Sean O’Mealy |
Less than two years
ago the future of WNKU looked so bright folks Cincinnati broke out the shades. WNKU, licensed to Northern Kentucky
University (NKU), hired Sean O’Mealy, a proven commercial radio programmer, to
manage WNKU. O’Mealy arrived and focused
the station’s sound around the “music discovery” approach that is doing so well
in Dallas (KXT), Minneapolis (89.3 The
Current) and Denver (105.5 The
Colorado Sound). Then the roof fell
in.
WNKU experienced a
perfect storm of problems: debt incurred by previous management, budget cuts to
higher education and the lack of desire by NKU to be in the mass communication
business. Then WNKU was put up for sale earlier this year, O’Mealy and others at
WNKU became lame ducks heading towards an uncertain future. It is tough to be
at any business while it is for sale. It is especially difficult when you are
in the public eye.
Last week O’Mealy
decided to put some certainty back in his life by leaving WNKU to join a small
but progressive commercial station group in “Happy Valley” Pennsylvania. Who
can blame him?
O'Mealy’s term as
WNKU’s GM will end on October 7th. He told local media:
"With the future of WNKU
up in the air I couldn’t not pass up an opportunity to join a stable and growing
media company back home."
PUBLIC MEDIA NEEDS EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS LIKE SEAN
O’MEALY
The success of
folks from commercial media in noncom has been mixed. Some just don’t get
listener-supported public media. Others, like O’Mealy, understand noncom’s
mission, sensibility and one-to-one relationship with listeners.
I left commercial
radio for public broadcasting over two decades ago because I wanted to work in
an environment where public service, mission and authenticity matter. Let’s
hope the wheel of life brings O’Mealy back to public media.
BTW – WNKU is still
for sale. So far SAVE WNKU efforts have failed to gain significant traction.
_______________
NICE JOB OPEN IN INDIANA
WBAA AM/FM, based
at Purdue University in West Lafayette, is looking for a Corporate Support
Representative. WBAA has been building a reputation as an up-and-coming shop in
recent years. They are making an investment in the future by bringing in
bright new folks.
GM Mike Savage and Content
Director Greg Kostraba have been upgrading WBAA’s programming and building relationships
with businesses, foundations and WFYI in Indianapolis. Though the job is
essentially a “sales” position, the new Corporate Support Representative will
be a 100% salaried position.
The WBAA job looks
like a good opportunity for someone who is looking to make a career in public
media in a place where staff are recognized, nurtured and appreciated. The
balance between work and life is important at WBAA. According to Forbes Magazine
[link] Lafayette is the second best small city in the nation for starting new
businesses and advancing careers.
To learn more about
this opportunity go to [link].
______________
MARK HANDLEY, FORMER HEAD OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
PUBLIC RADIO, DIES AT 74
Mark & Judy Handley |
One of public
media’s most admired leaders, Mark Handley, passed away on September 11th
after a five-year battle with cancer. Handley made many contributions to public
media but he is best known for taking New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) from
being a sleepy mom-and-pop operation to become a statewide news network.
Handley retired
from NHPR in 2005 to embarked with his wife on a trip around the world on the Windbird, their sailboat.
Betsy Gardella, current
president and CEO of NHPR, told the New
Hampshire Sunday News [link] that Handley “…was an ethical, kind, very,
very thoughtful man who was extraordinary at building relationships."
Handley served as chairman of the NPR board. He loved public radio news because "it's better if more people can share in the same common base of knowledge.”
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