Johns Hopkins Gazette: January 13, 1997 Form

Public Radio
Veteran New
GM At WJHU

Raymond G. Dilley will
build on station's appeal,
ties to university
Raymond G. Dilley, founding president of Vermont Public Radio and first director of National Public Radio's international service, has been appointed general manager of WJHU-FM.

Dilley, an officer of Eastern Public Radio for 10 years while he was in Vermont, takes charge as the university-owned public radio station celebrates its 10th anniversary. He replaces Dennis Kita, an original member of the station staff who left last summer to take a position with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

"WJHU sits in an enviable position," Dilley said. "It is associated with a major university and broadcasts to a community rich in cultural and civic activity, giving us a unique wealth of programming resources. Those resources will help us provide a strong and healthy mix of national and local programs and an opportunity to share our community with public radio audiences across the country."

WJHU, which airs at 88.1 on the FM dial, switched in the summer of 1995 from a mixed news and classical music format to a weekday lineup dominated by news, public affairs and cultural affairs programming. The new consistency of the station's appeal to listeners throughout the day has led to record audiences, including an average last summer of 117,000 a week and 5,900 at any one time.

Dilley's challenge now is to continue improving the quality of the station's sound, to offer more locally oriented programming and to convert the new listeners into supporting members of the station, said Dennis O'Shea, executive director of communications and public affairs at the university and chair of the search committee that selected Dilley.

"Ray knows the challenges that face the station, both financial and programmatic, and he is enthusiastic about addressing them," said Steven Knapp, provost of the university and chairman of WJHU's new advisory board.

"In particular," Knapp said, "he is keenly aware of the desire expressed by many listeners for closer connections--in programming and in other areas--between WJHU and Johns Hopkins, and between WJHU and the community at large."

From its creation in 1976 until 1993, Dilley was the chief executive officer of Vermont Public Radio, a statewide network of stations respected throughout public radio for its audience loyalty and strong financial performance. He joined NPR in 1993 to launch its first broadcast service outside the United States. In 1995 he won an award from the Society of Satellite Professionals for innovative use of new technology in establishing that service.


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