Black Radio at HBCUs

Many of the radio stations involved in the HBCU (Historically Black College and Universities) Radio Preservation Project date back more than a half-century and even predate the digital explosion. The rise of the Internet and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, as well as mobile streaming and podcasting, have been game changers in the audio world of the 21st century, but there is little research about how digital/social media tools have impacted community engagement at HBCU radio stations. This study seeks to explore how HBCU radio stations are contributing to and empowering communities. What are some examples of successful efforts in urban and rural locations in 2023 and 2024? Our findings suggest that most of the stations have a web streaming presence, but results are mixed in how they build social media audiences, and there's little mention of podcasts on the stations in the study. Most of the stations operate on non-commercial frequencies with small staffs and integrate hands-on work experiences for students. Nearly half of the stations have some affiliation with National Public Radio. Each has some community engagement initiatives that often focus on festivals, food giveaways or healthcare issues

African american · Geography · Historically black colleges and universities · Sociology · Anthropology · Radio, Podcasts, and Digital Media