WFHB FireHouse Broadcasting

Bloomington Community Radio, WFHB, announces the hiring of January Jones as the station’s new assistant news director.

“We’re delighted to have January on board,” said WFHB news director Chad Carrothers. “Having another staffer in the news department will help us expand our already substantial coverage of local news, and bring a fresh perspective to that coverage.”

WFHB already provides Bloomington’s only half-hour daily local newscast. In addition, the station offers an hour of locally-produced public affairs programming from 6-7 p.m. each weekday evening, ranging from “Bring It On!”  (dealing with topics of interest to the African-American community) to “Hola Bloomington” (the area’s only hour-long Spanish-language public affairs program).

“I’ve been impressed with the volunteer powered reporting and realize WFHB is a place where we all contribute to the community dialogue,” Jones said. “Worldwide community media organizations like WFHB are key for democratic and fair communities. I am so lucky to be a part of that right here in Indiana.”

Jones will also assist with the station’s collaborative news venture with Community Access Television Services, “CATS Week,” which went on the air earlier this month. The program will offer a weekly half-hour summary of local city, county, school, and other governmental meetings.  Jones will be sharing reporting duties for the program with WFHB general manager Will Murphy. “I hope my work can help the station to build a strong community media presence across platforms—radio, Internet, and TV,” Jones said.

Jones’ other duties will include supervising the dozens of volunteers who share their talents as reporters, editors, and anchors in the WFHB news department.  “We simply wouldn’t be able to do what we do—13 locally-produced news and public affairs programs—without the help of those volunteers,” Carrothers notes. “January will play a key role in empowering citizen journalists through training and access.”

Jones has a master’s degree in journalism from Indiana University, and has worked as a volunteer programmer with WFHB since 2004.  She will begin in the new position August 1.