Prairie Public History

It’s the end of an era. After nearly six decades of service to listeners, Prairie Public Director of Radio Bill Thomas is retiring. He is the first — and so far, the only — director of the statewide operation. Ashley Thornberg sits down with Bill to look back at his career.

Michael Miller of the NDSU Germans from Russia Heritage Collection and television producer Matt Olien join Main Street to honor the late Bob Dambach, who dedicated 35 years of his life to Prairie Public.

Prairie Public’s News Director Dave Thompson has been a familiar voice to North Dakota for 40 years — delivering newscasts every morning as we cook breakfast, drive to work, or ride to school.Not only is Dave the first voice North Dakota hears every morning, but the first voice ever to grace Prairie Public’s radio network when KCND-FM in Bismarck went live on September 1, 1981.

Prairie Public has been broadcasting original and PBS television programs since 1964, but on this date in 1981, Prairie Public added radio when KCND 90.5 FM in Bismarck began broadcasting. And from the start, it was a member station of National Public Radio, which had been established ten year earlier.

You don’t have to listen to Prairie Public for very long before you hear News Director Dave Thompson. He’s known as the dean of the North Dakota press…