By James B Schlessinger Jr.
July 12th, 2009
Launched on December 26, 2006 and based out of Keene, New Hampshire, Free Keene has become more than just a website. Originally a blog and Youtube channel with a handful of features, Free Keene has become a haven for liberty activists. Fast becoming a media hub, Free Keene has tendrils in radio, TV and newspaper while still seeing steady growth in the digital sector with the addition of a forum in mid 2008. Activists like Sam Dodson, Ian Freeman and Andrew Carroll have created a beacon drawing more and more liberty lovers to the Elm city.
“Free Keene is the source for news, opinion, and activism in the Keene area,” says Ian Freeman, blog creator and owner. “It’s a multi-user blog with lots of features that will appeal to different interests. One of the major goals of Free Keene besides documenting the peaceful evolution to a voluntary society is also to foment that change by helping educate and activate people. To that end we also focus on recruiting people to move here via our 111+ Reasons to Move, our advertising, and constant branding.”
Ian is also the owner and host of Free Talk Live, a nationally syndicated radio talk show based out of Keene that focuses on liberty while allowing people to call in and talk about whatever interests them.
Free Minds TV, a liberty-oriented sister show co-hosted by Free Keene blogger Toby Iselin, can be seen on local cable access channels all across New England.
Recently Free Keene has seen the addition of a locally produced newspaper, The Free Keene Press, available monthly in newsprint for free in Keene and the surrounding areas. The paper also reports on various activities and events directly to the blog between print cycles.
One of the newest features at Free Keene is the use of live streaming video. This video is captured via cell phone or similar personal communication device and is broadcast live to the internet bypassing the editing and uploading process associated with normal internet video submissions.
Free Keene plays host to a bi-annual festival located in the Keene area. The Free Keene Festival, usually held at Railroad square in Keene, features a wide range of liberty themes. There is talk of expanding the Festival into a weekend camping foray but details are still in the works.
While all of these media sources and events take part in the Free Keene website, it is important to note that they do so without any central instruction or coordination. Each facet is led by different individuals and yet mesh together to form a rich tapestry of liberty outreach.
When asked about the future of Free Keene Ian Freeman responded, “The future holds a voluntary society. Free Keene will continue to be the aggregate of its content creators. It will continue to point to peaceful solutions and encourage deliberate evolution. Free Keene will be a beacon to those who seek freedom around the world and serve as a historic multimedia documentation of how we got to where we are so others may follow our lead.”
