Audrey Atkins




Audrey Atkins is WBHM's Director of Community Engagement. In that capacity, she supervises the underwriting and sales department, manages the station's marketing initiatives, and plans its events and other community engagement efforts. By her own admission she has “never met a stranger” and loves meeting WBHM’s listeners and members.

An accomplished author, Audrey's essays can be found in The Bitter Southerner's Folklore Project, It's a Southern Thing, Mobile Bay Magazine, and Birmingham Magazine. Her collection of humorous and sometimes poignant essays, "They Call Me Orange Juice," was published in 2018.

Born in the Oil Capital of Alabama, Citronelle, Audrey made her way to the Magic City by way of the University of Montevallo, where she earned a B.A. in English. Outside of the office, Audrey enjoys spending time with her husband and son, as well as painting, writing, and cooking.

p.s. Yes, that's her real South Alabama accent.

Multimedia News Producer

Come be the multimedia news producer at WBHM and oversee WBHM’s online and social media news offerings.

Miranda Fulmore, Richard Banks new WBHM hosts

Miranda Fulmore and Richard Banks have been named as WBHM’s permanent hosts for NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

WBHM to launch podcast featuring in-depth reporting on Alabama’s prisons.

WBHM 90.3 FM is launching a podcast, “Deliberate Indifference: the story of Alabama’s prison crisis and the people inside it,” the product of reporter Mary Scott Hodgin’s in-depth research on Alabama’s prisons. The first episode will be available Wednesday, May 18. Listen at DeliberateIndifference.org or wherever podcasts are available.

Executive Director

WBHM 90.3 FM — NPR News for the Heart of Alabama — seeks an executive director to build on its positive momentum and lead the award-winning, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)-licensed public radio station serving Birmingham, Ala., and the surrounding region.

WBHM to bring Birmingham’s voices to national NPR audiences through ‘1A Remaking America’

A two-year public media partnership between WBHM and 1A will explore local threats to America’s democracy.

WBHM selected to be part of America Amplified initiative

WBHM has been chosen as one of only 20 stations nationwide to be part of national initiative called America Amplified that prioritizes meaningful in-person and online engagement in order to build trust, expand audiences and deepen the impact of public media journalism.

Virtual Birmingham Mayoral Debate Aug. 17

AL.com is partnering with WBHM and three other news organizations to host a virtual Birmingham mayoral debate on Aug. 17. The debate will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be streamed live via Facebook and YouTube. It also will be available on AL.com and will be streamed by WBHM and the other partners. The event […]

Ann Alquist To Lead WBHM

Ann Alquist, a media leader with broad public radio experience, has been named the executive director and general manager of WBHM 90.3 FM — NPR News for the heart of Alabama — a listener-supported service of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Alquist will direct the operations of WBHM and the Gulf States Newsroom as she […]

WBHM Wins Four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards

Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM has won four regional Edward R. Murrow awards, including the award for Overall Excellence. WBHM also won awards in these categories: Continuing Coverage – The pandemic rages through Alabama, WBHM News Team Excellence in Sound – “Through The Intercom, Nursing Home Employee Sings To Residents” by Mary Scott Hodgin Hard […]

WBHM 90.3 FM Named Station Of The Year By Alabama Broadcasters Association

The Alabama Broadcasters Association named WBHM 90.3 FM Radio Station of the Year at its annual ABBY Awards ceremony Monday, March 29.

And the winner is…

We received 19 original entries for this spring’s WBHM Artist Challenge, and almost 1,000 of you voted to pick your favorite design. We’re delighted to announce that the winner of the contest, whose artwork will be featured on our pint glass and mug during the spring fund drive, is Kris Handler! And here is her […]

Design the 2021 WBHM Pint Glass and Mug!

It’s that time again! We are thrilled to continue our popular pint glass series by inviting Birmingham artists to submit their best designs for our next pint glass! How do you “see” WBHM? What’s your vision of public radio in the heart Alabama? Where does your imagination take you when you listen to public radio? […]

Fact Check: Biden’s Inaugural Address

Joe Biden is giving his inaugural address after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. NPR reporters are annotating his speech live with fact checks and analysis. Loading…

WBHM Selected As A Report For America Host Newsroom

WBHM is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a Report for America host newsroom partner and will join an expanding network of more than 200 newsrooms benefiting from the support of this nonprofit program.

