An old medium is uniting environmentalists and residents of coal country in Appalachia. The debate over coal as a sustainable resource is no longer being strictly defined in terms of employment versus the environment. A 25-year old community radio station in the heart of coal country is redefining the debate and bringing people together to talk about environmentally-sustainable energy.
WMMT And Coal Country
Coal country does not belong just to one state. Whitesburg, Kentucky is under 2,000 people, but is located in close proximity to both Virginia, and West Virginia. Along with Kentucky, that makes three states in the coal-rich Appalachian Mountains. Other cities with community radio stations, such as Madison, Wisconsin and Austin, Texas are located in much bigger cities, both of which happen to be state capitals and are well-known for their liberal enclaves and educated populations. Appalachia is not known either for liberalism, or education.
But, part of WMMT’s mission is education. In an area of the country known for its poverty, WMMT has been trying to give something tangible to its community, according to the station’s website:
"The programming today is created by more then 50 volunteers from throughout the region. WMMT has trained more than 300 people in radio production and more than 50 of the “graduates” have found employment in radio. And many of the young programmers have gone on to study media production in college."
Since 1985, the station has covered current events in the region and broadcast a variety of music, including, of course, bluegrass.
But, it has also become a voice in the conversation about coal.
Coal and WMMT
WMMT knows that its audience cares about coal, both pro and con. The station offers a weekly Coal Report.
The General Manager of the station, Marcie Krim says their station brings environmentalists and miners together by putting them, on the same radio station. Krim says the station solicits comments about coal by offering people a chance to their own feelings "We acknowledge how divisive the issue of coal is here in Central Appalachia and welcome listeners to call in (or come in) and record a statement of their feelings and opinions on all types of coal mining.
This regular feature is called the Coal Commentary.
WMMT is just one venue where people who work in the mines and who work for the environment are getting together to have a conversation about coal. The ongoing Appalachia Rising movement is bringing the same conversation about sustainable energy and development.
People are even trying to have this discussion in other coal-rich states, such as North Dakota.
WMMT is not just having their conversation over the radio waves. They are raising the conversation to an international level as the station is also available over the Internet.
Folks from coal country want the nation and the world to know that there are alternatives and other energy solutions worth talking about.
Jon Pike - Pike is a Ph.D. in communication and writes about activism and popular culture topics for Suite101.
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