Recently I scrolled through the 955 emails I have filed in my TSPR/NPR folder. I was trying to recall when we started this version of the Women’s Voices series. I asked Janice Welsch about the history. She coordinates all the commentaries, and I dare say, is the genius behind the current series.
Jan reminded me that the idea started with Judy Kohler, sometime in the 1990s. Judy worked in Chicago in various capacities, but she lived in Macomb many years and was very involved in the Macomb community, especially with feminists here.
Later, Judy helped convince Phyllis Farley Rippey to take over the series, which she did until she was appointed Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at WIU in 1995.
All that to say, the first email I found about my participation was an August 13, 2015 message about a meeting to lay out the list of commentators for that year. Rebekah Buchanan and Barbara Lawhorn, both English Department faculty at Western, were among the first to join me as regular commentators.
This year marks the 10th year of the Women’s Voices series. It airs every Thursday, September through May on Tri States Public Radio and can also be found on their website.
These commentaries are all written by women from around the region. Over the years we have worked hard to increase our diversity by including more voices of African American, Asian American, and Latina women. Using the social networks of TSPR General Manager Heather Norman and TSPR regional reporter Jane Carlson, we always seem to find new voices for the series. This year’s contributors include some familiar and some new voices. I am looking forward to listening to all of them this season.
This series is not the only local programming produced by TSPR. Others include the classical music program Ovation, the award-winning podcast Welcome to Forgottonia, and one of my favorites, Folk Weekend.
Unfortunately, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is the conduit for federal funds to NPR and PBS, announced August 1st, that it is beginning to wind down its operations given that President Trump signed a law clawing back $1.1 billion in funding for public broadcasting through fiscal year 2027.
These recent cuts will not only affect local programming, but TSPR’s ability to purchase nationally produced programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Public radio remains an essential service for rural Americans across broadcast and digital platforms and continues to keep us informed. TSPR is the first thing I listen to in the morning. When my children were little, TSPR was the first place that let me know if school was cancelled or delayed. TSPR also informs me about what’s happening outside my small town. Jane Carlson’s reporting on Monmouth College’s plan to downsize its offerings is a great example of this.
As I opened the TSPR homepage today, I was bombarded by a wealth of local news. And let’s not forget those all-important local weather updates. When severe weather threatens the region, TSPR is the place to listen to for alerts and updates.
All this information is important to those of us who live in the region. Our airwaves connect us. If you haven’t already, please donate now to keep us connected.
Heather McIlvaine-Newsad is a Professor of Anthropology at Western Illinois University. Her research focuses on collaborative action for sustainability.
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the university or TSPR.
Diverse viewpoints are welcomed and encouraged.