WXLV's Youth Radio

When it comes to licensing youth-made radio, WXLV blows everyone else out of the water. And when we contacted Program Director Burr Beard, we discovered just how trailblazing they are over there: Every Friday, WXLV puts together an hour-long special exclusively of youth radio pieces, almost all from PRX. It's an exciting model with big implications. Burr filled us in how the station makes it work.

Generation PRX: What prompted WXLV to start a youth show?

Burr Beard: My 10 year old daughter's teacher talked to me once about how much she enjoyed the youth radio "shows" on public radio. She meant the segments on NPR News that are aired as part of the larger "shows." But a whole show of youth media
features intrigued me. I thought if I could work with teachers to have their students produce pieces, I could fill out an hour with a diverse mix of features downloaded from PRX. Getting students to produce radio in traditional classrooms has been difficult, although I have tried with a poly sci course by offering weekly NPR content rundowns which are emailed to me, to spark interest.

Formerly with WDIY 88.1FM in Bethlehem, PA, I helped start a youth media program. This is the way to go - to set up a program with the goal to produce, not just to broadcast. We have begun to air some WDIY Youth produced features.

Our weekly one hour Youth Radio show is produced soley by an LCCC Digital Media student intern. He or she is my content depot operations manager for the semester. 10 hours of NPR, PRI, PRX and independent programmng are downloaded and custom fitted to go into weekend automation for unattended operation. The intern introduces the show and each downloaded segment, usually from PRX. The descriptive information that comes with the program on the PRX website is very important for the show and for tracking public affairs issues broadcast on WXLV for the station public file.

GPRX: What kind of pieces do you look for? What advice would you give to young producers?

BB: I like the real down to earth audio documentary style pieces woven together with natural sound and the voice of a curious host/producer. This content is great because it is so different from normal radio. Public radio makes you think because it takes you to new and different worlds. I love it because I never want to become complacent. I think new young producers should start out by writing exactly about what interests them. Learn good basic radio productions techniques and produce. But by the second piece, the young person can apply this new skill to an issue of community-wide importance that also really interests them. This is what the general public radio audeince will probably like to hear about. Controversial issues? The more the better.

GPRX: Do you have a sense of who's listening to the youth radio show? Has there been any response or feedback?

BB: Well, I know that my daughter's teacher is listening! We have heard from many high school students in our Allentown-Bethehem-Easton, PA market, who relate to what they've heard on the Youth Radio show. I can remember one negative reaction from an older gentleman who thought there were illegal aliens at the station while a PRX feature on immigration reform aired.

GPRX: How did you get involved with PRX? Does PRX provide all the programming for the Youth Radio hour?

BB: PRX is a great resource, for any public radio station, it's a natural to belong. I want to produce more locally, but in a way it's nice to air a full PRX accessed show. We proudly explain and credit PRX at the end of each show.

GPRX: What would you say to other stations that are thinking of using PRX to start a youth show?

BB: Listen to our show online. Think about how your could start and then improve upon the idea. Research stations with youth radio producing programs. You have to figure early on how you are going to sustain the program week to week. I couldn't do it with out an intern.

The Youth Radio Hour airs Fridays on WXLV at 6 p.m. Listen to WXLV online.