If you’ve been to a recent AIBA event, you may have heard rumors about AIBA possibly having a weekly radio show on KOOP Radio. The rumors are true! We don’t have a show yet (there’s a long process) but AIBA has applied for a show on local business and the community.
Did you know that KOOP is the only co-op radio station in the country? With the exception of two paid full-time staff, the station is run by dedicate volunteers. Koop has been an AIBA member for years and we’ve supported one another by trading advertising for underwriting and promoting each other. We’re thrilled and honored to be in the running for a radio show.
To have our own show, we have to be programmers which involves lots of training and volunteer time. I’ve been on the road to becoming a programmer since late October. I have been interning with Lisa Scheps on her show, Off Stage and On the Air for five weeks and have five more to go. I’ve completed my station and FCC training and am starting my technical equipment training in a few days.
Dixie Patrick, AIBA Membership Manager, is in the training pipeline right behind me. Seed Terranova, IBIZ District Director, will be training in a few months. This will give us great backup and make the show more sustainable.
What’s it all about?
The show will be called The Localist—The heartbeat of Austin’s local business community—and cover Latest From Your Locals, Current Events, Local Stories, Advocacy, IBIZ Districts and Resources. We plan to have two guests per show to weigh in on the show topic. But we’ll also want to tell your stories. Do you have an engaging story about starting or running your business? As we get closer, I’ll be asking for ideas.
We’re not there yet. We may not be selected for a show. We won’t be finished with our training until May so watch for updates and soon we’ll be able to say “stay tuned”!