WTIP North Shore Community Radio Selected as “Station of the Year” by Ampers Association
GRAND MARAIS, July 20, 2021 – The Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations (Ampers) announced that WTIP North Shore Community Radio was chosen as “2021 Station of the Year.” The award recognizes overall excellence in public radio broadcasting in Minnesota.
“WTIP is a premier example of community radio not only statewide but nationwide,” Ampers CEO Joel Glaser said. “The station is the only daily source of local information for northeastern Minnesota. This became especially important during the pandemic. WTIP provided listeners with the most accurate and up-to-date information, partnering with city and county officials as well as local health experts to provide content that was relevant specifically to their listening area. They truly deserve being recognized as our Station of the Year.”
WTIP is an independent community station in Grand Marais, Minn. on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Established in 1998, the station’s broadcast range extends from Two Harbors to the tribal community of Grand Portage, including the BWCAW region on the Gunflint Trail. In 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic forced business closures and caused stay-at-home orders, WTIP didn’t miss a single minute of programming. Staff members stepped up to host additional shows and a group of volunteers created music shows and features from home. As one listener explained, “WTIP has maintained a sense of togetherness and community in this era of social distancing through its informative, heartfelt and locally-based news stories. WTIP keeps us radio lovers!”
About the award, Executive Director Matthew Brown stated that, “WTIP’s mission to build community and maintain communications throughout this very unpredictable time has never been more important. This award is a testament to the value of community radio and the role that independent, public radio plays in keeping our community together.”
Ampers is an association of 19 independent community radio stations in Minnesota. Each station is locally managed and programmed by and for the local communities they serve. Ampers has no affiliation with Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) and receives no financial support from MPR.
Staci Drouillard July 20, 2021
