Grass-roots Broadcasting

In 2007, the Downtown Singers 25th presentation of Handel’s Messiah was recorded and given to Public Radio Satellite Services (PRSS), a radio program distribution system managed by National Public Radio, and made available at no charge for broadcast by any of the 420+ member radio stations or organizations. We had a great response and a surprising number of stations participated that year.

In December 2010, more radio stations are going to broadcast this concert. We understand that this is in response to the appreciative audience(s) who enjoyed the first oratorio broadcast. We want to thank each radio station's management and audience for the opportunity to once more send this music beyond the borders of the Southern Tier of New York in this Christmas season.

Participating Stations

The radio stations that we know broadcasted in 2010 are:

  1. WBOI 89.1 FM (Ft Wayne, IN) aired at 3 PM to 6 PM EST on Friday, December 24, 2010. Streaming audio available.
  2. KTSU 90.9 FM (Houston, TX) aired at 5 AM to 8 AM CST on Saturday, December 25, 2010. Streaming audio available.
  3. KSTK 101.7 FM (Wrangle, AK) aired at 9 AM to 12 PM AKST on Saturday, December 25, 2010.
  4. KDLG 670 AM / 89.9 FM (Dillingham, AK) aired at 9 PM to 12 AM AKST on Saturday, December 25, 2010. Streaming available.
  5. KSJE 90.9 FM (Farmington, NM) aired at 12 PM MST on Sunday, December 26, 2010. Streaming audio available.

How You Can Help

If you would like your local Public Broadcasting station to air this performance, you need to express your interest to them. Here is a guide for making this request:

  1. Go to the NPR website.
  2. Enter your zip code to find the Public Radio station nearest you.
  3. Using the map, click on the stations that serve your area.
  4. Under that station's listing, you should see a link for their "Homepage"—click on it.
  5. Click on the Contact link (typically at the very top or very bottom of the station’s web page) and you should see a way to e-mail the station.
  6. Write your own request wording or pull from the sample request text below and place it in your e-mail.
  7. Address the email to the Program Director, if possible; otherwise, use any address that is associated with programming.

Any way you communicate your desire for them to air this performance is fine. If you find these instructions too difficult, or are confused by a particular station's website, send an e-mail to our President, Mike Randolph, asking for help. Be sure to indicate where you live. He will get back to you with the contact information you need. His email address is:

Thanks! With your help, there may be a lot more communities out there who will hear us and perhaps even be inspired to start up their own Messiah chorus!

Note: The performance is no longer available through PRSS’ Content Depot, but with sufficient lead time a CD-ROM can be mailed to the station.

Example Request Text

Attn: Program Director

I am writing to ask your station to air a presentation by the Binghamton Downtown Singers and Orchestra of Handel’s Messiah, which took place on December 21 and 22 of 2007. This was the 25th consecutive annual presentation of this great oratorio by the Singers to their community and that group has made a recording of this event available, at no charge, to any station for airing.

I urge you to review the program and consider airing it for our listeners. I believe they will be both intrigued and impressed by the quality of this rendition of Handel’s greatest oratorio by a community chorus from a quiet, unpretentious town in up-state New York.

Please do give serious consideration to airing this program on your station. For other information concerning the Singers, their website is:
http://downtownsingers.org/

Sincerely,