With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Devotees Of Indie 103.1 Petition For Reprieve
As reported a mere two weeks ago, LA's last great radio station, Indie 103, folded amidst a tight clench of corporatism and mainstream conformity. And, given the tenacity of your average Indie die-hard, the untimely passing incited loyal subjects to rebellion.
Some wrote long-winded elegies, some took a moment to tweet an earnest "RIP," but one person decided to actually do something. "After hearing the interview Mark Sovel did with Kevin Bronson on Little Radio and asking people to start petitions, I called Mark to see if he was serious. And Let Indie Live was born," explains former Indie 103 employee Katie Laster. "Initially, my goal was a minimum of 2,000 signatures."
LetIndieLive.com, an unadorned and particularly self-aware website, acts as the conduit for transmitting the input of the public. The slate gray site, emblazoned with the Tennysonian maxim "It is better to do something, rather than nothing," is an extraordinary mixture of harsh reality and lofty ideals.
Sponsored message
But within a matter of two days of its existence Laster was able accomplish her preliminary goal of some 2,000 signatures. "Everything else after that was icing on my little indie cake," she concludes.
The harsh reality, however, is that the resounding response may simply not be enough to constitute a reprieve. Santa Monica-based Indie 103 owner Entravision Communications, Laster says, is suspended "in a world of dollar signs." And even as the website pushes forward, "5,000 names on a list doesn't mean anything to them."
Dazed but not uninspired, Laster resolves to soothe a steadfast following, which undoubtedly continues to reel from the absence of its beloved radio station. "People keep saying, 'This isnt going to do anything!' I know that! But I also know that this has made Indie listeners feel like they have done something. It's better to do something, rather than nothing."
Indie 103.1 will stream its content via the internet indefinitely. You can listen here.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
