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Pogue leaving public radio station KRNM
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Posted on Aug 12 2008
With station manager Carl Pogue leaving island this week, KRNM will be left with questions about the station’s future.
Pogue, who worked at KRNM for the last nine years, is moving to Missouri to continue his education at Southeast Missouri State University, before hopefully working in the U.S. State Department’s foreign service, he said.
“I’ve had a wonderful time and a great run,” Pogue said.
Under Pogue’s guidance, the station, based at the Northern Marianas College, has provided news, a variety of music and locally produced shows dealing with community issues.
“I’ve been running it by myself, trying to run as streamlined a production as possible,” Pogue said.
The station will not play any original content once Pogue leaves. The station will play NPR and BBC through an online stream, and use a satellite to play Radio Australia through the end of September or beginning of October, he said.
“It will be heavily automated at that time,” he said. “People at the college will monitor and make sure the equipment works.”
Earlier this year, NMC said they would no longer be able to cover the costs of running the station.
NMC’s Board of Regents will discuss the future of the station at their next meeting on Aug. 28, Pogue said.
“NMC has never wanted to shut the station down. They just can’t fund it,” he said.
Pogue said he hopes NMC will transfer the station license and public radio will remain a part of the CNMI.
“I feel public radio is one of the great civic institutions of any market,” he said.
Pogue said he plans on returning to Saipan, but more than likely only as a visitor.
“I’ve felt really fortunate to have had this opportunity,” he said. “I feel like I’ve grown up here. I really feel like I’m leaving having done all the things I’ve wanted to do.”
