Socially Active: Tiny Radio Launches Tiny TV YouTube Channel

For the past 8 years Friday Harbor Tiny Radio has hosted high school sports on 1650 AM and on FHTinyRadio.com. FH Tiny Radio will now stream live football, basketball, soccer, softball, and baseball games for the 2019-20 season. With little fanfare it started with last Friday’s home opener for the football team.  

“Surprisingly we had over 350 viewers,” says Tiny Radio/TV creator, Ken Norris.  Originally, the radio station grew out of necessity, he says. “For most schools a league game is a 20-minute drive.”  But he says that for islanders to attend a single game it can be an all day event which includes missing a day of work and often getting home in the wee hours of the morning. 

Check out Saturday’s 2:00 PM game as Friday Harbor HS football took on Bellevue Christian:

• Listen: www.FHTinyRadio.com
• Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCabxVyMn2nr-rGBvJlG7l_Q

The addition of Tiny TV doesn’t mean an end to Tiny Radio. Many listeners expressed that they love to listen to games at work, while driving, or going about their day so the two entities will simulcast for away games on FHTinyRadio.com and YouTube.  However, home games will only be accessible though Tiny TV.

For the football season Bryan Jackson will do the play-by-play and he will be joined by John Volk providing the color commentary.  For basketball season Kaila Olin will return for her 3rd season and 2nd as play-by-play with Jackson providing color commentary. 

Ken Norris, the founder of Tiny Radio says, “since day one, the community has been immensely supportive of our efforts.”  But he said that it’s not just our listeners. “Most of our sponsors have been with it since the inception,” Norris says.  

Tiny Radio/TV’s Executive Producer, Mike Martin, says that the company endeavors to keep reinvesting in the community.  He says that the new streaming system wasn’t cheap, “but we’ve been frugal with the funds. This system has the capability of handling up to eight cameras.”  He says that for football they will utilize four cameras whenever possible.  

For away games Tiny TV will also have live statistics. Friday Harbor resident, Cherie Joyce developed a Google spreadsheet that can transmit live statistics to the announcers.  Joyce will listen or watch the games from Friday Harbor and track player’s stats.  

Martin says that, “through the automatic updates of the live Google document, Jackson and Volk can give viewers and listeners up-to-date information on individual players and the team throughout the games.”

Norris’ vision is to have an island media group that can utilize the talents on the island.  Especially with it being a national, regional, and local election year, viewers will have many more reasons to turn to Tiny TV. 

He says that in the coming year there will be opportunities to host live non-sporting events like candidate forums and public meetings.  “Through our channel on YouTube we have the ability to distribute content from the island’s content producers.”  

“We are continually developing our brand and expanding our forward-facing products,” says Norris.  With locally-produced material at times, it will have the old public access channel feel, as well. Although Tiny TV is partnered with Mike Martin’s Howlin’ Husky Productions for much of the channel’s content, Norris is opening his audience to other’s projects, as well. 

Martin encourages viewers to login to YouTube through a Google account, if possible.  “By subscribing, viewers will get content updates and schedules,” he says. “Plus, once we hit 100 subscribers we will have a permanent YouTube channel.”

You can support the San Juan Update by doing business with our loyal advertisers, and by making a one-time contribution or a recurring donation.