In addition to books, which I believe are essential for becoming informed, the role of non-corporate-controlled radio ought to be emphasized. Beginning with the Spring '95 course syllabus, when I was at Oglala Lakota College, I included information about Alternative Radio.

      A course handout titled ``Alternative sources of information,'' lists: Alternative Radio, a pioneering effort to breach the near-monoply corporate control of the major radio outlets. David Barsamian has, since 1986, been assembling a unique collection of recorded lectures by, and interviews with outstanding analysts, indiviuals usually shunned by mainstream media sources. These one-hour tapes were originally broadcast over many public radio stations, and are available on cassettes. He produces a weekly program.

      For information contact
David Barsamian
Alternative Radio
2129 Mapleton Ave
Boulder, CO 80304
    Tel: 303/444-8788; or 800/444/1977
    Website: http://www.freespeech.org/alternativeradio
    e-mail: ar@orci.com

      I've heard several of the tapes. They're excellent. Barsamian's programs are available free to non-commercial radio stations. Each tape is $12, eight or more $9 each, postage included.

      In his introduction to the 1994 Catalogue, Barsamian writes: ``Alternative Radio is a weekly one-hour public affairs program that provides information, analyses, views and perspectives that are ignored or distorted in corporate controlled media." The following ones are available at the Reserve Desk,University of Massachusetts at Boston, where they may be listened to or checked out for listening elsewhere:
      Abu-Jamal, Mumia, From Death Row - interview by Allen Hougland
      Agee, Philip, The CIA and Cuba - 3/9/94
      Albert, Michael, Toward a New Economic Model - 1/21/95
      Alperovitz, Gar, Hiroshima: New Facts and Old Myths - 11/7/94
      Berlet, Chip, Oklahoma, Militias and Conspiracy Theories - 5/10/95
      Berlet, Chip, The Rise of the Religious Right - 9/28/94
      Bernard, Elaine, NAFTA: A Critical Reassessment - 4/8/95
      Blades, Ruben, A Latino Response to Cultural Cleansing - 9/28/95
      Brecher, Jeremy, Globalization: The Race to the Bottom - 4/9/95
      Chomsky, Noam, Class War: The Attack on Working People - 5/9/95
      Chomsky, Noam, Manufacturing Consent: Media and Propaganda - 1/22/93
      Chomsky, Noam, The Peace Process in the Middle East (2 tapes) - 11/12/94
      Chomsky, Noam, Robbing People Blind: U. S. Economic Policy (2 tapes) - 11/3/95
      Churchill, Ward, Fascism, the FBI and Native Americans: History
            and Current Perspectives - 9/6/95
      Cohen, Jeff, Media Monopolies: Corporate Merger Mania - 9/8/95
      Collins, Chuck, Ending Corporate Welfare - 2/7/96
      Davis, Angela, Report from Harlem - 9/9/94
      Diamond, Sara, The Poliitics of the Christian Right - 2/28/94
      Dyson, Michael Eric, Malcolm X and the Politics of Race - 2/2/95
      Ehrenreich, Barbara, A Progressive Vision for Social Change - 9/22/95
      Farmer, Paul, Haiti: U. S. Intervention and the Struggle for Democracy - 11/2/94
      Guinier, Lani, Race: Creating a National Conversation - 3/7/95
      Harbury, Jennifer, Guatemala: Bridge of Courage - 1/29/94
      Kaku, Michio, The Legacy of Nuclear Weapons - 4/4/95
      Knoll, Erwin, The First Amendment Under Attack - 4/2/94
      LaDuke, Winona, An Indigenous View of North America - 11/13/95
      Lifton, Robert J., Turkish Denial of the Armenian Genocide - 1/29/96
      Malveaux, Juliane, Economic Justice: The Legacy of Martin
            Luther King, Jr - 1/18/94
      Marable, Manning, Beyond Black and White: Rethinking Race - 10/26/95
      Mazrui, Ali, Africa: Myths and Realities - 3/11/94
      McChesney, Robert, The Corporate Takeover of Broadcasting - 4/7/94
      Nader, Ralph, Corporate Power: Profits Before People (2 tapes) - 9/1/94
      Nader, Ralph, Washington Rules (2 tapes) - 12/8/95
      Nairn, Allan, East Timor: A Case of Genocide - 4/1/94
      Parenti, Michael, The Control of History - 5/11/94
      Parenti, Michael, Costs of Empire - 9/28/95
      Piven, Frances Fox, The Politics of Family Values - 1/22/96
      Piven, Frances Fox, Welfare: Myths and Facts - 4/8/95
      Said, Edward, Shrinking Horizon of Hope: Mideast Peace Process
            (2 tapes) - 4/20/95
      Schiller, Bernie, Corporate Control of Information - 11/12/93
      Scott, Peter Dale, The Politics of Global Drug Trafficking - 4/4/95
      Simpson, Christopher, Science of Coercion: Psychological Warfare - 4/14/94
      Sklar, Holly, Scapegoating the Poor - 10/29/94
      Trask, Haunani-Kay, Struggle for Indigenous Rights: From Chiapas to
            Hawaii - 5/4/95
      Vaid, Urvashi, Virtual Equality: The Gay and Lesbian Movement - 10/25/95
      West, Cornell, The Radical Democratic Tradition - 10/27/95

      Barsamian also wrote, "It would be very helpful if you would let the program director of your station know that you support Alternative Radio. If your station does not broadcast Alternative Radio then encourage it to do so. It is important that stations hear from you directly.''