08/20/2019

Daily Buzz: Why Radio Is Becoming Part of the Hotel Experience

Their goal: Amplify the local community

Hotels offer gathering spaces, a place to rest your head, and—radio?

“Hotels of late have been diving into the entertainment space in general, including venues that sport screening rooms and bowling alleys,” writes Eliza Berkon on DCist. “And in what’s been labeled today as the golden age of podcasts, it may be no surprise that hotels want a piece of the action.”

Like many other cities, hotels in Washington, D.C., are flocking to join the trend. Kathryn Bang, previous director at Sydell Group, the force behind The Line Hotel and its radio station, wanted radio to be part of the hotel’s experience to serve as a point of conversation.

“We wanted D.C. residents to reclaim the narrative of their city,” Bangs told DCist. “When people think of D.C., they think of the greatest hits—the Washington Monument, politics—and they envision a sea of blue suits. We wanted to showcase D.C.’s B-sides: the artists, activists, and deeply nerdy (and deeply earnest) people who populate the city.”

Similarly, such stories can give out-of-towners a local perspective they might not experience otherwise. In the end, it’s the community element that drives these radio projects forward, said Jack Inslee, founder and executive producer of The Line’s Full Service Radio.

“It’s about amplifying the hosts—that’s the whole point of this,” he said in an interview with DCist. “It’s not to be a money maker. To stay sustainable, sure. But to be a platform to amplify these local voices.”

Please select this link to read the original article from Associations Now.