KKCR and Digital Freedom

Aloha,

     My name is Lex White, and I am the Director of Development at Kaua‘i Community Radio (KKCR). Today, I’d like to share some exciting updates about our station’s development and recent projects. KKCR is dedicated to Freedom of Speech and preserving Hawaiian culture, language, music, and arts. In line with our mission, we have set two major goals:

1. Upgrading outdated, proprietary systems to modern, open-source technologies
2. Developing our Hawaiian Music Archive program

     We are moving towards a more transparent and freedom-oriented station by upgrading our computers to use Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) solutions when possible.  FOSS is a kind of software that is licensed such that the source code is open and available to anyone who wishes to improve it, study it, modify it, and share the original and/or their modifications with others. One example of FOSS we are using is called Ubuntu Studio, which is an operating system now running on our office and production computers. Another example is a small but powerful single-board computer called the Raspberry Pi 5, which we use to build our own devices for our remote broadcast shows. This gives us lots of flexibility and support for audio production, video editing, graphic design, and remote broadcasting, and aligns well with our values of transparency and digital freedom (“Escape the Algorithm” was our Spring 2024 Fund Drive theme), as well as saving us a great deal of money on licensing fees and maintenance costs.

     Underlying the Ubuntu Studio project is a profound African concept from the Zulu language called “Ubuntu,” representing a kind of virtue meaning something close to both “humanity” and “compassion,” as well as something quite similar to the traditional Hawaiian values of Mālama (stewardship) and Kuleana (responsibility). It can be summed up as “I am who I am because we all are who we all are.” Transitioning away from proprietary systems like Microsoft’s Windows or Apple’s MacOS to FOSS solutions like Ubuntu Studio and the Raspberry Pi 5 strengthens and promotes our digital freedoms and helps us achieve our mission and support the long-term well-being of our community and democracy.

     Our next major project is the KKCR Hawaiian Music Digital Archive. This custom-built file server and website portal will store and share Hawaii’s musical heritage, including recordings, sheet music, and lyrics. This archive aims to preserve Hawaiian musical traditions and provide a valuable resource for future generations to study and enjoy. We believe music is a universal language that transcends cultural barriers and has the unique power to bring us all together as one big human family. Through this archive project, we hope to share the spirit of Aloha with the world and honor the rich history of Hawaiian music and culture.

     We appreciate your support in helping us nourish, support, and improve our island of Kaua‘i and the world at large for the sake of all of our brothers and sisters in this and coming generations. Our KKCR ‘ohana is truly one big family, and all of you here on the island and across the world are an important part of our mission to grow and thrive together. Here’s to many more years of great music!

    Mahalo,

      Lex White

      Director of Development

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Lex White

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