Asia Burnett has been named station manager for WKMS, the public radio affiliate at Murray State University, after serving as interim station manager for several months. Her selection was announced by the station and university officials.
“Public radio is all about building community and I’ve been so fortunate to be part of the WKMS community for over a decade,” Burnett said. “I’m excited to see what the future will bring for WKMS and Murray State — two places that will always feel like home for me. Thank you for listening and entrusting me to help in this important work.”
Burnett became interim station manager in July, filling a vacancy created when Chad Lampe left the station to accept a job with another public media organization, PRX.
Burnett began working for WKMS in 2012, first as the underwriting representative, and advanced through other roles, including development director and assistant station manager. She earned a bachelor’s and her MBA degrees at Murray.
The university’s president, Dr. Bob Jackson, said Burnett is “an invaluable part of our Racer family, the public radio sector and throughout our multi-state region.”
Dr. Tim Todd, university provost and vice president for academic affairs, said, “I am very excited about this announcement. Asia has been a tremendous leader in the public broadcast media industry and has done an outstanding job as Interim Station Manager. She will lead WKMS with a clear vision and focus for the station. This is a major step forward for WKMS in order to begin strategic planning and other enhancements.”
WKMS has been recognized for outstanding journalism on a regional and national level with awards from the Public Media Journalists Association.
The Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues presented its 2021 Al Smith Award for public service through community journalism to WKMS. The institute’s director, Al Cross, lauded WKMS as the only newsroom that covers the entire Western Kentucky region.
The station was the first newsroom to receive the award established in honor of rural journalist and former KET “Comment on Kentucky” host Al Smith, who died in March 2021. Since the award was created in 2011, all of the other recipients have been individuals.
WKMS and Hoptown Chronicle collaborate on news coverage through a story-sharing agreement.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
