Education

Commentaries

WKMS welcomes community members to self-voice self-authored compositions that express opinion, introspection or humor on topics of interest and importance to our audience. If you have an opinion, interest or review you'd like to share with WKMS listeners, please see the guidelines below. The views expressed in commentaries are the opinion of the commentator and don't necessarily reflect the views of WKMS.The station will review every script before it is recorded with respect to:Libel or slander.Content that is more promotional than provocative.Accuracy.Personal attacks and ad hominem attacks.Political or religious content that promotes rather than informs.Appropriate usage, language and form for civil discourse.The station will assist authors with:Making appropriate edits.Bringing the communication to proper time length, generally about 600 words or 3 to 4 minutes of spoken word.Recording the communication in the WKMS studio (unless other arrangements that yield equally acceptable audio are agreed to).Editing the communication and placing it in the WKMS schedule.WKMS will require authors to provide the station a final script that will be filed in the news department and will be placed on the station's web site.WKMS will need authors to provide a suggested introduction for each communication as well as a standard announcer outro script that includes author name, general place of residence, and whatever other personal information might lend authority or authenticity to the communication.WKMS will schedule produced communications and inform the author of time(s). Generally these are aired three times each, but the rotation is solely at the discretion of the station.WKMS will refuse to air communications that violate rules of the Federal Communications Commission for non-commercial, educational stations. Further, WKMS will refuse to air communications that would, for any reason, undermine its goodwill with the audience it serves.If you find these terms agreeable, please email msu.wkmsnews@murraystate.edu to schedule a time in a studio to record.

"I support WKMS because they support me"

WKMS | By Matt Markgraf

Published May 13, 2009 at 3:40 PM CDT

By Rusty Jones

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-837232.mp3

Murray, KY – My name is Rusty Jones. I'm an English professor at Murray State University and a recent transplant to Kentucky.

My first experience with the region was a lovely late afternoon drive from Nashville airport in late January, 2008. As opposed to January 2009, there was no ice to fight my way through; just brilliant skies and a light frost. As I crossed the Kentucky border, I thought about the quality of life I hoped to find there. I had three qualities in mind: kind people, beautiful scenery, and a strong sense of community. I stopped for dinner in Cadiz, and after a brief chat with the locals, I felt good about quality number one.

As I drove over the Land Between the Lakes, straight into a gorgeous orange sunset, I felt satisfied with quality number two. And just as I began to suspect that I was hopelessly lost, I came into Murray, and like magic, my radio's scanner stopped flipping and rested on WKMS. After a few minutes' listening, I felt satisfied with quality number three. Soon after I got the job, I became a supporter of WKMS as a contributor, as a ledge drive phone volunteer, and I've even written a few promotional segments for the station.

I became so involved because WKMS supports what I value most: the sense of community for this city, for the Purchase area, for their whole broadcast region. While I was pleased to find all my old NPR favorites in my new hometown, All Things Considered, A Prairie Home Companion, Car Talk, I was genuinely interested in programs like The Front Page that highlight local interests. I was also very impressed by WKMS' commitment to the local arts' scene. For example, last March, when we were making the final arrangements for The Murray Shakespeare Festival, this station was generous enough to help me produce fifteen segments I had written with Dr. Barbara Cobb entitled "A Minute with Shakespeare."

WKMS has consistently offered such novel, informative, entertaining and enlightening material specifically designed to benefit our community, which is not the case for every NPR affiliated station around the US; trust me, as a person who has moved many times, I know. And although I'm sure you're tired of being reminded this, the January ice storm made this station's commitment to the welfare of our community very clear. I know I wasn't the only one huddled over the WKMS website in a tiny hotel room in Clarksville, Tennessee waiting for the latest updates on my neighborhood, my town, my region. And WKMS came through for me, and so I do my best to come through for them.

In short, I support WKMS because they support me, and not just me, but all of us. Please join me in supporting a key part of what makes our community so strong. Please give what you can to WKMS.

Here's the number to call: 800-599-4737.