How a Black-Owned Digital Boston Radio Station Launched, Survived, and Thrived during Lockdown

The timing couldn't have been worse, but Spark FM found its audience.

When Danielle Johnson signed onto Zoom for an interview late one recent night, the online DJ was still excited, and just a bit stressed—she’d come from moderating the Q&A portion of a “Women for Wu” fundraiser for city councilor Michelle Wu’s mayoral campaign. Although Johnson has no fear of public speaking thanks to her day job running the all-digital radio station Spark FM, playing a key role for one of the city’s leading mayoral candidates was an unexpected opportunity.