She’s the second major market PD to be hired from within in the last week…
By Paul Marszalek
TheTop22.com
Lindsay Kimball moves back across the hall at Minnesota Public Radio to take the role of Program Director at the Twin Cities’ KCMP/The Current.
Kimball was most recently the Director of Regional Membership for MPR.
“I’m beyond excited to work with the amazing team at The Current again. Programming radio is my passion, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen this amazing service and music community partner,” said Kimball.
She’s the second major-market Triple A public radio program director to be hired from within in the last seven days. Last week, WTMD/Baltimore upgraded Carrie Evans to PD.
This may be less coincidence and more of a trend.
In speaking with multiple senior managers, several point to problems in identifying and luring talent to their organizations. They cite issues such as being handcuffed by static salaries that now challenge a living wage as inflation skyrockets. Further, the radio talent pipeline has largely collapsed in the past two decades as small market jobs disappeared, replaced by automation, and digital careers were seen as more attractive for up-and-comers.
Many GMs are concerned as they lose their A-list talent to podcast shops and other opportunities outside the public media system.
As a result, managers may increasingly be forced to “grow their own” – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Rewarding those who’ve paid their dues within the organization can be a huge positive for employee engagement.
Kimball started with The Current as an intern in 2005.
(Main page photo of Lindsay Kimball by Sara Fish)