“EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST” IN SERVING ON THE D/I COMMITTEE • FALL RATINGS FOR LEXINGTON, HONOLULU & MADISON

Mike Freedman, Manager of Communications

and Outreach for NPR Distribution

NPR is looking for a new member of the Distribution/Interconnection (“D/I”) Committee to replace Sally Kane, CEO of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB). 

Kane will be leaving the D/I because members can’t serve more than two three-year terms. Kane has served two terms.

The D/I Committee oversees public radio’s interconnection service  between program producers and public radio stations. 

There are eight people on the D/I Committee. Four are from NPR member-stations and are members of the NPR Board. 

The other four members come from outside of NPR and are not NPR Board.

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Members of the NPR Board who are on the D/I committee are: LaFontaine Oliver, GM of WMFE, Orlando (D/I Committee Chair); Jay Pearce, CEO & General Manager of WVIK in the Quad Cities; Joe O’Connor, President & General Manager of WFAE in Charlotte; and, Mike Savage, GM of WEKU, Lexington.

Non NPR Board members on the D/I Committee are: Josh Kubasta, Managing Director, Broadcast Production & Operations at Minnesota Public Radio; Loretta Rucker, Executive Director of the African-American Public Radio Consortium; Victoria St. John, Director of Operations at Vermont Public Radio; and, Sally Kane, who is leaving the Committee in November 2020.

The makeup of the D/I Committee is important because it oversees the work of the Public Radio Satellite Service (PRSS), Content Depot and establishes  rates and policies for NPR’s Distribution services. 

Members of the Committee who are not on the NPR Board play a crucial role in the Committee’s work representing producers and organizations outside of NPR.

The D/I Committee usually meets four times a year, concurrent with NPR Board meetings, in February, May, September, and November.

Someone who is associated with independent producers or organizations other than NPR has traditionally filled the open spot on the D/I committee.

People who are interested in serving on the D/I Committee should submit a letter stating the reasons why they are interested and a resume by Tuesday, February 18, 2020.

For more information contact Maryfran Tyler, Senior Director, Enterprise, Strategy & Planning, NPR Distribution, at 202-513-2675 or mtyler@npr.org or Twanna Clark at (202) 513-2058 or tclark1@npr.org.

NIELSEN AUDIO FALL RATINGS FOR NONCOM STATIONS IN DIARY-METHODOLOGY MARKETS

Speaking of WEKU in Lexington, according to the Fall 2019 ratings they now have twice the metro AQH share as WUKY.   

Expect this trend to continue. WEKU recently dropped blocks of Classical music and now is a full-time NPR News/Talk station.

Hawaii Public Radio has two discreet program services: HPR News and HPR Classical. Programming originates in Honolulu and is heard on repeater stations and translators on the islands. Both increased their AQH share compared to Fall 2018.

The two programming channels operated by Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) dominate radio listening in Madison. WERN has a dual format of NPR news magazine and Classical music. WHA a/k/a The Ideas Station, has a unique spoken word schedule. Though WHA and its repeaters offer news and talk, they do not air NPR news magazines.

There are three other stations that have significant listening but do not subscribe to the Nielsen ratings: WORT, a legendary community station; student station WSUM; and, perhaps the best LPFM station in the nation, WVMO.