Reporter – Local Government and Communities

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, WBHM produces award-winning news, information, and music programming. The WBHM audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do, too. Every day, we touch the lives of thousands statewide.  WBHM is seeking an enterprising journalist to cover local government and communities. The Birmingham area has changed […]

Reporter, Gulf States Newsroom – Wealth And Poverty

NPR and its member stations are creating an innovative system of regional news hubs designed to reshape the journalism landscape — and we’re building one of the first hubs in the Gulf states.  Public radio stations in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi have partnered with NPR to launch the Gulf States Newsroom. Our goal is to […]

Priska Neely Chosen To Lead Gulf States Newsroom, A New Model Of Regional News Collaboration

Award-winning public radio journalist Priska Neely will lead the Gulf States Newsroom, a joint regional news collaboration between NPR and member stations in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

They Call It Puppy Love

We finally caved in to our children’s constant begging and adopted a puppy: Roxie. The kids are learning what it’s like to be a new puppy parent, and now we’re all blissfully exhausted. Caroline S., Trussville, AL

Home Sweet Home

On the bright side, I’ve developed a new love for my home. My historic apartment rescued me from a bad marriage three years ago, and it’s where I discovered peace and started to rediscover myself. But it’s taken on a whole new meaning for me the last couple of months: it’s a refuge, a haven, […]

Poetry in Motion

Although Magic City Poetry Festival wasn’t able to host its line-up in April, we did something else: we created a virtual book fair for our speakers and added a “Shelter in Magic Reading Series” of amazing poets sharing a poem and a little about their ties/roots in Birmingham. Alina C., Birmingham, AL

WBHM Wins Five Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards

Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM has won five regional Edward R. Murrow awards, including the award for Overall Excellence. WBHM also won awards in these categories: Feature Reporting, for “Drawing a More Diverse Crowd to the Outdoors” by Gigi Douban Hard News, for “Remembering Slain Alabama Sheriff ‘Big John’ Williams” by Janae Pierre Newscast, by Andrew Yeager […]

Writing through ‘Rona

During this tenuous time of sheltering in place, I have found the freedom to tell my stories. After a serendipitous Creative Nonfiction writing class, I gained the confidence to write. And during the quarantine, I gained the desire to connect with my friends across the country. I posted my stories online and learned that people […]

Biking to Work

One of the best things is being able to ride my bike from my condo to the station! Nancy M., Birmingham, AL (She’s a WBHM announcer on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday!)  

Coronavirus Resources

As part of our public service to you — our listener — we are compiling this list of coronavirus resources for your ready reference. This is a quickly evolving situation, and we are committed to providing you with accurate, useful information through this unprecedented event. National Resources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention About Coronavirus […]

Nine New Programs Coming to WBHM beginning March 7

Nine new programs are coming to WBHM beginning Saturday, March 7. It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders, Sound Opinions, Bluegrass Breakdown, Highway 61, Ask Me Another, The Splendid Table, Travel with Rick Steves, and On Being are scheduled for weekends, and weeknights will now include Marketplace. In addition, classical music will begin at 8 […]

CPB, NPR Partner With Public Media Stations To Launch Gulf States Newsroom, With Hub At WBHM In Birmingham

Public media stations WBHM in Birmingham, Alabama, Mississippi Public Broadcasting in Jackson, Mississippi, and WWNO in New Orleans and WRKF in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have joined together to launch the Gulf States Newsroom. With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and NPR, this innovative collaboration will increase coverage of news events in a region […]

Election Night Watch Party with WBHM and 1A

After the polls close, grab your friends and head down to Iron City to join WBHM and 1A as we watch and listen to (we are radio, after all) the results come in for the 2020 Primary Elections. WBHM will be broadcasting local election results and analysis live, and our hosts will be joined by […]

Local Government and Communities Reporter

WBHM is seeking an enterprising journalist to cover local government and communities. The Birmingham area has changed tremendously over the last several years with the addition of Railroad Park, Regions Field, and a thriving restaurant scene. Lofts dot the cityscape, and along with industry and research institutions, there is a budding startup scene. Birmingham also […]

The Big Q with 1A’s Joshua Johnson: Young Conservatives

What do young conservatives in Alabama care about? What issues are most important to this generation? And how satisfied are they with the direction of the Republican Party? Join WBHM and guest host 1A’s Joshua Johnson to hear from young conservatives about what they care about come election day.  Bring your questions and comments and […]

Fall Fund Drive Gifts

When you give now, we’d love to thank you with a gift. Dan Bynum Mug: available with a $5 monthly donation   Dan Bynum Pint Glass: available with a $10 monthly donation 

WBHM Wins Four Regional Murrow Awards

WBHM has won four 2019 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for the region including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. “The real winner here is our audience. Our talented newsroom is dedicated to telling stories that matter to Alabamians,” says WBHM Executive Director Chuck Holmes. “We’re thrilled […]

Take “One Small Step” in the Heart of Alabama

CLICK HERE TO APPLY! (UPDATE: Applications are now closed.) Was there a moment, event, or person in your life that shaped your political views? What’s most hurtful to you about what people across the political divides say about people on your side? Can you think of any traits you admire in people on the other […]