One nation under radio: digital and public memory after September 11

Abstract

National Public Radio’s Sonic Memorial project leveraged the opportunities of digital multimedia convergence to create a national aural memorial of the September 11 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Not only did the ubiquity of digital technology empower listeners to act as producers in submitting texts to the Memorial, but it also allowed the Sonic Memorial to bridge radio and new media environments through the creation of a lasting memorial website at www.sonicmemorial.com. While unique in its focus on participatory vernacular aural remembrance, the Sonic Memorial nevertheless shares many attributes of traditional national memorials in its focus on making sense of national tragedy. Despite its uniqueness, the Sonic Memorial privileges certain stories, leaving others unvoiced in its montage of remembrance.