“This is the culmination of a multi-year effort, “ says Public Affairs Director and StarTree Co-Founder Brian Helvey. “We now have the opportunity to harness the powerful medium of FM radio for the benefit of our local communities in a manner that has heretofore not been available. Our vision is that providing the highest caliber programming on our musical heritage and other areas of the arts can and should be combined with a focus on those needs and public issues of greatest local interest. This means our programming, promotional, and related information services will place a major priority on supporting cooperative efforts with civic groups, the educational and business community, and working with the many public service organizations that are so valuable at the local level. Organizing these coalition charitable fundraisers is an important way we can build our local outreach and service program, while at the same time develop beneficial partnerships that can help address the diverse needs and interests that exist in our communities.”
Musicians and Charities Get Together
This attempt to combine historically valuable entertainment with promotional support and public/community service is unique in the nation at this level of media, According to Helvey and StarTree CEO Barry Jorgensen, the challenge in today’s rapidly changing communications environment lay in conceiving a multi-media approach which marries the existing yet locally under-utilized medium of FM radio with the boundless opportunities afforded by the Internet. At the community level, cooperative partnership and coalition building were seen as essential elements for success. As Jorgensen states, “these elements were not just important founding principles, but have been developed into specific components that will guide all of StarTree/KOCI’s programming, promotional and service activities. We are already in the process of building coalitions behind the programming and projects we will be able to offer, and they attempt to span the wide spectrum of interest sectors we have found in the community. These range from a rock and blues coalition of local musicians, clubs and venues to local environmental organizations and public agencies…from local businesses and educational institutions to the wide array of entities involved with outdoor recreation, leisure activities, and our precious public lands and waterways.”
