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10 Questions with ... Lindsay Kimball
June 15, 2015
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Lindsay Kimball is an overnights host and APD for 89.3 The Current. She started with The Current 10 years ago as an intern and has grown with the station. In addition to working with the music department to shape the music on The Current, she has produced The Current in-studios and remote broadcasts, including shows from Bonnaroo, SXSW and Rock the Garden; and launches initiatives such as Schell's The Current Beer, Local Current webstream and the live event series The Current Road Trip. Before joining The Current, she was host and music director for KWLC, Luther College, IA. She graduated from Luther College with a B.A. in communications and psychology.
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I became immersed in the local music scene of Minneapolis and St. Paul as a high schooler because of radio. I would stay up late to listen to the Loud and Local show, and I went to as many shows as I could. By the time I got to college, I wanted to find a way to share these awesome bands with more people, and radio was the way to do it. I started with a Saturday night shift on KWLC 1240AM and picked up any extra shifts I could. I became MD and spent most of my free time at the station. I'm still in touch with each new crop of students at the station.
2. Who were/are your mentors?
My first radio prof, Jen Cantine, was my first introduction to radio, but I have learned a lot from The Current's first PD, Steve Nelson, and our current PD, Jim McGuinn.
3. What are some the resourced from Minnesota Public Radio can you tap into?
MPR is part of American Public Media Group. With our suite of national programs, and news and classical programming, we have easy access to all kinds of information for our audience. If there is a weather event, we can reach out to the meteorologist. If there is breaking news, we have a team of reporters that can stop up and explain what is going on to our audience. If one of the national programs has a guest in, we can usually piggy-back on that, and have them in for an interview or Theft of the Dial (radio takeover). We are also lucky to have fantastic facilities, so when a band comes in to do a session, they are proud of what they recorded.
4. Tell us about some of the stations most success benchmark promotions.
Last year we partnered with August Schell Brewing Company and created a beer together: Schell's The Current. We paired the beer with music, so there were six tracks from local bands that were available for download. We had those bands play our beer release events. It was a great combination of local music, local radio, and local beer, and it had our brand in front of a large audience.
5. What other things are you doing to generate market penetration?
The Current is actively involved in the community at events and concerts, and supporting the local music scene. We do it because we're passionate about it!
6. What has been your biggest career highlight?
Actually, the release of the beer was a huge project that I was really proud to lead. It melded my passion of music and beer into one, and it was awesome to see our beer on shelves and in the hands our listeners at concerts.
7. Of all the skills you have gained so far, is there an area you'd like to improve?
There's always room for improvement! I never want to stop growing or learning.
8. What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
Radio is competing with more than just radio, and it means we need to make sure our content is always compelling and relevant to our audience. We can do something that is totally off the wall as long as we bring the audience along with us.
9. If you wanted to completely change careers today, what would you do?
I'd probably look to work with a brewery. Ha!
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day ...
... without coffee. I tried for a week, and that wasn't smart.
Bonus Questions
Last non-industry job:
I worked at a day care center in high school and college, and then I started at The Current as an intern a week out of college.
First record ever purchased:
Michael Jackson "Bad" I saved up all my birthday money to buy the cassette!
First concert:
Bush with Veruca Salt opening at The Target Center. April 28th, 1997.
Favorite band of all-time:
The Avett Brothers or Bon Iver. It a tie.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?
Brewing beer, visiting breweries, and drinking beer with my husband.
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