KSOI garners national attention

MURRAY – The community thought it was special when Iowa news station KCCI came to town to learn more about the community radio station, KSOI 91.9 FM. Tuesday morning, representatives from a national program, NBC Nightly News, stopped by Murray and Osceola for a follow-up aimed at a much wider audience.

“They left a message on our answering machine, and I listened to it twice,” said station manager Kim Romero.

The station kept their plans under tight wraps. Even those involved in the station’s operations weren’t sure when and where the news crews were arriving until the weekend.

Coverage started with a stop at the Murray Community Schools, where high school students involved the publications class and the student government are routinely involved in radio broadcasts.

“We get to record here at the school. We have a little iPod and we can send it in,” said Hailey Chew.

Most recordings are made Tuesday morning and then set to run starting the following day on the station, typically around 7:25 a.m. Other students recite the pledge and read student announcements on air.

According to Murray Superintendent Alan Miller, one of the reasons the Mustang Corral began was to help students with articulation and with developing the habit of asking good follow-up questions.

“We usually go with the basics — the how, what, why, when and where,” said Alyssa Martin, co-editor of publication staff.

Interviews only last a few minutes.

“I feel like a lot of people now are getting more involved in what we’re doing,” said Martin. “If they listen to the radio, which in Murray they probably do, I think more people are listening and getting involved. You stay updated with all the news.”

The NBC crews then moved on to the Murray station, located in an impressive victorian home on Maple Street, and then onto Osceola to meet with local radio personalities.

Dr. Jim Kimball, who records his Old Doc Kimball segment weekly for KSOI, said the segment would likely run Sunday, March 12, at 5:30 p.m.