I’ve been listening to Radio Open Source (donate here) consistently for about two months now. I always tried to listen to the show, since I fell in love with its format for a year and a half, but getting an mp3 player made the difference for me.

What I like about it is that they have, and use, a blog. They solicit audience input through the blog, asking “what should we ask?” and “Who should we ask,” and every month they have a thread on “What shows should we have.” In one week they used my suggestions to have on Kari Chisolm (Montana Senate show), Daniel Kemmis (Experiments in Democracy), and Noah Feldman (Somalia). My efforts earned me a t-shirt (score!).

Anyway, since I’ve started listening to the show and getting used to contribute on the blog, I’ve been wondering why other radio shows don’t pick up this format. Allowing listeners (the people formerly know as the audience) to conversate about whatever topic seems like a good thing.

So, in addition to the email I’m going to send to KUOW’s Weekday about Monday’s topic on Civic Engagement, I’m going to suggest they launch a blog, hire a blogger and follow the Open Source way. Washington is a bloggy state, we had more suggestions to Since Sliced Bread than any other state, per resident. We have a vibrant blogging community, we have political reporters who blog. We also have a major newspaper editorial board that lets you have a conversation on the next day’s editorials.

We should have more open source media.