TALK RADIO PROVIDES COMMUNITY SERVICE

Tom Becka spoke to Club members and guests about his work at talk radio. As a radio personality at KFAB in Omaha, Becka hosts a talk radio show each afternoon. He explained he directs his show to issues of personal concern to listeners. Becka maintains that talk radio today is a community resource and is a substitute for the family discussions around the kitchen table or the neighborhood discussions on the front porch of years past. Talk radio also provides a service of announcements and weather. While his target audience is the age 25-54 group, split between male and female, Becka noted his audience is about 60% male and over 30. Becka explained that he always wanted to be in broadcasting as a youth. He started his career at the radio station at UNO. His gift of talk has led him to the work of talk radio. Becka explained he prepares for his afternoon show by reading several news sources, scanning TV news, and conversing with friends and associates. The broadcast media is changing Becka noted. It is becoming more interactive and more global. In the near future radio broadcasts will be available on the internet. But, global communication originates from a specific location and there is a need for local emphasis to be of interest. Becka stated he wanted to broaden his media work to become a writer. He said the ‘cool factor’ of his work is interviewing well know personalities. The issue of what should be broadcast is always at the forefront of each show, Becka noted. He feels the public right to know defines our society and he prefers to error on the side of the First Amendment.