Thursday, March 7, 2019

THE SUCCESS OF “THE DAILY” PROMPTS HEAVY INVESTMENT IN NEW AUDIO PROGRAMMING • BRITTANY LIND & “THE CURRENT” MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER IN DULUTH


We’ve said it before and now we will say it again: The formula for audio success is PODCASTS + RADIO. 

The combination of The New York Times podcast The Daily and American Public Media’s (APM) distribution of the show to public radio stations is an unprecedented success. Now The Times wants more of the same.

The Daily began as a podcast in 2017. 

Since The Daily began distribution by APR in 2018, The Times reports the number of downloards have doubled.  

 APM reports that over 150 public radio stations now air The Daily each weekday.

According to a post Tuesday (3/5) on the Nieman Journalism Lab’s blog [link] The Times is getting ready for the next phase of narrative audio projects. The Times’ audio team has announced a slew of new hires that signals deeper investment in The Daily and a ramp up of new audio projects.

Following the promotion of Theo Balcomb to executive producer of The Daily, The Times has added several remarkable journalists to the audio team:

Lisa Chow

Lisa Chow is now a senior editor for The Daily. She spent the past four years with Gimlet where she hosted The StartUp podcast. 

Before that Chow was a correspondent for Planet Money, an economics reporter for WNYC, covered the 2008 Summer Olympics for Marketplace and an assistant editor for NPR’s Morning Edition.




Marc Georges

Marc Georges is now a story editor for The Daily. He previously was the producer of First Day Back, a documentary podcast series for Stitcher. 

Prior to that, Georges worked as a senior producer at the Scripps Washington Bureau. 

He also spent several years reporting for BBC World Service. 

According to his bio, his specialty is being a new show developer.




Adizah Eghan

Adizah Eghan is now a news producer on The Daily

She previously was a producer for the public radio program Snap Judgment. 

Eghan began her career as an intern at KQED. 

She is currently a candidate for a position on the AIR board of directors.

Kelly Prime is now working as a facilitator for new narrative audio projects. She previously worked at WNYC Studios on Radiolab.


KEN SAYS:  Here is the takeaway – all of these people have worked in radio. They bring “public radio sensibility” to The Daily and new audio projects. This is important because podcasts bring depth and spice and public radio brings large audience reach.

PODCASTS + RADIO works because it combines the best of both platforms.

THE CURRENT HIRES SCENE-MAKER BRITTANY LIND TO HOST THE DULUTH LOCAL SHOW

Brittany Lind
If great music is happening anywhere in the Duluth area, Brittany Lind has the information. 

Lind is a determined arts and music promoter who stages and consults community events, music shows, club appearances and local brew pubs. 

Lind will also Lind will oversee audience engagement efforts and for The Current in Duluth/Superior, Ely, Grand Marais, Hibbing and Hinckley.

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) has invested heavily in the Duluth market in the past few years. MPR has full-power repeaters there for its News, Classical and AAA program channels. In the summer of 2017, MPR purchased the license for KZIO 104.3 FM and it is now the primary frequency for The Current.

Duluth is important to the DNA of Minnesota. In addition to being the only international seaport in the Midwest, it is a hipster town with a vibrant local music scene.  Thousands of people journey to Duluth during the “warm season” – roughly May through September – when it comes alive with street fairs, festivals and other celebrations.

You also might say Lind and The Current are a great match. She is the founder and executive director of Ellipsis [link] a community organization that uses social media to promote local arts and culture.

Lind is also the co-producer of FeMN Fest, a music festival featuring exclusively female and gender-defying non-binary artists. Plus, she works for the Duluth-Superior Film Festival.

The Duluth Local Show [link] is heard on The Current in Duluth every Sunday at 8pm. It is made possible, in part, by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Lind began hosting the show this past Sunday (3/5).
 
Jim McGuinn, PD of The Current, said in a press release that Lind is the perfect person for the gig:

“Whenever the Twin Cities’ staff of The Current has come to Duluth for an event or musical celebration, we’ve been impressed with the passion and enthusiasm for the music scene that Brittany has shown. Her work in the local community to lift up the profile of local artists.”

“We can’t wait to hear what she discovers and shares with our listeners in Duluth and beyond.”



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