Michael Krall’s Program Notes
Incoming Transmission! Pt. 2
You may remember earlier this year when WBHM held a special Transmitter Drive. With your support, we raised the final $50,000 to purchase and install a new transmitter. In total, this project cost $230,000. For this edition of Program Notes, I checked in with WBHM’s engineer Darrell McCalla who oversees this project for an update […]
Meeting You Where You Are
Last week, I attended the Public Radio Content Conference – the premier gathering for non-commercial programmers, content managers and leaders in the public media ecosystem. This was the first in-person conference in more than two years and, it was good to reconnect with my colleagues in person — not just because of the pandemic, but […]
Rise and Shine
I spent early August substitute hosting Morning Edition for Miranda Fulmore who was on a well-deserved vacation. And while everyone has their routine, I thought I’d share a little bit of what goes on behind the scenes in the very early hours of the day. I get up at 3 a.m. which also means I really try […]
There’s Lots of Moth’s in the Air
This week, I’m writing about The Moth – not the insect, the storytelling phenomenon! If you haven’t heard, The Moth is true stories told live, without notes. It’s personal storytelling that connects us as human beings. These stories are told in different ways to millions of people each year including right here in the Heart […]
Welcome Back to Program Notes!
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 […]
Deliberate Indifference – Inside Alabama’s Prison Crisis
You’ve probably heard of our new narrative podcast, Deliberate Indifference. And, given all the heavy news the past few months alone, you may think this is the last thing you want to listen to. I urge to reconsider. As citizens, we have a right to know how more than 500 million of our tax dollars […]
What’s in a name?
Every so often, I hear from listeners who politely (or sometimes not so politely) take WBHM to task for mispronouncing words. As Program Director, it’s my job to make sure we sound not just consistent on the air, but credible as well. Whether it’s a classical composer or name or place in the news, this […]
Summertime and the livin’ is easy…
To say the news has been very heavy lately is an understatement. With that in mind, I want to take a moment to pass along a few different things that are just fun this summer. Thanks to the popularization of plant-based diets, vegan (non-dairy) ice cream is gaining popularity, and there are interesting new flavor […]
The Only Constant Is Change
There’s a small program change coming to WBHM. On Being, which currently airs Sunday evenings from 6 to 7, is ending production as a radio program and transitioning to a seasonal podcast. The final episode will air on WBHM Sunday, June 19th, and you can read more about this change from host Krista Tippett. But […]
More Driveway Moments
A little over a year ago, I wrote about driveway moments – those times when you’re listening to WBHM in the car, you’ve pulled into the driveway, you might have even turned the ignition to accessory, but the story is so good you just can’t bear to get out of the car. Well, this week, […]
I’ve Got “It In” For You!
Last week’s column There’s No Leaving and There’s No Returning prompted some good feedback. A listener wrote to tell me another phrase they find irrelevant is “in for,” as in when I host and say, “I’m Michael Krall in for Andrew Yeager.” Their thinking is that it’s unnecessary because if you hear a program enough, […]
There’s No Leaving and There’s No Returning
Here’s some radio inside info you may not have thought about, but it’s precisely the sort of thing that drives program directors like me crazy. See if these phrases sound familiar: When we come back…After the break…Welcome back…When we return…We’re back…We’ll be right back…We have to take a break… It’s common to hear these phrases […]
The Art of Storytelling
This week it’s the WBHM’s Membership Drive – your opportunity to support non-profit journalism and all the programs you enjoy. I wrote about our specific on-air messaging last week and how at WBHM we thought long and hard about what to include. I hope you’re noticing a difference (for the better!) on the air. This […]
It’s That Time Again at WBHM – The Spring Membership Drive
It shouldn’t be news that we have membership drives a few times a year – it’s one of the primary ways we raise money for WBHM, more than half of our annual budget. The last time we had an on-air fundraiser, it was to purchase our new transmitter (FYI, the transmitter is ordered, and preparations […]
The Ever-changing World of Technology
There’s this cartoon I saw on Twitter. It shows a person in front of a computer. The screen reads “STRIKE ANY KEY TO CONTINUE.” The person is lifting an office chair over their head ostensibly in an effort to follow the command…literally. Ever felt like that? I’m sure we all have at one point in […]
I Like Your Dish-position
Sorry about the bad pun. But imagine getting an 850-pound delivery at your doorstep. This is what happened recently at WBHM when we received a new satellite dish from NPR Distribution. The satellite is how we receive live news programming such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered, as well as breaking news and special […]
Worth Revisiting
A while back, I wrote about NPR’s Public Editor – a position created by NPR to make sure they’re responsive to the needs of the listeners. The Public Editor also plays a key role to help NPR stay faithful in its mission to present fair, accurate and comprehensive information so people can make informed decisions […]
Incoming Transmission! Pt. 1
As you may have heard, WBHM’s Transmitter Drive is Thursday and Friday. If you’re in Birmingham and look up at the WBRC tower on Red Mountain, WBHM is located not at the very top but below and to the left (or right depending on your perspective!) But that’s actually not the transmitter. It’s our antenna, […]
What’s so special?
