Lakeshore Public Media, which operates Lakeshore PBS and Lakeshore Public Radio, recently held elections of officers for the organizations Community Advisory Board (CAB), which confirmed a new chair and vice chair for the group.
Gary Wilson, a Northwest Indiana native who initially took an interest in Lakeshore Public Radio’s jazz programming, was elected chair for Lakeshore Public Media’s CAB. Wilson said once that door opened, he only found more reasons to support.
“Community is very important. I, like Lakeshore, want to have a positive impact on empowering the community especially where media is concerned. We live in a media-centered environment these days, so it is imperative our local media reflects our culture,” Wilson said. “I want to add to the great work Lakeshore is doing and enhance their fit in our communities.”
Bill Karrow, was elected vice-chair of Lakeshore Public Media’s CAB. Karrow has supported other public broadcasting stations in the past but felt recognition for donations went down as requests for donations went up. Karrow believes Lakeshore provides him the assurance that his efforts make an impact and feels his support is appreciated.
“I am excited about meeting other likeminded individuals, aligning on goals, and pursuing them aggressively. My desire to participate in the Lakeshore CAB was fostered when I experienced firsthand some of the amazing things that Lakeshore does and provides for our community in-studio and out. The segments and series produced by Lakeshore are ones that my family and I love. The content is vastly different than other stations nearby,” Karrow said.
Lakeshore Public Media’s President and CEO James A. Muhammad said the purpose of Lakeshore Public Media’s volunteer CAB is to provide a means to receive invaluable input from community members about programming, community service efforts, and Lakeshore’s impact on communities throughout Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland.
“Our Community Advisory Board is paramount for the success of our station. The board helps us stay aligned with the communities we serve, and the time, efforts, and information these volunteers share with us is valuable beyond measure,” Muhammad said.
CAB groups are a requirement per the Corporation for Public Broadcasting guidelines for community-licensed public broadcasting stations such as Lakeshore Public Media. The board works to advise the station to whether the programming and other policies are meeting the specialized educational and cultural needs of the communities it serves.
CAB secretary, Debbie Rzepczynski, said she is excited to work with the new leaders of Lakeshore’s CAB and help Lakeshore Public Media continue their mission to enrich the lives of people in Northwest Indiana.
“We – the entire CAB – are ready to help Lakeshore Public Media any way we can! Public broadcasting in Northwest Indiana is important to me and many others because diverse ideas are brought to the airwaves and are available to everyone in the Region. There is a lot of good happening in Northwest Indiana and Lakeshore Public Media helps me to become aware of people and places that I never knew existed,” said Rzepczynski.
Rzepczynski encourages citizens of the region to participate in CAB. The next meeting will be beginning Friday, July 22, at 9 a.m. at the LPM offices in Merrillville. More information on Lakeshore’s Community Advisory Board can be found at LakeshorePublicMedia.org/CAB.
Lakeshore Public Media has been a public broadcasting entity based in Northwest Indiana for nearly 35 years. Their mission is to enrich the lives of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana residents through lifelong learning, the celebration of human diversity, and engagement in civic concerns. For more information, visit LakeshorePublicMedia.org.
