“THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT” AT KX 93.5 RADIO CAMP • ALICIA ZUCKERMAN IS THE NEW PRNDI PREZ • VERMONT MAY BE CALLING YOU

Last week we dealt with someone of worst aspects of noncommercial radio.  Today we will look at perhaps the most inspiring new noncom station in the nation: KX 93.5, Laguna Beach, California [link].

We featured KXRN-LP in April [link] when the station qualified for a Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) Community Service Grant. Only handful of LPFM stations are receiving this vote of confidence. From what we’ve seen, CPB picked a shop that exemplifies the best of public media.

Now KX 93.5 continues to pay it forward with the station’s second annual Radio Camp for students between the ages of 11 and 18. This years Radio Camp will be held July 9^th through August 3^rd. It is sponsored by Cox Communications, a major player in cable in Orange County.

2017 Radio Camp Graduates

Participating students will learn to host, edit, produce, and execute a live radio show. 

Each camper will leave with a flash drive of their on-air productions and the knowledge of how to create their own show or podcast from home with professional skills. 

Tyler Russell, the founder and manager of KX 93.5, will provide the hands-on training, Cox staffers and radio pros from nearby Los Angeles will also participate.

In a press release, Russell talked about the purpose of the Radio Camp:

“Radio has to stay important, and it’s up to our kids that it does. In addition to giving students something fun and engaging to do this summer, our goal is to inspire the next generation of radio journalists.”

More information about the KX 93.5 Radio Camp is available here.

One of the things we like about Tyler Russell is that he focuses on big goals. 

On the left is a screen shot from the KX 93.5 website [link] explaining the mission of the station. 

Russell is showing what can be done with 100-watts of power and a real sense of purpose.

ALICIA ZUCKERMAN IS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE PRNDI BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Alicia Zuckerman

On June 11^th we reported [link] that Terry Gildea is the first Executive Director of the Public Radio News Directors, Incorporated (PRNDI). 

Gildea, who was then serving as President of the Board, resigned to take the new full-time gig.

At PRNDI’s annual meeting last month in Philadelphia, Alicia Zuckerman from WLRN, Miami was chosen to be the new President. 

Also, PRNDI added Julie Glenn from WGCU in Fort Myers, Bill Dorman from Hawaii Public Radio and George Bodarky from WFUV to the Board.

GREAT JOB, WONDERFUL PLACE, BEST PEOPLE IN BIZ & YOU?

We saw a post by John Van Hoesen, Senior VP & Chief Content Officer at Vermont Public Radio (VPR) with news of a job opening at VPR that might be an opportunity for someone reading this blog post.

VPR has opened a search for a Director of Programming & Production. The person in this job will supervise day-to-day programming on VPR’s News Network, plan the program schedule, help develop new programming, interpret audience metrics and craft programming for pledge drives.

On statement in the job description got our intention. It says: Vermont Public Radio is an awarding-winning organization on the leading edge of public media programming.

If another station used this promotional verbiage, it might appear to be hype.  But, it is a right-as-rain description of VPR.  More information and application requirements are here.