9/1/2011:
Margaret Mead once said "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." On this date in 1981, a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens were excited to begin changing their piece of the world in North Dakota. Today marks the thirtieth anniversary of Bismarck’s first public radio station.
The staff celebrated with champagne at five thirty am – they were on the air. The first live voice was Dave Thompson saying “Well, here we are, and are we glad.” They were very glad—and so were many listeners. That morning, a woman called in crying to tell them how overjoyed she was to hear “Johann Sebastian Bach on the prairie.” She would become a volunteer classical music host. Later in the day, a man called to offer daily stock market reports as a volunteer. Others called just to say thank you. The community was excited about public radio, and many of them wanted to contribute. Later, Prairie Public’s radio stations would be named the number one participant-supported radio service in the US, with nine and a half hours of weekly programming done by volunteers.
But there was also some confusion leading up to their first broadcast. A common question was “where can I buy a ‘Public Radio?’”
Dennis Murphy, a loyal listener and supporter for thirty years, says he had no idea what NPR was, but some friends were very excited. What sold him was the news coverage.
Joanne Pearson, another early listener, found Tom Regan’s selection of commercial-free classical music both “restful and challenging.” Others loved the night-time jazz, or connection public radio provided to the big city – they could have rural lives while Morning Edition and All things Considered brought them a taste of all things cosmopolitan.
When Edi Falk, the station manager, told her contacts at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that the station would be on the air by September first, they burst out laughing, but Falk’s group of thoughtful, committed citizens rose to the challenge.
And one of those challenges was a tower across the street blocking the satellite feed. They scrambled to install a “conical horned antenna.” That was the official name, but Edi Falk called it a thirty foot long ice cream cone. This ice cream cone saved their deadline. After the success on September first, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting apologized for the skepticism.
KCND went on to become part of the statewide “Prairie Public” radio network.
Dakota Datebook written by Leewana Thomas
Sources:
http://www.prairiepublic.org/home/about/1980s
Interviews with – Dave Thompson: news director, Edi Falk: original station manager, Tom Regan: original music director, Becky Jones Mahlum: reporter at the radio station for three years, later the executive producer of television, Dennis Murphy: supporter of PPB for thirty years, Joanne Pearson: long-time supporter of PPB.