Welcome Back to Program Notes!

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I spent a (mostly) restful two weeks off visiting with extended family – most of us hadn’t seen each other since before the pandemic.

But even on vacation, I still listen to public radio wherever I am. Sure, I could (and often do) listen online, but there’s a part of me that’s also a fan of good old terrestrial radio and listening in the same space in which the station exists.

A reasonable question might be, Why? It’s because even though I work in public radio, I’m still a fan of public radio which means I still listen – sometimes with a Program Director’s ear.

Frankly, it’s not always easy to turn that part of my brain off! I’m always interested in hearing other stations even if I am listening on vacation – how their hosts sound, what promos they run, the local programming and news. And while I’m proud of how WBHM sounds, it would be naïve to think there’s only one correct way to do things.

So when something stands out, I take notice.

In recent years, I’ve visited Asheville, North Carolina several time and in addition to the great hiking, food, and even more great hiking, I always listen to Blue Ridge Public Radio. Now, this almost feels ridiculous to type, but I kinda fell in love with how they introduce their underwriting announcements! This is a bigger deal than you might think.

Lots of thought goes into everything you hear at WBHM from newscasts to stories to breaks within the programs and, yes, to beginning our underwriting announcements. These things all build up over time and, as a listener, you feel more comfortable with WBHM.

We used to say “Support for WBHM comes from…” and then deliver the underwriting message. And there was nothing wrong with that! But when I heard Blue Ridge Public Radio announcers say “Together with our listeners, support comes from…” I thought it was the perfect way to encapsulate that both listener and business support power WBHM. After all, we’re all in this together.

(Through “Programming Notes,” we hope to keep you connected to what is happening at WBHM both internally and on-air. Have feedback you’d like to share? Or a programming question? Let me know!)

 

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