Black Power 96 radio surviving and growing, with your support!

Black Power 96.3 FM radio in St. Petersburg, Florida is preparing for our July Supporting Member Fund Drive and we have a lot to celebrate!

Our creative team is growing rapidly with new volunteers producing a variety of public service alerts and community event announcements so that we can broadcast important information otherwise unavailable to our listeners.

Our volunteers range in age from 14 to 64. Some live around the block while others volunteer their time from the other side of the globe. The free training provided by Black Power 96 is giving many of these volunteers their first opportunity to do professional radio voice-overs and audio editing.

Black Power 96’s weekly “Local Going Global” contest continues to give radio exposure to the many talented unsigned artists in our community. Listeners and fans vote for their favorite each week. The top vote-getter receives heavy rotation on Black Power 96.3 FM’s airwaves as well as promotions on our website and social media platforms.

Salute to the success of some of our Local Going Global winners, including Madam Trauma who recently signed with a distribution company and Bus Stop Band who can now be heard on Pandora.

This Spring Black Power 96 added 3 new programs to our line-up:

• Local favorite DJ Heavy Love returned to Black Power 96 with his popular “Southern Soul Express” every Thursday at 3pm-5pm ET
• Radio veteran Mike Townes has brought his innovative “Cool Jazz” show to Black Power 96, airing on Sundays at 5pm ET.
• Novice talk show host Robin Harris produced several dynamic episodes of “Talk Black” before she had to pause her show while she campaigns for elected office in Orlando, Florida.

Eddie Maultsby, the world’s best blind DJ, former street musician and Black Power 96’s Assistant Station Manager, trains new programmers and shares his love of gospel and R&B with listeners during his “Morning Gospel” and “Midday Cafe” shows. Mr. Eddie always has his “ear to the ground”. He takes calls and song requests from listeners, announces birthday greetings and anniversaries, and gives away flowers and gifts on special holidays.

The audience for Larry Fayson’s “Original Florida Spiritualaires” is also growing and helps to connect Black Power 96 radio to St. Pete’s strong gospel community.

Two of Black Power 96’s own programs have begun to reach a national audience, through podcasting and syndication on other community radio stations:

• The People’s War show airs Thursdays at 5pm ET and interviews guests on a variety of topics including St. Pete’s struggle to take back the Tropicana Dome, Juneteenth in Houston, African athletes taking a stand, community gardens and the struggle for justice for victims of police violence.
• Reparations in Action airs Fridays at 3-4pm ET and is in the midst of a special series called “White Lies Shattered”, designed to debunk myths about the origins and practices of colonial capitalism.

Black Power 96 continues to provide the most reliable information on how our community can protect ourselves from the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit the black community especially hard.

We also keep our local neighbors informed with vital weather and safety information during Florida’s hurricane season.

We could only do this with your support. We rely on financial contributions through our Supporting Member and Business Underwriting programs. We call on all supporters of independent local black community owned and controlled radio to give generously and help keep Black Power 96 on the air and going strong!