In a recent episode of the Vision Cast podcast, the team sat down for an in-depth interview with David Dunphy, a veteran of the internet radio scene who has recently launched an exciting new station called 2020 The Beacon. Over the course of the hour-long discussion, Dunphy shared his inspiration for starting The Beacon, his ambitious vision for its future, and what makes this station stand out in the crowded internet radio landscape.
Building The Beacon
Dunphy explained that The Beacon has been a passion project long in the making. Drawing on over two decades of experience in internet radio dating back to 1999, he wanted to create a station truly in his own image. "The beacon was just an inspiration. One day, I was just kind of thinking about a way to find radio - I would find a way that I could still do my stuff without all the extra stuff, just to have fun with it," he said. "I wanted to build it in my own image of what I thought radio should be."
Putting this vision into action meant building The Beacon from the ground up, largely on his own. Dunphy taught himself to set up a virtual Windows desktop remotely without the aid of a screen reader to get the station's infrastructure in place. While a challenging process, it allowed him to craft every aspect of The Beacon to his specifications.
"No one knew I was doing it until the month before I was ready to put it on the air," Dunphy revealed. "Mostly because I wanted to build it in my own image of what I thought made radio worth being on. I kind of wanted to build, make it based on my experience and based on what I thought made radio, you know, worth being on."
Growth and Goals
Since officially launching in April 2023, The Beacon has steadily grown its content offerings and listener base, although Dunphy readily admits there is still much work to be done to get the station to where he ultimately envisions it.
"The Beacon is still very young. It's very small. There's still a lot of work to be done to build it up to where it's really needs to be," he acknowledged. "But the response has been positive. There's been a lot of encouragement, a lot of support."
As the station's sole full-time staffer at the moment, Dunphy faces the challenges of keeping the website updated, maintaining the broadcast infrastructure, and developing new programming - all while working a separate 40-hour per week job. But he remains motivated by his ultimate goals for The Beacon.
"I have this big bucket list of things that need to happen and I want to happen," Dunphy said enthusiastically. This includes launching a new DJ application system, holding station town halls to get to know potential collaborators, and much more.
"I love it. I'm really excited and I hope that I can find people that will appreciate the beacon and what it's going to be about - being a source of light and entertainment for people all across the world."
Rays of Light
While most of the station's content is currently produced by Dunphy himself, The Beacon will soon feature a variety of talent, which he has colorfully categorized. The core staff that "does their thing on The Beacon" are known as "Beaconeers," while those who bring in outside content are called "Rays of Light."
"A person who brings a show from another network, whether it's a live show like [name redacted] is doing, or a podcast like you guys, because you're coming from other places but still giving of your talent to us in a way - we call you Rays of Light," Dunphy explained to the Vision Cast hosts. "I branded the whole concept of it - the Beaconeers, Rays of Light. I didn't want us just to be DJ's - radio bro, everybody uses that. I kind of wanted it to have its own brand."
Ambitious Plans
Looking ahead, Dunphy has no shortage of ambitious plans and ideas to make The Beacon a premier destination for quality radio content and community involvement. One major upcoming initiative is the Broadcasters Ball.
"Eventually what I would like to do at the Beacon is something called the Broadcasters Ball, which essentially would mean that we would invite other radio stations to bring a representative on and allow them to do, like, a segment of a show that they do on the other station," Dunphy revealed. "It's a way for DJs to promote each other. People with radio ability can come and showcase their talents and can all get to meet each other."
While still in the early planning stages, Dunphy envisions the Broadcasters Ball as a major event. "I'm going to be inviting a lot of different radio stations to come to that. So it'll be fun to see who actually takes interest. But that will be coming probably in [20]25," he projected. "Look out for that. There's a little sneak peek that you only are hearing about on this interview, guys!"
Additional goals include launching an Alexa skill (which is already available in beta), developing Android and iOS apps, expanding the station's online radio directory presence, holding listener contests and giveaways, and much more. Dunphy also hopes to make The Beacon a platform for uplifting the community.
"Our slogan is going to be 'Shining a Light on You.' Because we do want to point, we not only just want to be a source of light and make through music and through content - we're going to be doing some Zoom events, some cooking classes, various things. But we also want people to be heard and have a chance. I'm really excited about the opportunities that we're going to be presenting people."
Challenges and the Future of Radio
Of course, even the most ambitious plans face challenges, especially in the rapidly evolving media landscape. Dunphy shared his perspective on the state of internet radio and pushing back against those who claim the medium is on its way out.
"People say internet radio is dead. I was actually told don't do a station - radio is dead. I don't believe that," Dunphy stated emphatically. "There's a whole bunch of stations run by sighted people doing radio."
He did acknowledge that while internet radio may not be as popular as it once was, it still has a passionate audience and plenty of untapped potential, especially when it comes to community-building.
"It may not be as popular, I will concede that," Dunphy allowed. "But I don't think it's dead."
Get Involved
For those interested in being a part of The Beacon's journey, Dunphy encouraged listeners to connect with the station through its website at 2020thebeacon.com, where you can find more information, listen to the live stream, and sign up for the mailing list. You can also follow The Beacon on Twitter at @2020thebeacon.
Dunphy also welcomes direct inquiries from potential collaborators. "I'd love to have your ability and talent. I'd love to be able to work with you to make you better, to make us better. So please come join The Beacon," he appealed. "It's a station very much in my image because I came up with the whole thing. If that gives you any idea, I didn't even share it with my significant other at the time until it was ready. It's very much from the heart."
Those interested in partnering with The Beacon or applying to be a Beaconeer can email Dunphy directly at
Conclusion
With a clear vision, decades of experience, and an unshakable passion for the medium, David Dunphy has burst back onto the internet radio scene in a major way with 2020 The Beacon. Through this new venture, he aims to not only entertain, but to uplift, amplify fresh voices, and forge a real sense of community over the virtual airwaves.
While there are challenges ahead and much work still to be done, Dunphy remains optimistic about the station's future and the potential of internet radio as a whole. With a growing team of talented Beaconeers and Rays of Light, an ambitious slate of programming and events on the horizon, and the guiding vision of its founder, 2020 The Beacon is undoubtedly a station on the rise and one to watch in the months and years to come.
To experience The Beacon for yourself, tune in at 2020thebeacon.com or just say "Alexa, shine a light on 2020 The Beacon." The future looks bright indeed.
You can listen to the full interview on StoryCraze Network YouTube channel.