Community Radio Blog

Recently, KOPN community radio launched its first of what amounts to a new marketing program. It is pretty innovative and we honestly have no idea if it will be a good idea or not, but there is almost no risk and it could be pretty cool. Here's why we decided to do it: could increase sales could generate media coverage provides good reasons to communicate over social media the idea will appeal to a large portion of our membership and audience it contributes to our brand as a world contributor and sets us apart in that way, in line with our mission no significant risk or cost To explain the idea, here is the press release we sent. Wish us luck! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2017 CONTACT: SEAN SPENCE sean@kopn.org; 573-823-1308 KOPN WILL LOAN STORE PROFITS TO DEVELOPING WORLD ENTREPRENEURS Local radio station will use the Kiva.org online platform to make loans around the world (Columbia, MO) KOPN...

As KOPN's new general manager, you can guess that I am thinking a lot -- and asking for a lot of opinions -- about what our future should hold. What follows are some of the key things on my list right now. I would love to hear what you think (and that includes where you disagree with me!).  : ) 1.               Financially successful within 12 months – Thanks to Tao and the board, we are stable today (with no overdue bills, no debt, and a few months worth of money in the bank); within 12 months, I believe we will have a steady income and at least a six-month cushion in our account. 2.               Improved radio engineering and technology program – Today, we have incredible volunteers who help when they can and where they can. They really are amazing. Moving forward, we will focus on upgrading our technology and a team organiz...

Today was my first day as general manager at KOPN community radio and I was pretty excited about it. I really do think I have found a professional home where I can make a difference and where we can be a leading force for good in the community. Here are 10 things I liked about my first day. The music collection is massive and diverse. I had never seen the whole thing before, and it kind of freaked me out. Volunteers were in and out of the office all day (even when I arrived at about 7:00 am). The volunteers all had time to talk with me and share what they thought I should know on my first day, what was important to them. One volunteer, Rhett, gave me a great idea and now I am planning an informal coffee where I will sit in a coffee shop and anyone in the KOPN family is welcome to come hang out with me and help build the KOPN community. Interactions throughout the entire day reinforced the whole "KOPN is a community" idea. Great meeting with board president Dan Hemmel...

Tomorrow, I assume my position as general manager at Columbia, Missouri's community radio station, KOPN. Yep, I am pretty excited about it. KOPN has an incredibly strong, proud history, and so does community radio, overall. I really did not know much about it before applying for the job -- aside from listening to KOPN and other stations from time to time -- and I have already learned a great deal. It has me pretty excited. As part of my community radio adventure, I have decided to keep an ongoing blog about the experience, sprinkled with information that might be helpful to others in the community radio world (not that I have any of the latter now, but surely I will have useful information as I get into the job). My hope is that I will be able to write about the great stuff and the not-so-great stuff, keeping in mind that I need to be sensitive about the feelings of others who work hard to make KOPN a great station, or who donate, or otherwise support us are just p...