Exploring new forms for radio and software

ON2: Test Signals, Sourcefabric’s festival exploring new forms for radio and software has finished, but the work instigated and inspired by the festival in October in Berlin still continues. Featuring over 30 speakers from four continents, ON2: Test Signals saw three days of presentations, workshops and events in front of live and online audiences.

Highlights included David Bailey MBE providing insight into the remarkable broadcast environment of modern day Afghanistan, James Cridland convincing crowds that the future of radio is hybrid and Abdoulaye Diakhate introducing the innovation behind the West Africa Democracy Radio network.

“Many new partnerships were formed that provide an engaging glimpse into radio’s future,” said Festival Organiser Adam Thomas. “The festival witnessed open source hackers meeting station managers, and activists collaborating with web developers to lay out new agendas and challenges for broadcasting across the spectrum.”

At the festival the free radio associations of Germany, Austria and Switzerland held significant discussions regarding a coalition to represent independent radio at a European level. Thai community radio networks took advantage of the presence of several free media experts, such as Robert Klajn of Belgrade’s B92, to get advice on maintaining the independence of radio news outlets amidst government crackdowns in Thailand. In addition, the foundations for an entirely new feature set for the open source radio software Campcaster was laid out by software developers Liquidsoap, MPD and Mixxx in workshops with the Sourcefabric team.

Test Signals will return in February 2011 as part of the transmediale festival in Berlin, where two panels and a special workshop will look at continuing developments in radio, with a special focus on radio art, open digital platforms and tactical media.

Follow updates at www.testsignals.org.