Polaris (radio)
| City | Tavis, Aðuna |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area |  Gylias |
| Slogan | "Here I am. — So glad you are. — We are Polaris." |
| First air date | 1990 |
| Format | |
| Language(s) | |
| Owner | Polaris Co-Op |
| Website | http://www.polaris.gls/ |
Polaris is a Gylian satellite radio station. Established in 1990 by Catherine Baudelaire, it is Gylias' first satellite radio station. It is known for its distinctive concept and eclectic broadcasting.
Concept
Catherine Baudelaire founded Polaris in 1990, at a time when the first Gylian broadcast satellite was launched through Common Sphere-wide space program collaboration, and GNBS' federal broadcasting monopoly was ending. She devised a concept that would involve cyclical, themed broadcasting.
The motto "Here I am. — So glad you are. — We are Polaris." was borrowed from Kurt Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan.
Polaris' broadcasting is based on the motif of a 24-hour tide table. The beginnings and endings of programs are not clearly marked. Instead, songs of one genre gradually intersperse with those of the prior genre until they become dominant.
The station makes great use of biomusic, using high-quality digital recordings of nature sounds, particularly of the ocean. Music broadcast includes ambient music, electronic music, space music, psychedelia, jazz fusion, and genres with a similarly experimental and atmospheric orientation.
Original programming includes experimental broadcasts of poetry and spoken word narration, read by notable Gylian poets and actors, accompanied by original music or biomusic recordings.
Organisation
Polaris is a cooperative owned and run by its workers, legally constituted as an SC. It has a 5-member Management Board and a 10-member Supervisory Board, elected yearly.
The station broadcasts no commercials, and instead relies on a digital audio broadcasting subscription service and donations. Notable Gylians who have invested in the station include Molly Hawkins, Agathe Sanna, Kanna Miyashita, Marie-Agnès Delaunay, Asuka, Kaede Nakano, and Saira Telyn.
Reception
Polaris has garnered critical acclaim since its launch for its innovative concept, unique vision, and experimental broadcasting. It has gained an enduring cult following in Gylias and abroad.
Several fan publications exist which publish details of the music and broadcasts, including Pole Star Journal and αUMi Sounds.
The station's popularity has allowed it to fund trips by biomusic recorders to travel abroad and record in exotic locations throughout Tyran. It has released many of these natural sounds recordings on CD and through Proton.