See more photos below.
NPR’s “Super Regional” conference, a gathering of public radio leaders from across the country, was held on April 11 and 12 in downtown Denver. Representatives from stations in large and small communities shared their ideas, strategies, and visions.
KSUT Executive Director Tami Graham, Program Director Ken Brott, and Content Manager Mark Duggan attended this year’s get-together.
Breakout sessions delved into harnessing the power of public media to make a case for diversity, equity, and inclusion. And how NPR Member stations play a unique role in responding to the crisis in local journalism.
One session, in particular, was enough to give us pause. Eat or Be Eaten looked at the recent proliferation of direct competitors to public media. Startups like Axios Local and City Cast are adopting a public radio tone and style in their news offerings and siphoning consumers and donors away from local NPR stations.
A key takeaway from the conference is that public radio must innovate to survive. The hard truth is that the traditional public radio listener, even of KSUT, is aging. The onus is on us to develop vital programming that speaks to younger generations. And to let them lead the way.
The Drop, a new rap and hip-hop radio station in Denver, provides an exciting example. The station is part of Rocky Mountain Public Media, which operates PBS Channel 6, and Jazz 89 KUVO-FM. The Drop staff's enthusiasm was on full display at the conference’s closing night reception at RMPBS.
Here at KSUT, we’re continuing our own internal conversations about how to develop new programming that speaks to all generations. The NPR Regional Conference provided us with much-needed insight and inspiration.
Keep listening to and supporting KSUT. The best is yet to come!
Selected photos from the 2022 NPR Regional Conference