Morning Star Rotary welcomed Margaret McConnell, Executive Director of WDIY 88.1, Lehigh Valley Public Radio to our May 21, 2026 meeting. Margaret presented an overview of the radio station's history, mission, and content offerings. She explained that WDIY 88.1 is a 31-year-old nonprofit station covering the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas, featuring a mix of music (75% non-commercial) and spoken word content including NPR news and local programming. The station hosts local artists and maintains about 30 podcasts. Margaret noted an increase in featuring local artists through on-air interviews and underwriting opportunities.
She described the diverse range of podcast programs offered by their station, including popular shows like Lehigh Valley Art Salon, The Inside Dish, and Plan Lehigh Valley, as well as newer additions such as Trailblazers and Twenties Toolbox. Margaret highlighted the station's focus on community voices, with many programs curated by local residents and featuring content ranging from arts and local business to environmental issues and youth programming. She noted challenges with capacity constraints affecting production and airtime availability, and mentioned plans to potentially expand collaboration with PBS 39 for digital content.
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