Annual Audit, FCC Annual Public File, EEO Reports, & CPB Compliance

Audit Information:

WKMS/Murray State University Community Representation Statement:

As part of the educational mission of Murray State University, WKMS focuses on the cornerstone of public radio – a mission to serve and inform all people: a diverse audience of inquisitive listeners including people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, generations, political persuasions, ethnicities, genders, ability levels, interests, and tastes.

Being in a predominantly rural region, WKMS is uniquely positioned to reflect the lived experiences of America’s rural populations. And to provide an outlet for global, national, and cultural news that is freely accessible to all, with no paywalls.

How do we do that?

News:
Reflect diversity in our sources, stories, and non-partisan coverage. Strive to hire reporters from different lived experiences when we can. And remember to reflect the make-up of our region in terms of stories that focus on agriculture, economics, health, infrastructure, education, etc.

People from underrepresented backgrounds need not just be interviewed as an example of their identity group, but can be incorporated in all stories – with their identity group not being their sole defining factor. We seek to understand and highlight that many of these identities are on a spectrum and can be dynamic. There is no monolith or “one size fits all.” We can be a safe space for open conversations, while shining a light on injustice and providing a lens for solutions and understanding to emerge. Ethical, inclusive, thoughtful, and transparent journalism is a must.

Culture:

WKMS offers cultural experiences that enhance the music landscape in our region, and introduces students, staff, and community members to new horizons and enriches their lives. By serving as a source of music discovery in genres not easily accessible elsewhere on the radio – from classical to bluegrass to jazz to alternative to world music and beyond – WKMS expands the cultural knowledge and understanding of our communities.

WKMS strives to offer an equitable platform and submission process for local musicians, and seeks out musicians of diverse backgrounds and of diverse genres. The station recognizes the importance of overcoming personal biases and preferences to offer inclusive music programming that represents musical tastes of diverse community members.

Community:

Understanding that we live in communities that may lack the diversity of larger cities, we strive to partner with local organizations that can help our staff grow in their knowledge and communication with individual populations in our coverage area. This may include groups like the NAACP, National Organization for Women, Trail of Tears Commission, Paducah Cooperative Ministry, Cinema Systers Film Festival, and veterans groups.

We want everyone to hear their voices reflected on the air, whether it’s in the form of Poetry Minutes, essay recordings, Mental Health Awareness pieces, or even song choices.

Leadership/Staff:
As a public radio service, WKMS recognizes that diversity in perspectives and lived experiences adds value to the station and its work, and aims to achieve diverse representation in every level of the organization, including its staff members, student workers, sources for content, nonprofit partners, and its Community Advisory Board. There is still much work to do, but the WKMS community and staff inherently value inclusion and belonging. It is our goal for everyone on the team and everyone who listens to feel that their voice has value.

We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, post jobs to a variety of interest groups, and adhere to all EEO policies. Murray State’s Board of Regents has representatives from a variety of backgrounds and can be seen here.

The diversity of the WKMS staff is recorded annually in our EEO Report. That report can be found here.

EEO Information:

WKMS

WKMD

WKMT

Murray State University Board of Regents Meeting Schedule.

WKMS is licensed to Murray State University.

The MSU Board of Regent Meetings are held in the west Board Room upstairs in Pogue Library and include a Public Access Opportunity. The board's meeting schedule is available here.

A list of board members is located here.

Quarterly Programs and Issues Reports (xls)

You can find public inspection information filed with the Federal Communications Commission online for the following: WKMS, WKMD and WKMT.

Archive years:
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

SAS 2024.pdf