At a time when many journalists are cowering before the blogosphere, Anna DeShawn is more excited than ever to talk about the many ways she feels the internet can change the face of news. DeShawn is the founder of E3 Radio, an internet-based independent radio station committed to education, enlightenment, and empowerment ( thus the E3 ) .
By day, DeShawn works as a webcaster for INXPO, company that uses internet video streaming to allow clients to virtually attend meetings, workshops, and conventions. By night, DeShawn runs the entire E3 station and website from her living room couch, on a single laptop. It's a more honest way of producing news, she told Windy City Times.
"You don't have to put up or look a certain way," she said. DeShawn studied communications and broadcast at Drake University, but she fell out of love with television and mainstream media. "I got tired of the status quo," she said.
E3 radio was an attempt at something new, a widely accessible free radio station that would feature local music and politically aware conversation. "The whole idea is to be authentically edgy and socially conscious," DeShawn said. DeShawn's own program, The Anna DeShawn show, focuses on issues relevant to queer people of color.
The station was founded just over a year ago, and so far, it's working. E3 is growing rapidly, attracting thousands of listeners from all over the country. DeShawn hopes the result will be a successful, independent media company. She's just getting started, she said. "The Internet is so freaking powerful. We haven't even tapped into all we can do."
Photos by Kate Sosin