Acts of God

Given overall economic hardships, dwindling government funding for the arts, a distracted and over-stimulated audience, community malaise, dizzying media environment, must we in the arts also factor in “acts of god” when considering our long-term planning?

Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano, with static lightening, in Iceland

Apparently so.

As Daniel Wakin points out (NY Times article 4/16/10) the recent eruption of the Iceland volcano is disrupting airline flights all over Europe and classical music performance schedules of artists virtually everywhere. The financial impact on artistic venues is staggering, given the lag-time in planning and booking in-demand performers. Artists are stranded in Europe simply trying to move around, let alone get to the U.S., and performers are stranded in the U.S trying to get back across the pond.

Matters could get worse.  The volcano in Iceland has had 2 eruptions in the last couple of weeks, choking the skies over Europe with deadly ash, the effect sobering and clear. But, the last time this volcano erupted, well before manned flight was possible, the spewing lasted for more than a year, from December 1821 to January 1823. Historically, this particular volcano has also tended to trigger larger nearby volcanoes on this crazy and inflamed Mid-Atlantic Ridge hot spot. There are three documented instances of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano stirring the scary Katla volcano to life, a connection not lost on geologists. It seems Iceland’s history is full of Katla volcano threats. Clearly there is a potential cascading effect of this very natural phenomenon on global commerce and, due to its very fragile existence, the arts. How does one plan for such a thing?

Those of us running stations may not be heavily dependent on booking agents, two year waiting lists for artists, ticket sales or air travel to make ends meet, however, we deal with just about every other kind of threat imaginable. This is of course a radio blog, so I’m thinking about our survival, real threats, as they relate to the old S.W.O.T. analysis.

In some locations, simple seasonal station maintenance has involved a rubber tipped rake propped against the back door wall for the leaves or snow piling up in satellite dishes. Daily maintenance has involved minimizing heat, rain, wind, ice, and lightening damage to equipment. Some of us have dealt with forest fire threats to our transmitter sites, or at a minimum, rat infestation and nibbled wires. Tragically, stations in some cities such as New Orleans have learned about fragile levees and surging hurricane waters. There are many stations in the Midwest, tornado alley, that have seen the wrath of 200 mph winds. Up and down California, media outlets know all too well about seismic earth-shifting. Ask our savvy operations managers about annual solar outages and subsequent transmission anomalies. Some around the system may even remember a certain satellite in geosynchronous orbit over Texas veering off course in 1998 (Galaxy IV). Meteors? Really?

Please add volcanoes to the list.

This isn’t meant to be some kind of doomsday blog. No “2012” end-of-the-world prediction, here. Rather, with the recent stunning act of god type event in Iceland, this is a look at all the threats we face, day in and day out, just to make radio.

Maybe this is a reminder, too, of our unique role in our communities, being that rising tide (our air) that lifts all the boats of our cultural partners. They don’t have the big megaphone. We do. We mustn’t develop a bunker mentality. We’re all in this together. Our “air” buoys the spirits and vitality of all we reach, in a very real way, entire communities.

Hopefully, it doesn’t require a devastating act of god where we live to cause us to rally in support of our cultural community. Recent economic woes have hit all of us like a vengeful tsunami, some built better for survival than others. Small ensembles, troupes and groups, and even large symphonies are hurting. Entrepreneurial shops and venues are withering on the vine. Ticket sales are down. Doors are closing.

Before, during and after so-called acts of god, how might we in this community-supported-radio-industry act and re-act?

Onward!

About Jack Allen

Jack Allen is a self-proclaimed dreamer, raconteur, rapscallion and radio guy. He got his start in radio, a second career, in 1992 at WMRA in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The broadcasting ethers have carried him through stints in St. Paul and Austin. He can now be found leading the team at All Classical Public Media, KQAC in Portland, Oregon.

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