In a few hours I’ll get on a red-eye and take some sort of pill that will help me sleep so I can wake up bright eyed for the first day of the Public Radio Programmer’s Conference. It’s the first time that Life of the Law is officially participating in the conference, and as LOTL’s Executive Director, it’s also my first time attending, what is known in the public radio world, as the year’s big event.
Station managers and programmers, CEOs, editors and program hosts, some who have been coming every year, will present panels and workshops on all things public radio. There’s the opening night celebration sponsored by Georgia Public Radio, and lunch with NPR’s CEO, Gary Knell. (I can’t help but wonder if Mr. Knell will still have that lunch–this weekend, the New York Times reported he’s leaving NPR this fall to take the helm as President and CEO of the National Geographic Society. The NY Times also reported NPR is offering voluntary buyouts to 10% of it’s approximately 800+ staff to deal with it’s $3 million deficit this year.)
On Wednesday night, PRI, NPR and APM are all sponsoring an “Evening with Coca-Cola – to have a Coke” and get a closer lo0k at the vault containing the secret recipe. Not sure, but am definitely attending PRI’s After Party, the “Conversation and Q&A with Garrison Keillor,” “Building a Go-Team,” “Champagne Programming on a Beer Budget” and on Thursday afternoon, will be joining John Haas (Marketplace), Ann Heppermann (AIR) and David Krasnow (Studio 360) for “Getting to Yes: The Art of the Perfect Pitch.” Everyone knows it all comes down to the pitch. Stay tuned.
