Dear friend of WKAR,
As we enter each new year here at WKAR, we set aside time to take inventory of our efforts to serve and support the community during the previous year. Our goal is simple – we want to understand what we did well and identify opportunities to improve. As this month comes to a close, we’re getting our first comprehensive look at all the rich and engaging content created during 2023.
As I review the final tally, I am impressed and humbled by the hard work and dedication of our talented team of storytellers here at WKAR. They work behind the scenes every day gathering the news and information that matters to our community, and creating content designed to enrich and inspire our listeners and viewers.
I want to take this opportunity to share with you a snapshot of some of the content produced in 2023 by our award-winning creators. As you read through the list, know that I am ever mindful of and immensely grateful for the fact that every news article, podcast, music show and series is made possible by the support of viewers like you.
So, thank you for all that you do to support our work at WKAR. Enjoy this look back at 2023.
- 500 news spots and features for radio and online, including more than 150 in Spanish.
- 29 podcast episodes of ¿Qué Onda Michigan?
- More than 1000 hours of locally hosted and curated music, including:
- 90.5 Classical with Linda Kernohan, Jody Knol, and Jamie Paisley.
- Great Lakes Concerts and The Fugue.
- Folk with Matt Watroba, A Groove Supreme with Mike Stratton and more.
- 17 original series or specials for TV and digital, including:
- Off the Record. 52 new episodes plus An Evening with the Governor 2023.
- Curious Crew. 8 new episodes.
- Curious About Careers. 6 new episodes.
- Serving Up Science. 5 new episodes.
- Kick-Start My Art. 6 episode limited series.
- Music for Social Justice. 3 new shorts.
- Film Screening Panel Q&A. 8 sessions.
Specials: Building the Reading Brain, Michigan Gubernatorial Inauguration 2023, Michigan State of the State 2023, A Conversation with Coach James Bibbs, An Evening with Leon Panetta, An Evening with Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Afrofantastic: The Transformative World of Afrofuturism, NOVA Science+Society: The Future of EV Batteries, and Beyond the Score with Al Martin and more.
As you can see, we’ve set a high bar for the year ahead. What’s on our list for 2024?
- 2024 Election. Community engagement journalism from the WKAR news team as part of the America Amplified project. Providing local and state election coverage alongside national coverage from NPR News and PBS Newshour.
- Beyond the Score with Al Martin. Our newest WKAR original program, launching in 2024 as a periodic series.
- A more robust wkar.org. Available now: print-friendly prime time TV schedule. Still ahead: one login across WKAR, PBS and NPR online platforms.
- Arts and culture reporting and programming. We’re putting a spotlight on this type of content that has been a strength of WKAR since the earliest days of the station.
- WKAR in your community. Watch for WKAR out and about across mid-Michigan in 2024.
- New shows in the pipeline. We have new show proposals in the works based on listening sessions and surveys.
Our work throughout 2023 focused on laying the groundwork for WKAR to create new shows and content that reflect the evolving interests and needs of Michiganders. As we move ahead through 2024, we look forward to sharing with you more of the excellent content and rich community engagement that lives at WKAR.
Thank you for your support that makes it all possible.
Best,
Shawn Turner
WKAR General Manager
Michigan State University
