now.
Although WOJB is partnered with a tribe, there’s not that much overtly native programming. There’s Drum Song on Tuesday evenings. It’s traditional powwow music and a favorite at the reservation. Native American Calling is from noon to 1 p.m. weekdays. Morning Fire Ojibwemowin is Saturday mornings, and Dead Dog Café is a native-produced comedy show from Canadian Public Radio.
Journalist Paul DeMain, an LCO resident and Oneida tribal member, said, “When WOJB provided an opportunity to speak with each other, we found we have more in common in northern Wisconsin. WOJB allows us to explore that musical diversity and the cultural diversity as well. All the communities have a certain value and make up the fabric of northern Wisconsin, and WOJB is the epitome of that.”
“At first the station was here to give a voice to the cause,” said Corbine. “In that way, we were able to find support. We were here to try to educate people and let them know what the treaties were about and just tribes in general.”
Technical and electrical issues put the station off the air at the end of August. It returned to the air with reduced power this week.
Related: WOJB Facebook page.
