Voice of Lakota Nation on air, awaits equipment
by Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer
Rapid City Journal - 19 July 2006
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/arti...cal/news08.txt
PORCUPINE, SD -- "The Voice of the Lakota Nation" is back on the airways after being silenced for two months when an April lightning bolt destroyed its antenna on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
KILI Radio station manager Melanie Janis said that the station began broadcasts in early June, its signal reaching listeners closest to its Porcupine Butte location.
"We're on an antenna that reaches up to 50 miles away," Janis said. "Our permanent equipment will be in on Oct. 1."
Tom Casey, business manager and development director, said KILI officials are awaiting word about a federal grant, which may permit the station to buy a new antenna, transmission line, transmitter and grounding system.
"We went through an evolution here," he said of getting the rural American Indian station back on air.
Casey said a loaned antenna and replacement line put the station back on the airwaves June 7. Three weeks later, crews connected the antenna to a 300-watt amplifier that enhanced broadcasts to reach listeners 40 to 50 miles away.
But transmission has been problematic.
With broadcasts transmitted on low power, the programming is able to reach only some listeners 15 to 20 miles from the station. To improve its reach, KILI officials also continue to broadcast on the Internet, he said.
"We're doing mostly music for now," Casey said.
This spring, the station missed broadcasting many annual events such as achievement banquets, school events and local programming. For the first time since 1983, when KILI first aired Oglala Lakota College's graduation, it had to skip this year's ceremonies.
"We weren't there," Casey said.
In light of its struggle to maintain its audience, Casey said, there have been some positive notes for the station.
"People won't take us for granted after this," he said.
People on and off the reservation have realized how much they depend upon KILI to be informed of reservation events and news, Casey said.
The mix of programming from Indian Health Service, schools and college centers and tribal government remains largely unreported by other media, and its a vital part of their daily lives, he said.
"They miss us," Casey said.
For information on contributing to the KILI antenna tower benefit, call Melanie Janis or Tom Casey at (605)867-5002.