KUNM Generation Listen will host a listening party Friday, where members of the community are encouraged to learn about radio.
This month, Generation Listen plans to cover student-generated podcasts on a wide variety of topics, from politics to sports.
Jalila Arthur, the 2016-2017 president of Generation Listen, and current president Seth Brewer encourage everyone to attend.
“We are listening to more self-generated content, so amateurs are welcome,” said Arthur.
KUNM is an affiliate of National Public Radio, and Generation Listen is an initiative that encourages young people in Albuquerque to participate in discussions on current events.
“It’s important to stay up-to-date on the news, but it’s also important to stay current with your local community,” Arthur said.
On the technical side of podcast production, listening parties provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about audio editing and engineering. Attendees will also cover aspects of storytelling and have discussions regarding media. In past listening parties, Generation Listen covered current NPR and KUNM content.
“Our group uses our listening parties as an opportunity to explore new content and to help better our own,” Brewer said.
Generation Listen covers content from various entertainment sources, including social media. Arthur and Brewer mention that in one of their more memorable listening parties, Generation Listen attended a pre-screening of “The Disaster Artist,” which they covered during their film podcast.
Arthur and Brewer also stress that podcasts are a springboard for conversation.
“Our additional aim is to raise student awareness of KUNM-FM as a platform for critical listening and discussion. Having a resource like a local public radio station on campus is invaluable to students,” said Brewer.
Generation Listen began in June of 2015, and Arthur commented that the group began with low attendance. In 2016, Arthur began growing the group and expanding Generation Listen’s focus by encouraging production of original content.
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“We believe that on-demand content is the future of the radio industry and see podcasts like our volunteer-generated edu-tainment as a step towards saving public media,” Arthur said.
Listening parties occur once a month, and Arthur and Brewer don’t believe you have to have to be actively listening to podcasts in order to participate.
“Listening parties can be enjoyed by anyone,” said Arthur. “All you need is a pair of ears and a creative mind between them.”
The listening party begins at 5 p.m. Friday on the third floor of Oñate Hall.
Annie Edwards is a culture reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @annie_ce18.
