One of the little jingles that occasionally plays on KNOM goes like this: “This is award-winning radio: KNOM 780AM, 96.1FM, yours for western Alaska.” Every time I hear that seven seconds of simple self-promotion, I smile to myself a little and think that it’s a bit of an understatement.
The other day I was talking to my parents on the phone and giving them a virtual tour of the station, in which I described the lobby, only somewhat jokingly, as the KNOM trophy room. I have to admit that it can be a little daunting to walk into. Or, as my photo above shows, on a sunny day it can be daunting before you even walk in, as the sunlight shines through the window and projects outlines of awards outside.
I remember my first time entering the studio and seeing the rows of Goldies lining the walls and the Gabriels and Crystal Radio Awards on the bookshelves. I was overwhelmed by the evidence of the incredible work of my predecessors. As time has gone on, I find the lobby a much more comfortable place to be and, actually, my favorite place to hang out and work during my Saturday shift. Instead of finding the awards daunting, I feel proud to be a part of the KNOM community, and I hope to create work of the same caliber during my time here.
As Ric reminded us last month when the latest round of Goldies came in, many with the names of last year’s volunteers on them, these awards are really for all of us. It took me some time to fully grasp what that meant, but I think I’ve finally figured it out. These awards not only represent the work of all of us here at the station, but are also representative of our amazing listeners and donors. They are a way to say “thank you” for giving us the resources, opportunities, and stories that make KNOM happen.
Truly, we are YOURS for western Alaska.
