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about: the print publication, the radio, the digital
and social media aspects, and design all in one
neat little package. Local. is an advertising and
marketing avenue that is positive, inspirational
and communicates with the local community,
helping local businesses get where they want to
be.
About 76% of the monies spent in local
businesses are what help and make your city
prosperous. Not just that, but shopping locally
can indirectly help the environment, as small
businesses generally have a smaller carbon
footprint than larger companies. If you’re
spending money in a big box store, basically a
majority of your money is going back to their
home state. So we, as a community, should
focus more on supporting our local businesses
by shopping, eating, drinking and now listening,
locally.
Think of it this way, for every $100 spent in
local businesses, a majority of that will stay in
the community, as local business owners are
operated by your friends and neighbors who
care about the well-being of your community
and its future. Small businesses employ millions
of people and have accounted for a majority of
new jobs over the past two decades.
While it may not always be the most convenient
option to shop locally over a nationwide chain,
dozens of small ways you can contribute to your
local community: try out a new local restaurant
for lunch or dinner, join a locally-owned gym,
shop at your local farmer’s market, seek out
a local mechanic, shop for gifts at a locallyowned
gift shop, or look for someone offering
freelance work.
The next time you’re out and about, try
seeking out a local business and see what they
favorite restaurant or service. At the same time,
you’d be helping to build a stronger and more
successful community around you.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to tune in to KABF
88.3 every Monday night at 5:00pm - 6:00pm to
learn more about who’s doing what, and what’s
new around you and your neighborhood, only
on Six Bridges to Local.
If you’re interested in being a guest on our
radio show, please reach out to us via email:
411publications@gmail.com
History of KABF
transmitted from our tower on Crystal Mountain
past the western boundaries of Little Rock on
August 31, 1984. Listeners were excited that
radio station in Central Arkansas, and organizers
breathed deep sighs of relief, because the clear
sound breaking through what had been static on
the dial marked the reward for an effort that had
begun more than 7 years before.
The real roots of KABF lie in a nonpartisan
political effort to establish “lifeline” utility rates
in the City of Little Rock through an initiated
referendum petition that came to a vote in 1976.
Arkansas ACORN (Association of Community
Organizations for Reform Now), a membership
organization of low and modern income
families founded in Little Rock on June 18, 1970
utility costs for gas, telephone, and electricity
that were hammering their members. Finally,
they struck upon a strategy of advocating a
“lifeline” rate that would freeze the costs for the
so that lower income families would always be
able to afford basic utilities in their homes.
ACORN in analyzing its experience with
the lifeline elections in Arkansas came to the
conclusion that it would never have the money
to allow its members to have the kind of media
voice that money had bought the utilities with
a membership of lower income families. On
the other hand in extensive conversations with
Lorenzo Milam became convinced that there
might be accessible opportunities to create
a “voice of the people” in noncommercial,
community radio.
The work and leadership of many from Joe
Fox of AM/FM (now and for many years owner
of Community Bakery) and Scott Holliday at the
beginning along with John Cain, and countless
volunteers, donors, and DJs has allowed KABF
to become the “voice of the people.”
The road has often been rough as KABF
opened the airwaves not only to low and
moderate income families, but also to many
other voices that were unrepresented in the
site in 1999 that put the station off the air and
moved us to a digital transmitter. Many experts
looking at the vandalism at the tower site believe
there was an attempted break-in and damage
at the site by individuals, never apprehended,
offended by the fact that the station was
allowing programming to touch on the issues of
gay and lesbian rights, as well as women’s rights
in general.
KABF takes its mission seriously and
continues to be committed to its founding
principles and to serving as a “voice of the
people” not only in Arkansas but as far as the
signal can reach through any available formats
including rebroadcasting and the internet. The
looks forward to the next 30 years as a great
opportunity to continue its mission to educate,
inform, agitate, and organize by providing a
platform for people to speak their truths and
enjoy their music.
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