A group of former and current radio professionals have launched a nonprofit organization Friends of Georgia Radio to provide scholarships for would-be broadcasters, chronicle Georgia radio history and hold social events.
The organization now has a website and is planning its first gala in August to raise money and disseminate student scholarships.
“There’s no farm team anymore in radio,” said Dennis Winslow, the group’s vice president and a long-time radio consultant who was once a jock on pop station 94Q (now Star 94) and program director at oldies station Fox 97 and rock station Z93. “We wanted to do something to give back. We want to reach out to college kids who want to go into broadcasting and maybe offer mentoring and scholarships to help a little.”
Winslow said they have already raised $6,000 and plan to give $1,500 scholarships to worthy students with that beginning amount. The organization will seek more donors going down the road and may plan fundraisers.
The group’s president is Richard Warner, who used to work at 11Alive, WSB radio and Georgia Radio News Service.
Other radio professionals involved include weatherman John Wetherbee (Fox 97), radio consultant Eric Seidel (who once ran news/talk WGST-AM in its heyday), Alyssa Young (formerly at Alt 105.7), Benji Kurtz (Oconee Radio Group), Bob Raleigh (Westwood One, Cumulus), Dale Van Cantfort (Grady College of Journalism) and Tim Johnson (HEH Communications, Clear Channel).
Winslow said they want to create social activities and build an online museum to ensure Georgia radio history is honored.
This organization is separate from the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame, run by John Long, which has inducted worthy Georgia radio professionals for the past 15 years.
“Many of us are in the Hall of Fame and we are respectful of what he created,” Winslow said.
Long responded thusly: “I have no opinion one way or the other.”
The organization also plans to create podcasts featuring Georgia radio talent, executives and engineers.
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