The WKAR News team is saying goodbye to one of its long-time members and fearless leader, Karel Vega.
Karel joined WKAR in 2017 as a part-time reporter before becoming our All Things Considered host.
In 2019, Karel was promoted to managing editor of WKAR News.
Karel has led the news team through a pandemic, multiple statewide and federal elections and much more. Now, he’s headed to the Michigan-based online publication, The Gander to be a community editor.
Karel spoke with WKAR's Megan Schellong to reflect on his time here.
Interview Highlights
On how he became interested in public radio
I actually never considered radio when I first went into college. I took an elective course for radio production, just because I had to take a few electives. .... But I fell in love with the medium. I just thought it was so much fun. You know, I always, you know, they call it the "theater of the mind." And I always really liked that concept of, you know, closing your eyes and just kind of being transported to a different place in your mind.
On his favorite role he's served in while a part of the newsroom
I hate to be cheesy, but my favorite role was friend, you know. I was lucky enough to be a reporter. You know, I was a host. I was an editor. But the whole time what I really enjoyed the most was getting to work with everybody in my team.
On the greatest lesson he learned in public radio
Public radio really is like a service. You know, it's a service that responds to the needs of its community. You know, when I started here, I was already hearing that local leaders in the Spanish-speaking community had reached out and you know, they were saying that they needed more resources, news, information for the community's Spanish speakers. We worked to hire Michelle Jokisch Polo who's our Latinx and bilingual stories reporter. Of course, now we have ¿Qué Onda Michigan?, our Spanish language news podcast. And again, all those things. Some people might say, "Why did we do all this?" It might not be economically viable, but it's because, you know, we're not just like a business. It's a community resource, and we are part of the community.
Interview Transcript
Megan Schellong: The WKAR News team is saying goodbye to one of its long-time members and fearless leader, Karel Vega.
Karel joined WKAR in 2017 as a part-time reporter before becoming our All Things Considered host.
In 2019, Karel was promoted to Managing Editor of WKAR News.
Karel has led the news team through a pandemic, multiple statewide and federal elections and much more. Now, he’s headed to the Michigan-based online publication, The Gander to become a community editor.
Karel joins us now to reflect on his time here.
Thanks for being here.
Karel Vega: Thanks for having me, Megan.
Schellong: I'm going to give you a throwback question for this first one, what got you interested in public radio?
Vega: Yeah, I love that question. It's kind of funny, I actually never considered radio when I first went into college. I took an elective course for radio production, just because I had to take a few electives. And, you know, it was just a standard, you know, production course. So, they showed you common practices and radio, you know, like commercial radio. So, it's things like making promos, you know, we got to do radio dramas.
They call [radio] the "theater of the mind." And I always really liked that concept of, you know, closing your eyes and just kind of being transported to a different place in your mind.
But I fell in love with the medium. I just thought it was so much fun. You know, I always, you know, they call it the "theater of the mind." And I always really liked that concept of, you know, closing your eyes and just kind of being transported to a different place in your mind.
Schellong: So, you really liked the creative storytelling aspect of radio, was there something that was surprising you learned while on the job here at WKAR?
Vega: Oh, absolutely. And this even goes back to when I started at my first station, and it goes back to how complex everything is on the back end, you know, people hear the end product when they're in their car, but they don't really realize everything that goes into creating that product.
You know, from station automation, you know, which I mean, you know, but basically, for our listeners, it's like a program that essentially just keeps the station on track throughout the day. So it knows when it's, you know, four o'clock that All Things Considered (ATC) has to start it does like functions on the back end, so that those things are put in motion.
Hosting is a whole beast in and of itself. You're really tasked with having a true conversation with no one and everyone at the same time, right?
You know, hosting is a whole beast in and of itself, you're really tasked with having a true conversation with no one and everyone at the same time, right?
And even the news team, you know, figuring out what to cover any given day, making sure that information is accurate and timely and also is easy to digest for the audience.
You know, when they're listening, you can't have too many like complicated things or numbers, you have to really write, so that people can be doing something else like driving and understanding that, so there's just so much to it that people don't see on a day-to-day basis
Schellong: Karel, out of all the hats you've worn in the newsroom, so from part-time reporter to host to managing editor, did you have a favorite role?
