EAST NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — So you know all those people who talk about radio struggling to compete with Spotify or Apple Music?
WMOT-FM proves not all stations are on the decline. Instead, Roots Radio is actually expanding.
"So radio is just such a joy," said WMOT's Program Director, Jessie Scott, while dancing around the new satellite studio in East Nashville.
This new satellite has been a long time coming. Executive Director Val Hoeppner says it has been about four years in the making.
"I think this story is about the power of radio," she said. "And the power of community radio."
It's not just the 100,000 watts of power keeping this Americana NPR station on the air.
"We have listeners and donors in all 50 states and overseas," Hoeppner said.
As Middle Tennessee has grown, a station only in Murfreesboro at MTSU just wasn't fully cutting it anymore. Basically, the traffic on I-24 got so bad they needed to have a spot closer to downtown for artists.
"East Nashville is where the artists live," Hoeppner said. "It's where so many of our players and fans are."
This new space alongside Riverside Revival helps the age group of listeners and performers have better and more access.
"We were very purposeful when we built this space to have a large video space," Hoeppner said. We have a stage. We have a very expensive bunch of video lights."
Those lights will shine on classic artists and the up-and-coming.
"We have people who really know this music, and love this music, care about it, and want to see it continue," Hoeppner said.
Do you have a positive story you'd like to share? You can email me at Austin.Pollack@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
