PUBLIC BROADCAST COMMONS:
Every Community Deserves It's Own Radio Station

Project Description
A shopping cart will be outfitted with a microphone, a personal computer and a miniFM transmitter and speakers. The microphone is plugged into the "audio in" of the computer that has a wireless ethernet card and a sound card. Via the computer and online radio software the audio captured by the microphone is converted into an MP3 audio stream. Using free wireless nodes (802.11b) available at Bryant Square Park in NYC, the stream is fed to a server with a net radio station. The stream is then available to anyone online and logged onto the net radio station. The "audio-out" of the computer feeds into the "audio-in" of the miniFM transmitter in the cart. In this way the broadcast may be heard either on the net or microFM frequency. I hope to use THE THING FM and r a d i o q u a l i a's established radio network to facilitate this project and activate the sculpture.

Public Display
A visitor to the park on designated dates may turn the microphone on to broadcast a conversation, monologue or merely the ambient sounds of the park. The pedestrian becomes active producer of an audiocast, reversing the usual role of most people as audience of broadcast or online content. Public street performers and speakers from irrational, radical politics soapbox speakers to religious zealots to street musicians will be invited to speak/perform at the broadcast cart. Hence the sculpture will become a public commons for webcast and microFM broadcast.

PUBLIC LISTENING POSTS At other benches in the park AM receiver headsets are made available to listen to the audiocasts, during the event. Signs announcing the webcast will point laptop users to the appropriate URL.

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