WKSU members are the people who have made a commitment to keeping public radio strong in Northeast Ohio with their financial support. Enjoy this series of profiles introducing you to listeners who make a difference.
WKSU MEMBER: Jenna Bates
CURRENT CITY: Stow, Ohio
HOMETOWN: Kinsman, Ohio
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO WKSU?: I’ve been listening to WKSU to some extent for at least 30 years; I can’t really remember a time when I didn’t know about it. I’ve become a regular listener since we gave up cable about four or five years ago.
WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BECOME A WKSU MEMBER?: Although I’ve listened to WKSU off and on for most of my adult life, I didn’t become an official member until the 2016 election when it was more important than ever to support responsible journalism.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PROGRAM ON WKSU?: I mostly listen to Morning Edition. I particularly enjoy Mark’s Almanac and Shuffle.
WHAT TIME OF DAY IS "YOUR TIME" TO LISTEN TO WKSU?: I generally listen in the morning.
IF YOU WERE TRAPPED IN AN ELEVATOR WITH SOMEONE YOU HEAR ON WKSU, WHO WOULD BE YOUR FIRST PICK?: I don’t really want to be trapped in an elevator, but if I had to be, I’d choose Kabir Bhatia as my fellow prisoner because I think we could have a really interesting conversation to pass the time, and I’m sure I’d learn a lot.
CAN YOU NAME A SPECIAL MEMORY YOU HAVE OF LISTENING TO WKSU?: I don’t have any particular memory that comes to mind, but I can tell you that I cry every time I hear the stories on StoryCorps. This usually happens while I’m applying my mascara in the morning. That can make my morning tricky.
CAN YOU NAME ALL OF THE DEVICES YOU USE TO LISTEN TO WKSU?: I listen on my smart speaker and on my car radio.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC RADIO AND WKSU?: My hope is that public radio continues to deliver top-quality, relevant journalism in the face of disconcerting attacks on the free press. In this new world where facts don’t seem to matter anymore, we need true professional journalists to tell us again and again that they do.