Public Radio is In Danger of Losing the Voices of its Founders

Oral histories are important because they preserve firsthand experiences of the founders and builders of public radio.

Since the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, public television has received most of the attention and funding, sometimes to the detriment of public radio. The most recent oral history interviews with public radio leaders were done in 1982.

To preserve this priceless history before it is too late, public radio veteran Ken Mills has organized the Public Radio Oral History Project. Mills and his associates are planning a series of 50 oral history interviews in the next two years.

This effort will focus solely on public radio. The goal is to preserve and amplify the unique history of public radio and make it available to all Americans.

Early word of the Public Radio Oral History Project has generated interest by public radio leaders:

• Mike Starling, Founder of Cambridge Community Radio and former Vice President and Executive Director of NPR Labs said:

“I’m excited to help for us all learn first hand about how the industry’s leaders navigated the behind-the-scenes inflection points of unexpected events that shaped the system we know today.”

• Abby Goldstein, President and Executive Director of the Public Radio Program Directors (PRPD) cited the project’s emphasis on learning:

“Preparing for the future means learning from our past. What better historical source do we have than the people who paved the way for public radio to thrive today? An oral history project like this can provide a living library of learning, not just to preserve the past but to make us better in the future.”

• Steve Yasko, founder of Yasko and Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in public radio station sustainability and programming content added:

“Radio is ephemeral, but our history shouldn’t be. The evolution of public radio is rich with anecdotes, research and personal stories that should be preserved so today’s leaders can look back and understand how we got here.”

• Izzi Smith, Strategic Advisor, Programming and Audience Development at WBEZ, likes the educational purpose of the project:

“Each generation of public media leaders have an opportunity to learn from those that came before them. This project will help to educate, inspire, and guide the leaders charting the next chapter of public media beyond the broadcast in the U.S.”

Anticipated interviewees include Jack Mitchell, Sam Holt, Hugo Morales, JoAnne Wallace, Bill Simmering, Patty Cahill, David Giovannoni, Maria Hinojosa, Bill Kling and Peter Lowenstein.

Ken Mills, the Project Director said:

“ We need to act now because soon these firsthand accounts will be lost. We plan to interview the leaders who crafted public radio’s design, built the infrastructure and established public radio as a leading source of news and music content.”

Plus, the Public Radio Oral History Project fulfills the mandate Congress made when they established public broadcasting.

“[CPB shall] establish and maintain, or contribute to, a library and archives of noncommercial educational and cultural radio and television programs and related material.

For more information, contact Ken Mills at 612–819–8456 or publicradio@hotmail.com.