Say this for public radio, there’s no shortage of programming. This week, I’m focusing specifically on one-time specials. What exactly is a special? It’s any program we air that is different from our regular broadcast. Specials are a way to further our public service by exposing listeners to new perspectives and voices they had not […]
How Do You Know That?
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about listener feedback to WBHM and how the news you hear comes from a variety of sources. This week, I want to share another feedback story with you – this time from me. Sunday night, I turned on the radio and heard this episode of On Being. If […]
The News. From Where? By Whom? And Your Support.
The news on WBHM comes from a variety of sources. You hear reporting from NPR in programs such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered, NPR Newscasts air almost every hour, and then there’s WBHM’s award-winning news department bringing you important stories from Birmingham and our region. And programs such as On the Media aren’t […]
A Change in the Air
They say (whoever “they” are) that the only constant in change. I’ve been at WBHM for 23 years now and while there has certainly been changes in programming and staff (it was bittersweet to bid farewell to Janae), our physical space has undergone a transformation as well. Perhaps the biggest change was the renovation to one […]
Tuning In With TuneIn: A Listener’s Question
“WBHM is more than just a radio station.” You’ve probably heard this phrase so much you may be numb to it. But it’s never been more true than now. In addition to a radio station, WBHM is also: a website, an app for your phone, a streaming service, a podcast, a smart speaker, a connected […]
I’m no Mama Stamberg, but…
Even if you haven’t tried it, you’ve most likely heard about it. I’m speaking, of course, about that pink Thanksgiving concoction from NPR’s Susan Stamberg – her mama’s cranberry relish. This recipe has become such a tradition at NPR they’ve dedicated an entire online series to it. Over the years, Mama Stamberg’s holiday concoction has […]
Here Comes the Sun
Starting in late October until just recently, we heard from a number of listeners who were having trouble picking up WBHM on their radio. They reported ongoing static where previously the signal was uninterrupted. As best, they found this anomaly annoying. After all, WBHM sounded fine yesterday, so there must be a problem with our […]
More Than Meets the Ear
As Program Director, an important part of my job is to field listener questions and, yes, answer complaints. This week, I received a particular vitriolic message regarding the program Reveal – public radio’s weekly investigative journalism program. This listener was concerned the program missed crucial elements of the story and accused us of censoring the […]
Happy Halloween!
Just a quick note looking forward to All Hallows’ Eve this weekend. Don’t miss the ghoulishly good fun of Snap Judgment: Spooked – four hours of scary stories you can hear Sunday night from 6 to 10 – if you dare. You say storytelling isn’t quite your thing but still want to get into the […]
Where is this cutting room and what’s that on the floor?
Last week, I wrote about speaking with artists who come through Birmingham and how a good interview should be thought of as a journey of discovery. I also mentioned the art of editing and how we must boil an interview down from 30-45 minutes to somewhere between four and eight minutes. (Missed it? Here you […]
Speaking with the Stars
I’ve been fortunate to get to interview many artists and musicians making their way through Birmingham. From soloists performing with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra to singer-songwriters, the purpose is to introduce you to interesting people. Some you’ve heard of; others maybe not. But they all have a passion for what they do, and as an […]
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Part 2
Last week’s trip down memory lane was so popular, I thought I’d share some additional finds. It used to be that if you wanted to be on the air, you needed a license from the Federal Communications Commission. There was no test. All you had to do was fill out a simple postcard application! This “restricted/radiotelephone operator permit” was […]
A Trip Down Memory Lane
I recently cleaned out my office so new flooring could be installed and came across what I would only describe as blasts from the past!
Membership at WBHM
As you are probably aware, WBHM’s Fall Membership Drive is underway. I often hear from current members who want to know why we still have these on-air membership drives or they want to know what they can do to eliminate them. The fact of the matter is that we can’t eliminate membership drives entirely. Why? […]
