NONCOM NEWS: OPPORTUNITY IN ATLANTA, PRPD BOARD ELECTIONS & THE TRUTH ABOUT NEWSPAPER READERSHIP

INTERESTING PRODUCING GIG OPEN AT GPB, ATLANTA

Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) is hiring a Producer/Technical Director for their signature daily talk show On Second Thought, hosted by former NPR host Celeste Headlee.

 

Celeste Headlee

GPB Radio is a statewide network with a major presence in metro Atlanta via WRAS.  As we reported on 1/14/16 [link] WRAS led the nation in NPR News audience growth over the past year. In Nielsen Audio PPM data for Fall 2015, compared with Fall 2014, WRAS scored a 40% increase in estimated weekly listeners.  This is even more impressive when you consider NPR News is WRAS on less than 18 hours per day. 

On Second Thought (OST - link) is GPB’s signature one-hour, daily news talk show, airing live at 9 a.m. weekdays. Frequent topics include politics, health care, education, music, literature and race. OST has focused segments called The Breakroom, The Gripe Bag, Georgia Playlist, On Set In Georgia, and Break It Down. 

GPB is particularly interested in hearing from folks who are equally comfortable diving deeply into the editorial and technical aspects of live radio. You see the job information here.

 

Sean Powers

Thanks to OST producer Sean Powers for posting this opening on the Public Radio Local Talk Producers Facebook page.

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NEWSPAPER READERSHIP RISING ON MOBILE DEVICES

According to a report in Media Life Magazine [link] a new study from Nielsen says the percentage of adults who read newspaper content on mobile devices has shot up from 13 percent in 2011 to 33 percent in 2015. The greatest share of newspapers readers still read print editions.

While the way people consume papers may be evolving, the makeup of that audience is not. Newspaper readers in general remain older, more highly educated and affluent.   

Here are three interesting charts from the Nielsen study:

CHART ONE shows newspaper readership by platform. Note that the “Web Exclusive” is only 5%.

CHART TWO shows the readership by platform since 2011.  Note the decline in “Print Exclusive” and “Print/Web” over time.

CHART THREE shows the demographic breakdown of folks that read printed newspapers. Note the Age 50+ index.

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PRPD BOARD SEEKS NEW CANDIDATES

Lynne Clendenin, Chair of the Public Radio Program Directors (PRPD) Nominating and Governance Committee, has notified PRPD members that the organization is now considering new Board candidates. PRPD members will vote on the Board seats between March 21 and March 25, 2016.

Three positions are up for election this year. One seat is open due to term limits (Jackie Sauter, North Country Public Radio) and two appointed board members (Jon Hoban, KJZZ and Kerri Hoffman, PRX) are running to maintain their seats on the board. Candidates may apply directly to PRPD or a member may nominate another member. PRPD requires Board members to either be employees of a member station or organizations or an individual member.

Other folks on the PRPD Board in addition to Clendenin are Board Chair Tamar Charney, NPR One, Board Secretary Abby Goldstein, WYEP and PRPD President Jody Evans (ex-officio); and members Bill Lueth, KDFC, Michael Arnold, Wisconsin Public Radio, Bill Anderson, KCUR, Ben Adler, KXJZ and Matt Abramovitz, WQXR.

Act now if you are interested. Applications must be received by Thursday, March 11, 2016. More information is available here.

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REMEMBERING CHARLIE TUNA

Radio lost one of its best DJs ever last week. The amazing Charlie Tuna died at age 71. He is perhaps best known as one of the Boss Jocks at KHJ in Los Angeles, a station that changed radio’s presentation style in the 1960s. KHJ heavily influenced popular culture by breaking artists such as The Byrds, The Mamas & Papas and rocking Bob Dylan.

I’ve always felt a bond with Charlie Tuna.  Like me, he grew up in Flyover Country – I love to folks from the middle-of-nowhere reach number one. I listened to Charlie (aka Art Ferguson) when he was on KOMA from Oklahoma City.  Charlie rocked the plains and prairies before he moved to LA.

Here is a tribute to Charlie Tuna that was posted on YouTube:

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bIIt_0bvVc