FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Announcing Portland’s First LGBTQ Radio Station
Wild Planet Radio
March 17, 2014 – Portland, OR.
Press Contact: Logan Lynn, Q Center
Public Relations & Innovations Manager
Logan@pdxQcenter.org / (503) 234-7837
Wild Planet Radio is a start-up nonprofit LGBTQ radio station and podcast studio
fiscally sponsored by Q Center in Portland, Oregon. Wild Planet Radio’s mission is to
be a voice for the LGBTQ community by helping people share their stories, ensure
that the stories of LGBTQ people are heard, and offer programming that inspires,
uplifts and encourages all people.
WPR combines music and community programming via an informative and
entertaining radio platform, delivering news with an emphasis on issues faced by the
LGBTQ community; locally, nationally and globally.
Wild Planet Radio is currently working to raise the funds to officially launch during
Pride season. To listen and learn more, visit http://www.WildPlanetRadio.com
About Wild Planet Radio:
The Wild Planet Radio project kicked off in 2013 when an opportunity to acquire a
low-power FM radio license presented itself to WPR Co-Directors Bobby Harsell and
Thomas Elisondo.
Harsell has been a radio program director, producer, DJ and voiceover artist for over
two decades, working in many markets from Houston to Portland. “Having a love for
the radio business, I keep up with what's happening in the industry and last year got
very excited when I saw the FCC announcement that community groups would have
the opportunity to apply for FM broadcast licensing.” Harsell said, “Identifying as a
proud member of the LGBTQ Community, I thought to myself ‘Gay Radio Station’!”
…and the rest is history.
Harsell and Elisondo dove into researching the subject and soon discovered that
there was no full-time LGBTQ radio station anywhere in the US. “It was clear to me
that with LGBTQ rights advancing worldwide, “ Harsell continued, “the time is now to
have our voices heard, to share our stories, to keep the momentum burning.”
In the fall of 2013, a proposal was made to Q Center, and after a series of meetings
and strategic planning sessions, Q Center’s board of directors adopted the program
as an official fiscal sponsorship of the agency.
“This fiscal sponsorship comes with a great deal of programmatic entanglement as
well,” said Logan Lynn, Q Center’s Public Relations & Innovations Manager. “Wild
Planet Radio is actually broadcasting out of Q Center’s LGBTQ Community Center
space, which has helped make this a really close partnership so far. Wild Planet Radio
fits into the mission of Q Center in a number of ways, and we are thrilled to be
involved in these efforts. Our Executive Director Barbara McCullough-Jones already
has a talk show on the station called ‘InQuisitive’, which she hosts with community
activists Kathleen Saadat and John Kim, and there are many more creative, inspired
‘entanglements’ to come as we move toward the launch.”
“Wild Planet Radio is thrilled to be partnering with Q Center to create one of the first
LGBTQ FM radio stations in the US,” said Harsell, “We are actively engaging with our
community and encouraging anyone and everyone to get involved. There are many
ways to become involved with the project – including, but not limited to: being
interviewed on one of our podcasts, sharing music or other “sound/audio” talents”,
discussing developing ones own radio show and more. We'll soon be offering a 10
week radio and podcast training program. Interested community members will have
the opportunity to learn the basics of audio recording, radio show creation and
hosting, news techniques and audio production as well.”
Wild Planet Radio has spent the past few months out and about, spreading the word
about Portland’s new LGBTQ Radio Station, and the WPR crew will be making several
more stops over the coming weeks and months. All of these events can be found on
the Wild Planet Radio website at http://www.wildplanetradio.com/events
Upcoming Wild Planet Radio events:
EMBERS WILD PLANET RADIO DANCE PARTY – SAT MARCH 22 7p-11p
An evening of drag, drinks and dance as we join Embers celebration of 45 years in
Portland! This is a very special nightclub brimming with history and Wild Planet
Radio is thrilled to be partnering with Ember’s on this event
PORTLAND GAY MEN'S CHORUS – SUNDAY MARCH 23 3pm
Wild Planet Radio is proud to announce a partnership with Portland Gay Men's
Chorus! We'll be broadcasting from the PGMC event “Continental Divide” on the
afternoon of Sunday March 23rd.
RADIO2U TOUR “SPRING BREAK EXTRAVAGANZA” - TUESDAY MARCH 25 3p-8p
@Trio Club - 909 East Burnside
Live music from Mattachine Social, Jeni Wren, Jeremiah Clark and Activity Universal.
Dazzling Queer Cabaret with Caravan of GLAM. Tasty tapas bites from Trio Club
chefs. Delectable adult libations mixed by Wild Roots Vodka, Dogwood Distilling &
Tito's Handmade Vodka. Comedy by Belinda Carroll.
Wild Planet Radio online:
Website: http://www.WildPlanetRadio.com
Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/WildPlanetRadio
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/WildPlanetRadio
Download Wild Planet Radio logos:
http://www.wildplanetradio.com/logos
For questions related to Wild Planet Radio programming, events, or to get
involved as a Wild Planet Radio volunteer, contact:
Bobby Harsell
Co-Director
Wild Planet Radio
Portland's LGBTQ Station
(503) 964-4644