As we head toward the ninth month of COVID-related shutdowns keeping the bulk of the economy in limbo, it’s clear that no area of the entertainment economy is immune. The latest sector to experience turbulence here in Nashville: commercial radio.
Lightning 100 is a rare commercial music station that’s done exceedingly well in spite of remaining independent — one of few not bought up by a megacorporation like iHeart or Cumulus. Thanks to COVID-19, ad sales are down and the station hasn’t been able to host events like the much-loved free music festival Live on the Green, which generates revenue through vendor fees, sponsorships and so on. This has left the station with a $250,000 hole in its budget, and it's has launched a campaign to enlist your help to stay on the air until things return to something like normal.
Following the lead of #SaveOurStages and #SaveYourCinema, Lightning 100 has announced Save Our Airwaves, a multifaceted fundraiser. At the website, you’ll find options for becoming a member of the station, buying some newly designed merch or other goods, bidding on signed memorabilia that’s up for auction and simply making a donation. Not all of the auction items appear to have been posted yet, but you have until 5 p.m. on Dec. 10 to bid on posters and instruments signed by previous Live on the Green performers like Ben Folds and Eli Young Band.
Simply put, the station is free to engage with its community and highlight local music in ways that much larger corporate stations can’t — among other things, see To Nashville With Love, a massive benefit for tornado relief that Lightning 100 helped organize. Even if you prefer the approach of community stations like WXNA and WRFN or Nashville Public Radio’s new music discovery station WNXP, Lightning 100 represents a strong swipe at the behemoths’ dominance. That’s something not to be discounted in our crowded market.
