KBOO Community Radio 90.7 FM has been awarded a five thousand dollar grant from the Fund For Investigative Journalism (FIJ) to conduct an investigation of Oregon legislation which has been influenced or created by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
With this grant, KBOO volunteer investigative reporters will review Oregon state legislative activities to uncover ALEC influences on bills introduced in the Oregon state legislature between 2011 and 2014. KBOO investigative reporters have already, through their research, discovered direct links between three pieces of Oregon legislation, including the so-called 'Oregon GMO Protection Bill' passed as part of the special session in December 2013.
ALEC is an organization consisting of state legislators and corporate representatives, whose aim is to introduce legislation at the state level to advance the principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism.
The resulting data will be broadcast to KBOO’s listenership through audio reports, a special section on the KBOO website http://www.kboo.fm, and included in a publication by the Center for Media and Democracy.
Jenka Soderberg, News Director at KBOO community radio, says "Sometimes it seems like the only time KBOO gets mentioned in other media is when there's bickering. This grant, which recognizes KBOO's prowess as a local community news outlet, reminds Oregonians that KBOO has long been at the forefront of reporting news of importance to local residents.”
As both small and large media sources are folding throughout the region, KBOO news is increasingly a critical resource for those seeking uncensored, up-to-date, local information. Although KBOO has a shoestring budget, the station owns its own modest building, and is proud of its up-to-date studio and recording technologies, including three broadcasting transmitters in Portland, Hood River and Corvallis.
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KBOO Community Radio 90.7 FM Portland http://www.kboo.fm
Contact News Director Jenka Soderberg at 503-231-8032 ext. 203