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Insights from NPR

By: Melissa Lackey | 03/17/2009

Welcome Tim Eby! Watch out St. Louis...our local national public radio station has some exciting things in store, not the least of which is the potential move to Grand Center in 2011. Thanks to the monthly Focus St. Louis Breakfast Club, we had an opportunity to chat with Tim, new director and general manager of KWMU, and hear first-hand his plans for the station. What an energizing conversation!

Tim comes to us from WOSU Public Media in Columbus, Ohio -- bringing more than 20 years' experience in public radio and a few new ideas to enhance our already beloved station.  Here's a brief sampling of the discussion:

Help create the regional agenda. Tim expressed concern over the state of journalism and the crisis facing the profession. He addressed the critical need for stronger local news coverage and the importance public radio plays in creating and furthering regional conversations. There were even hints of beefing up his news ed team (and more podcasts). I like where this is headed...

Partnerships and alliances. Every non-profit should be considering this, and KWMU is no exception. It's all about leveraging your strengths and exploring new ways to make an impact. In Grand Center, the possibilities are limitless including potential collaboration with KETC, serving as a curator for podcasts, etc. from the arts/cultural venues, and more. How exciting would it be for KWMU to not only embrace but champion the confluence of various media? A face for radio...not anymore!

Community engagement/reaching new audiences. I love that Tim proactively addressed the challenge of engaging with listeners "where they are vs. waiting for them to come to us." So true! Tim cited the recent Arbitron/Jacobs Media study that looked at how teens and young adults use and interact with technology and media. Some serious implications for radio when considering the next generation. Is radio destined to go the way of print? So, whether on air, in person through special events (such as the recent RadioActive event), or tapping into social media and other emerging technologies, KWMU is gearing up.

For more updates from Tim, follow him on Twitter: @timjeby.

Posted in Public Relations