Community Broadcasting celebrates 100th podcast

Published 11:03 am Friday, October 31, 2014

In just its first six months of broadcasting on Bainbridge, Bainbridge Community Broadcasting has reached 100 podcasts.

To celebrate the milestone, listeners can now download a free app to their iPhones, iPads and Android smartphones and tablets to more easily access Bainbridge radio shows.

Bainbridge Community Broadcasting is also throwing a six-month birthday party and open house at its Marge Williams Center studio on Winslow Way from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1.

“This milestone is a credit to the dozens of adult and high school volunteers who have collaborated to bring Internet radio to our community,” said volunteer manager Barry Peters of Bainbridge Community Broadcasting.

“The podcast radio episodes tell the stories of Bainbridge events, people, nonprofits, businesses, arts and artists, local issues, outdoor activities and local food.”

A Sustainable Bainbridge project, Bainbridge Community Broadcasting offers six Internet radio shows geared to building a more engaged community.

What’s Up Bainbridge features local events; Who’s On Bainbridge spotlights citizens; Community Cafe Bainbridge discusses local issues; Bainbridge Outdoors shares outdoor activities; Tastes of Bainbridge talks local food, gardening and dining; and Bainbridge on Campus covers the teen perspective from the BHS Radio Club.

Episodes have covered Edge Improv founders Frank Buxton and John Ellis, seashore wildlife at Fort Ward Park during the fall arctic seabird migration and local issues with guests like the police chief, city manager and planning director.

For its 100th podcast, the show featured the unlikely and delightful story of Jake’s Pickup, where Jake serves up healthy, organic and locally-sourced foods, prepared from scratch.

Next year is expected to be just as promising for the broadcasting group as it plans to collaborate with the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum and Senior Center to create an oral history, story-share project. The group will also be adding video to some of the audio episodes and building more diverse programming with continuous Internet music streaming.

The group also plans to encourage the city to offer an AM broadcast radio station for local emergency information.

Bainbridge Community Broadcasting was made possible by One Call for All funds donated to Sustainable Bainbridge, a $7,000 grant by the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island and a $4,750 grant from the Bainbridge Community Foundation.

Several thousand dollars of individual donations by community members have also helped the group grow over the last year.

To learn more, visit BestofBCB.org.