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Fighting Fire With Music: A Disaster Playbook For Music Stations
January’s catastrophic fires in Los Angeles were an unwelcomed reminder of local radio’s critical role as a minute-by-minute information source. In addition to the news stations, local music stations also
Sharpening the Message: Key Takeaways from the Public Radio Messaging Workshop
With public radio facing unprecedented attacks on its existence, including threats from the FCC to review licenses of stations that continue with DEI policies or content, message discipline has
How Public Broadcasters Can Build Community: Notes From NON-COMMvention 2025
This week, I had the chance to speak at the NON-COMMvention in Philadelphia, a conference for public radio music programmers, media professionals, and music industry folks. Bruce Warren, Assistant
Novel Strategies for Increasing News Coverage on NPR News Stations
Is it possible to have too much news during the day on a local NPR News station? For a growing number of public radio stations, the answer is “no.” Click
What SNL’s Black Jeopardy! Can Teach Us About Democracy
During Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special, the long-running “Black Jeopardy!” skit returned, featuring legendary Black cast members like Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Leslie Jones, and Tracy Morgan. Tom Hanks also reprised his role as
“Community” Isn’t What You Think It Is
One of the things I love about my job is the continued education I receive from working with some of the smartest media minds in the world, and that includes
Community Building Lessons From the Video Game Industry
The video game industry stands out as a leader in community building, making it an excellent source of inspiration for broadcasters looking to cultivate their own communities. Joe King, a
What Does a Community Manager Do, Anyway?
Outside of the broadcasting industry, there is a job title called “Community Manager.” What does this person do at their organizations? And how might public radio and television stations
5 True Stories from Bob Waugh
Meeting James Brown In December of 2002, WHFS/Washington held its annual Holiday show, The HFSmas Nutcracker, which was headlined by Smashing Pumpkins and Coldplay. As an added twist, I booked
Community Building Ain’t The Same As Content Creation. Here’s What You Need To Know.
When you set out to build a community, what you are really doing is creating a space where people can come together and connect with one another. Creating a
5 Factors to Consider When Deciding What Community to Build
Public radio stations are in a unique position when it comes to the opportunity to build communities. For many organizations, there is an obvious choice when it comes to
Remembering Ben Manilla
“Excuse me, are you Ben Manilla?” A stranger interrupted Ben and me as we were having a drink in a New York City bar. “I recognize your voice from WLIR.”