If you’ve heard me during one of our on-air fundraisers, you’ve probably heard a version of my story before. I wasn’t really that familiar with public radio and NPR until I took a job at the local public radio station during grad school.
I fell in love. As a journalism major and news junky, NPR was my new favorite thing.
But like most graduate school jobs, it was short lived. I moved on to start a career in television news. I switched from being a public radio producer to simply a public radio fan. I became one of those people who annoyed their friends and co-workers by saying all-too frequently, “I heard on NPR…”
As I ended my career in TV news to move to northern New York to be with my husband, I had no idea what my future would hold. But I had this thought at the back of my mind, “maybe I could do something with public radio again.”
Enter WRVO.
When I landed at your public radio station, I knew a lot had changed in the world of news in the nearly 20 years between my two stints in the NPR world. Public radio isn’t just important to fans like me, but also holds an incredibly important place in the local news spectrum.
The role local public radio stations like WRVO play in providing quality regional news that’s important to the community is incredibly valuable -- “now more than ever.”
I know as I move on to the world of academia, the WRVO team will continue to aspire to that goal. Thanks to my colleagues at WRVO and our partner public radio stations throughout upstate for all their help these last five-plus years.
And now I go back to being simply a public radio fan. Soon I’ll be saying to my students all too frequently, “I heard on NPR…”
Catherine Loper, director of news and public affairs, is moving on to teach full-time at SUNY Oswego. While she may be in the building next door, she'll be missed as part of the WRVO family. Everyone at WRVO wishes her luck in her new ventures!