Vega: Yeah. Absolutely, absolutely. I hate to be cheesy, but my favorite role was friend, you know. I was lucky enough to be a reporter. You know, I was a host. I was an editor. But the whole time what I really enjoyed the most was getting to work with everybody in my team.
The whole time what I really enjoyed the most was getting to work with everybody in my team.
And, you know, we would pump each other up and just make the best stories, the best content that we could for our listeners and the people that rely on us. So you know, just being part of this crew was my favorite aspect.
Schellong: Do you have a favorite story that you covered?
Vega: Yeah. And it's actually a series, Serving up Science, which right now, some people might recognize, as part of like the PBS digital shorts, but before that, it was actually small, we called it a bite-sized radio podcast that I did with Sheril Kirshenbaum.
We did that for a few years and you know, Serving Up Science, we really, it was just about breaking down food related science topics.
You know, some of my favorite stories, you know, we covered Crystal Pepsi. I don't know if people remember Crystal Pepsi, but why it failed. We covered during Halloween, the myth of killer candy, you know, and, you know, the panic that parents have about finding, you know, razor blades and needles and things in their kids’ candy. And how really, that's just a myth. It really hasn't happened besides one case where a dad did it to, you know, his own son. But yeah, just really fun. That one's a little dark. But you know, you know, out there topics that we just got to cover that were food-related.
Schellong: So, you got into public radio, because you liked the creative aspect and then with Serving Up Science you were able to really get your hands all dirty in that which is great.
Vega: Yes, exactly, yeah, it was a ton of fun.
Schellong: And what's the greatest lesson you learned working at WKAR?
Vega: I'd have to say that, you know, public radio really is like a service. You know, it's a service that responds to the needs of its community.
Public radio really is like a service. You know, it's a service that responds to the needs of its community.
You know, when I started here, I was already hearing that local leaders in the Spanish-speaking community had reached out and you know, they were saying that they needed more resources, news, information for the community's Spanish speakers.
We worked to hire Michelle Jokisch Polo who's our Latinx and bilingual stories reporter. Of course, now we have ¿Qué Onda Michigan?, our Spanish language news podcast. And again, all those things. Some people might say, "Why did we do all this?" It might not be economically viable, but it's because, you know, we're not just like a business. It's a community resource, and we are part of the community. So, responding to those needs and the importance of doing that is, I think, the biggest thing that I learned here and also, you know, I think it's a mission that every station in the business should aspire to.
Schellong: Karel, we are going to miss you so much. On behalf of the news team, we wish you the best on your future endeavors.
Karel Vega has been the managing editor at WKAR since 2019. His last day as part of our team is today.
Vega: I’m going to miss you guys, so much.
Schellong: We asked a couple of folks on the WKAR News Team who’ve worked with Karel throughout the years to put together a little goodbye message for him. And here’s what they had to say.
Scott Pohl: Hey Karel, it’s Scott Pohl. I just wanted to say we’re going to miss you here at WKAR. You’re a fine editor and a solid reporter and a good boss, and along with that, I would also add, a good friend. We’ll miss you, good luck.
Sophia Saliby: Karel, I can’t believe you’re leaving. But I’m so excited for what this next chapter holds for you. I’ve literally learned so much during our short time together, and we will definitely miss you.
Arjun Thakkar: Karel, thanks so much for being one of the most encouraging mentors I’ve had the pleasure of working with. It'll be difficult to meet the high standards for storytelling that you set at WKAR, but I know we’ll be able to thanks to your support. Wishing you all the best at The Gander, and I really hope we get to go disc golfing some time.
Schellong: Hey Karel. Thank you for pushing me to grow in my hosting and reporting skills. Your attention to detail and empathy for others make you such a great leader. We’re going to miss you so much.
Michelle Jokisch Polo: Karel has created a space for me to imagine the kind of work I want to produce while also gently leading me to make that work a possibility. Karel is one of the wisest and most thoughtful journalists and editors I have ever had the pleasure of working with in my five years in the industry. The journalist I am today is, in part, thanks to Karel’s attention to detail, reliable mentorship and consistent feedback. I’m really going to miss you.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.