“I have a fondness and appreciation for the state of Michigan and for the broadcasters I have worked with and for the idea and the prospect of what broadcasting means,” MSU alumnus Steve Schram tells Russ White on MSU Today in reflecting on his August 2016 induction into the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Schram is the executive director of Michigan Radio.
“It means a lot to me to be able to run a successful broadcast operation that’s focused on news and information and public service – that’s what broadcasting is all about.”
Schram says that, over the years, technology has played an increasing role in how listeners access audio content.
“So we have to be particularly aware of making sure we’re continuing to serve our core audience while we grow the interest from the new generation that perhaps wasn’t raised with a radio in their house or car or who were at least not regular users of radio.
“We have to continue to, which has been the case all along, provide compelling content that people will want to seek out and subscribe to or become loyal to.” And it has to be accessible in as many ways as possible.
Schram talks about some of the different challenges and opportunities facing commercial and public radio outlets and says that when he and his Michigan Radio colleagues come to work each day “we want to create what we consider the dominant news and information service for the state of Michigan – stories that inspire, inform and entertain about what’s important to life in Michigan.”