What are public media’s classical stations doing to innovate? For one station, the answer involves a throwback to an earlier broadcasting era.
Back in the day, radio and TV stations all had jingles. But thet tradition has fallen out of fashion — few stations have their own dedicated theme. Up until last year, KMFA in Austin, Texas, didn’t either.
On The Pub, KMFA Director of Broadcasting and Content Anthony McSpadden shares the story of how the station commissioned local composer Dan Welcher to write a theme to commemorate KMFA’s 50th anniversary. Other composers have written variations on the theme. It’s just one of the many ways KMFA is active in Austin’s vibrant music community.
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I should point out that there are other “sounders” in public radio like KMFA’s theme–PRI and APM both have their music tags at the end of the program and Minnesota Public Radio’s sounder is still heard at the top of “Prairie”…uh, “Live From Here” (although I don’t know if they use it elsewhere). And don’t forget those guitar chords that XPN includes with their TOH ID and WGBH using the electronic sounder written for the sister television station on the radio.
I really enjoyed listening to this! Thanks for highlighting a great classical music station!