RATINGS, STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND “COOL SUMMER NIGHTS”

posted by Laura McKee

Radio ratings were just released and once again NPR 89.1 maintained its top rank among other news/talk radio stations in the Tucson market. Morning Edition on NPR 89.1 ranked #3 in the market for listeners age 12+(1) and #1 for listeners 50+(2). Classical 90.5 ratings also increased by 15% from the winter 2013 survey(3) and weekly cumulative audience was up 4% over last year(4).

Several staff promotions were announced in recent weeks. Enrique Aldana has been promoted to Director of Development. Aldana was formerly Associate Director of Development. With the recent retirement of Fran Sherlock, AZPM’s longtime Director of Production and Broadcast Operations, three internal promotions were made. Ian Hubbell has been promoted to Post-Production Manager, Martin Rubio to TV Production Manager, and Greg Steed to TV Master Control Supervisor/IT Engineer. Editor, Mitch Riley was also promoted to Producer/Editor and Lili Bell, formerly TV Traffic Manager, has been promoted to Broadcast Schedule Manager. Finally, in the business office, Gus Loaiza has moved up to Accounting Specialist.

Alan Fischer, Public Information Officer for the Planetary Science Institute, joined the AZ Illustrated team as the co-host of Tuesday’s AZ Illustrated Science edition. Fischer is a journalist who has specialized in science and technology reporting and has a strong interest in writing about space exploration. Fischer is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in journalism. Laura Palmisano joins the AZPM news team as a Reporter/Producer. Palmisano holds a journalism degree with a minor in sustainability and has worked in public broadcasting and for the Cronkite News Service. Maria Taracena, a recent graduate of the UA School of Journalism and freelance writer, was hired as an Online Reporter/Editor.

With these promotions and new appointments, AZPM continues to demonstrate the investment in our staff as well as our continued mission to create, acquire, and distribute high-quality, relevant content for and about Arizona, the University of Arizona, and the Southwest. For more information on employment opportunities with AZPM, please visit https://about.azpm.org/jobs/ or the UA Job Siite.

This month brings the first PBS 6 membership campaign of the new fiscal year. Themed “Cool Summer Nights,” these programs will definitely cool you off from the summer monsoon heat and humidity. Music specials highlight the campaign and include, “60’s Girl Grooves,” with host Mary Wilson of the Supremes, “The Jimmy Dean Show: Country Classics,” hosted by Roy Clark, “Elvis, Aloha from Hawaii,” and “Alfie Boe: Storyteller at the Royal Albert Hall,” just to name a few. Check PBS 6 program schedules for dates and times.

I hope you will keep in mind that your financial support of AZPM is critical in helping to provide you with the award-winning, wide variety of engaging and educational programming that you have grown to expect. Thank you for your viewership, listenership, and continued support.

Sincerely,

Jack Gibson

(1)Metro Average Quarter Hour share, age 12+, Spring 2012 – 2013, ©Arbitron, Inc., ©Radio Research Consortium, Inc.

(2)Metro Average Quarter Hour share, age 50+, Spring 2012 – 2013, ©Arbitron, Inc., ©Radio Research Consortium, Inc.

(3)Metro Average Quarter Hour share, age 12+, 50+, Winter 2013 – Spring 2013, © Arbitron, Inc, ©Radio Research Consortium, Inc.

(4)Metro Cume Persons, 12+, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, © Arbitron, Inc, ©Radio Research Consortium, Inc.