Journalism Class Takes Over WKDZ 106.5
By: Alyssa Pittman
The Journalism and Mass Media class attended a field trip in Cadiz, Kentucky to explore the award-winning WKDZ radio station. In 2020, WKDZ-FM was named the top radio station in Kentucky, winning the coveted Kentucky Station of the Year from the Kentucky Broadcaster’s Association. The news station has received many other awards from various sources and continues to be highly active in their community. WKDZ has hosted many different community service projects; their latest one was a fan drive to help the citizens of Cadiz battle the increasingly hot summers. The scholars were honored to be able to experience the day in the life of radio station staff.
WKDZ welcomed the GSP community with open arms, sharing their passions with the class. The scholars were given the opportunity to go live on the radio; the scholars introduced themselves and gave their insight into the Journalism and Mass Media focus area. One of the Journalism scholars, Diya, presented the weather on live air. The staff answered every question about their careers in detail.
The staff explained radio music selection, detailing how they choose music based on popularity, citizen feedback, and veteran opinions (which are highly valued as Cadiz is located next to Fort Campbell, a military base.) The radio station covers many events and tragedies. The reporters spoke about how they have to set aside their morals to report facts to the audience, explaining that being a journalist is a full-time job. They shared if there is a car wreck they are often there before the emergency responders.
The owner told a story of how when she was little it was always her dream to be in the radio business, and now her dream has become a reality. The owner worked very hard with one of her close mentors who left the business to her in their passing. The radio station is one of the only sources of news in Cadiz, so many locals rely on the program to receive real time news from WKDZ. WKDZ focuses on the fact that they are real people, who, unlike many large corporations, really do care for their community. The radio covers tons of high school athletic events in the KHSAA because they care about their local schools. The staff expressed how this is not just a business, it’s a family.
Staff at the radio explained how the WKDZ promotes local business, brings in music artists, and, most importantly, promotes itself. The head of marketing at WKDZ discussed the process of letting businesses buy spots on their website in order to generate profit. Social media is crucial for the radio station, as that is how they promote different businesses. The social media director at WKDZ runs many social media pages for small businesses in Cadiz. The journalism scholars learned a great deal about the real-world practice of journalism.