{"id":54039,"date":"2022-09-08T09:35:04","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T13:35:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=54039"},"modified":"2022-09-08T09:35:04","modified_gmt":"2022-09-08T13:35:04","slug":"the-texas-tank-a-prison-radio-station-changing-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/the-texas-tank-a-prison-radio-station-changing-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"“The Texas Tank: A Prison Radio Station Changing Lives”"},"content":{"rendered":"

SWLing Post<\/em> friend and contributor, David Goren, notes that a piece he’s produced and Maria Margaronis has presented is now available to listen to online via BBC Radio 4:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

(Source: BBC Radio 4 with Photo credit from Michael Starghill))<\/p><\/div>\n

The Allan B. Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas, used to be known as the Terror Dome for its high rates of inmate violence, murder and suicide. Polunsky houses all the men condemned to death in Texas (currently 185) and nearly 3,000 maximum security prisoners. But since the pandemic, a prison radio station almost entirely run by the men themselves has helped to create community–even for those on death row, who spend 23 hours a day locked alone in their cells.<\/p>\n

The Tank beams all kinds of programmes across the prison complex: conversations both gruff and tender; music from R&B to metal; the soundtracks of old movies; inspirational messages from all faiths and none. The station\u2019s steady signal has saved some men from suicide and many from loneliness; it lets family members and inmates dedicate songs to each other and make special shows for those on their way to execution. Maria Margaronis tunes in to The Tank and meets some of the men who say it’s changed their lives\u2014even when those lives have just weeks left to run.<\/p>\n

Produced by David Goren.<\/p>\n

Click here to listen to The Texas Tank: A Prison Radio Station Changing Lives<\/em> on Radio 4.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SWLing Post friend and contributor, David Goren, notes that a piece he’s produced and Maria Margaronis has presented is now available to listen to online via BBC Radio 4:\u00a0 The Allan B. Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas, used to be known as the Terror Dome for its high rates of inmate violence, murder and suicide. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3781,3],"tags":[1347,174,9930,9953],"class_list":["post-54039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fm","category-news","tag-bbc-radio-4","tag-david-goren","tag-prison-radio","tag-the-texas-tank"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-e3B","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36919,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/04\/radio-doc-new-york-citys-pirates-of-the-air\/","url_meta":{"origin":54039,"position":0},"title":"Radio Doc: New York City\u2019s pirates of the air","author":"Thomas","date":"April 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"SWLing Post friend, David Goren (the same fellow behind Shortwaveology and the Brooklyn Pirate Radio Sound Map) has just produced and presented a BBC World Service documentary about the pirate radio scene in NYC. Spoiler alert: it's amazing--! Below, I've included the description and audio links\u00a0from the BBC World Service:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "FM"","block_context":{"text":"FM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/fm\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/NYC-Piate-Radio-BBC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/NYC-Piate-Radio-BBC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/NYC-Piate-Radio-BBC.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47600,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/02\/can-you-help-david-locate-bolivian-mining-radio-station-recordings\/","url_meta":{"origin":54039,"position":1},"title":"Can you help David locate Bolivian Mining Radio Station recordings?","author":"Thomas","date":"February 3, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"My buddy, David Goren, could use your help. David writes: I\u2019m looking for recordings of the Bolivian Mining Radio Stations from any era for a radio documentary I\u2019m making for the BBC. Many used to be on Shortwave\u2026Radio Nacional de Huanuni, La Voz Del Minero, Radio 21 De Diciembre, Radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Pink-Vintage-Dial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Pink-Vintage-Dial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Pink-Vintage-Dial.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Pink-Vintage-Dial.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51835,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/02\/bbc-ws-documentary-world-wide-waves-22-the-sounds-of-community-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":54039,"position":2},"title":"BBC World Service Documentary: “World Wide Waves ’22: The sounds of community radio”","author":"Thomas","date":"February 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kris Partridge, who shares the following: Just heard a trail for this BBC World Service Radio programme to be broadcast at 12h00 UTC this coming Saturday, 12 February 2022. Here is the background of the programme: For World Radio Day 2022, we tune in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "FM"","block_context":{"text":"FM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/fm\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/World-Radio-Day-WRD-2020.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/World-Radio-Day-WRD-2020.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/World-Radio-Day-WRD-2020.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/World-Radio-Day-WRD-2020.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62060,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/world-radio-day-2025-celebrating-nuxalk-radios-mission-to-revive-language-and-culture\/","url_meta":{"origin":54039,"position":3},"title":"World Radio Day 2025: Celebrating Nuxalk Radio\u2019s Mission to Revive Language and Culture","author":"Thomas","date":"February 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This World Radio Day, we celebrate the power of community radio with World Wide Waves \u201925: Whispers in the Air, a moving documentary presented by Maria Margaronis and produced by our friend David Goren. \u00a0 This BBC World Service feature highlights Nuxalk Radio, a small yet powerful station broadcasting from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Map-BC-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Map-BC-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Map-BC-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Map-BC-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Map-BC-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65315,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/02\/world-radio-day-kentuckys-real-people-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":54039,"position":4},"title":"World Radio Day: Kentucky\u2019s Real People Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"February 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A new documentary from the BBC, produced by SWLing Post friend and contributor David Goren and presented by Maria Margaronis, is now available to listen to online. Kentucky\u2019s Real People Radio, from The Documentary Podcast, visits WMMT in Whitesburg, Kentucky, a small community radio station known locally as \u201cPossum Radio,\u201d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "FM"","block_context":{"text":"FM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/fm\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WMMT-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WMMT-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WMMT-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WMMT-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WMMT-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55677,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/bbc-world-service-documentary-world-wide-waves-23-the-sounds-of-community-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":54039,"position":5},"title":"BBC World Service Documentary: \u201cWorld Wide Waves ’23: The sounds of community radio\u201d","author":"Thomas","date":"February 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"In celebration of the upcoming World Radio Day 2023, our friend David Goren has produced another amazing World Wide Waves episode with Maria Margaronis presenting. You can listen live, but the audio will also be linked to The Documentary website once it has aired: World Wide Waves '23: The sounds\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/BBC-World-Service-World-Wide-Waves.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/BBC-World-Service-World-Wide-Waves.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/BBC-World-Service-World-Wide-Waves.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54039\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}