The Mountain Area Information Network (MAIN) is a nonprofit Internet Service Provider (ISP) founded on a simple principle: give citizens the option of spending their Internet dollars to support local, independent media. Launched in 1996 to provide affordable dial-up Internet access in 14 western North Carolina counties, MAIN has evolved into an integrated community network combining dial-up access, broadband wireless, webhosting, a regional online portal, and a low-power FM radio station, WPVM-LP 103.5 FM, the Progressive Voice of the Mountains.
As a full-service ISP, MAIN provides free or reduced-cost web hosting services to businesses and non-profit organizations throughout our service area. As part of our mission to extend Internet access beyond the middle-class and wealthy, we also offer reduced-fee Internet access accounts to low-income households. MAIN’s mission statement reads: “MAIN is a nonprofit community network using integrated media technologies to expand the local public sphere and to support: participatory democracy, citizen access to media, independent journalism, local cultural and artistic expression, locally-owned businesses, social and economic justice, and environmental stewardship.”
MAIN is the driving force behind WPVM, western North Carolina’s low power FM radio station, broadcasting local news, information, and music programming in Asheville, and throughout the region (and the world) via online streaming and podcast. The station shares MAIN's goal of providing access to voices that are overlooked by the mainstream media. WPVM is on the air now at 103.5 FM.
Mountain Area Information Network has been committed over the last 10 years to provide affordable Internet services to underserved low income and rural communities. MAIN also provides affordable Internet to the clients of Western Alliance Center for Independent Living and was the first provider of dial-up Internet to rural areas in western North Carolina. Currently, MAIN is working to secure funding to expand our wireless service using mesh networking technology to make Asheville a Wi-Fi City.
Two CTC VISTA volunteers will support our existing projects and assist in developing new programs. This opportunity will provide the VISTA volunteers with valuable on-the-job training and community service experience within a dynamic organization involved in cutting-edge, community media technologies.
One CTC VISTA will support our ongoing outreach and community development efforts, with special emphasis on developing our wireless mesh network for the City of Asheville. The CTC VISTA will be part of the solution to the municipal wi-fi challenge. The volunteer will work on a number of projects including Wi-Fi City project development, grant writing and research, forming community partnerships, public outreach & education on media issues, and other fundraising campaigns. (Position 1 - Development and Outreach)
A second CTC VISTA will manage the launch of MAIN’s citizen journalism initiative. The CTC VISTA will recruit volunteers, coordinate training/workshops, serve on the editorial board, facilitate planning/generation of content, conduct outreach, and integrate distribution platforms for content (web, LPFM radio, and PATV). In association with the citizen journalism initiative, the VISTA will work closely with MAIN’s webmaster to begin incorporating Web 2.0 applications and community media tools such as blogs, forums, photo galleries, RSS feeds, surveys, etc. (Position 2 - Citizen Journalism Coordinator)