Range: Local, Distant, Fringe

Range: Local, Distant, Fringe is a three-part, location-based series of radio transmissions that explores the phenomenon of signal strength. The series seeks to break, bend, and highlight the economic, political, and technical dimensions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Range uses the criteria found in proprietary mapping software that plots radio station coverage areas to analyze the importance of place for radio broadcasts. This software takes into account transmitter power, antenna height, frequency, antenna pattern, and etc. Commercial and community stations use this data to determine potential listeners.

The coverage areas are defined as:

• Local: areas with very clear reception
• Distant: areas with weak signal
• Fringe: areas with very weak or no signal

A station’s signal strength broadly delimits that station’s territories. These territories further impact policy (i.e. FCC regulation, spectrum licensing), station-specific power (i.e. advertising, tower-space rentals), and public affairs (i.e. community programming, emergency alert systems). Range seeks to challenge these issues of signal accessibility, and question radio’s role as a distribution tool.

Participants:

Radius commissioned three artists to create audio works for broadcast that point to issues of proximity in the event of radio transmission. 

Episode 19: Emilie Mouchous & Andrea-Jane Cornell (Range: Local)

Episode 20: Damon Loren Baker (Range: Distant)

Episode 21: Rob Ray (Range: Fringe)

Publication:

Radius published a 24-page booklet in a series of 220, each with hand silkscreened paper covers. The booklet features an artist statement for each episode, images, and an extended interview with each artist/group of artists.

The booklet is priced at $5.00 USD and available at the following locations:

• Half Letter Press (Online) - a publishing imprint and an experimental online store initiated by Temporary Services. 

• Sound And Language (New York City, USA) - an online bookstore specializing in sound art and aural culture books owned and operated by Alexis Bhagat.

• Quimby’s Bookstore (Chicago, USA) - an independently owned bookstore that sells independently-published and small press books, comics, zines and ephemera.

• Radius Store (Online) - the Radius online store features print material and other media published by and for Radius.

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