It didn't take long for KRCU to partner with Harvest Public Media after the initial outreach.
"[Talk of partnership] came up quickly," Jacob McCleland, host and news producer at KRCU, said. "They mentioned it to us in December. I think it's something we've all kind of bounced around on each other for maybe a year. They asked if we would be interested in formally becoming associate members."
KRCU is located in Serena Building on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. KRCU broadcasts from two separate stations 24 hours a day and to 1.9 million people in their listening area. KRCU is an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media and is now a partner with Harvest Public Media.
KRCU formally the student-run radio station on Southeast's campus. It has since become an NPR station. KRCU hires students to perform announcing duties on air and also offers internships to interested students.
Harvest Public Media is a journalism company that's focused on agriculture. It's based out of KCUR in Kansas City but has full-time reporters in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa and Illinois. Harvest Public Media uses member stations such as KRCU to broadcast over the radio, but also uses other facets of media such as the internet and television. Reporters from Harvest Public Media's member stations are used as full-time reporters. McCleland has produced stories for Harvest Public Media, but KRCU doesn't have a full-time reporter for them at this time.
KRCU already had a working relationship with Harvest Public Media before the two parties began talking about a partnership. The partnership between KRCU and Harvest Public Media began in mid-January.
"I've worked for Harvest Public Media before. I've freelanced a few stories for them, and we would air some of their stories from time to time as well," McCleland said. "So I already had a working relationship with them."
McCleland explained that the partnership will benefit KRCU because the station will get more content from the Midwest that can be broadcast, and since the Cape Girardeau area is a big farming area it would be beneficial to the community.
"It benefits us because we'll get more Midwestern content to augment what we already have with 'Morning Edition,' 'All Things Considered' and 'Going Public,'" McCleland said. "Harvest Public Media has several stations throughout the Midwest that focus on food and agriculture. That's a good fit for us considering we're in a highly agricultural area, being able to provide some more agricultural content for our listeners."
KRCU is not gaining any special shows from Harvest Public Media but will promote them during their normal shows. KRCU will gain access to stories and audio clips that can be run during its normal programming schedule.
"I'll continue to file stories with them from time to time," McCleland said. "I think it's kind of opening the door a little bit maybe for some more reporting from southeast Missouri that will be heard throughout the country."
More information about Harvest Public Media can be found at harvestpublicmedia.org and more information about KRCU can be found at krcu.org.
