I’ve been mentioning a USA interview tour as a kickoff for Bitterroot Beacon Radio, and it’s time to fish or cut bait. I have to hurry while it’s still winter; come mid/late-March the spring/summer work season kicks in again and I will either be full time at Perky Pelican Pond Service or full-time at BBR or a mix of the two (for now the most likely scenario is I’ll be quite busy with both).
The tour will also be a state-of-the-nation report card. The tour will feature face-to-face premium interviews with big-city experts at the top of their field, as well as regular folk along the journey out in Podunk, Nowheresville, and all kinds of people in between. Also I want to get a sense of what’s happening with local radio across parts of the nation.
So far three premium interviews (2 of them to be featured on kla.tv) are awaiting scheduling, and inquiries are going out for many more. Of course, who I interview depends on the route.
Help plan the path! I’ve narrowed it down to four possible circuits.
The Heartland Tour: A giant circle or diamond with the four corner points being Missoula, Phoenix, Austin and Chicago.
NYC or Bust and Hillbilly Romp: Chicago, New York, Nashville, Kansas City, etc. This route would only be chosen if kla.tv can swing an in-person interview with Bart Sibrell, of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon fame.
The Northern Loop: Dakotas, Minneapolis, Chicago
The Who-Are-You-Kidding Tour: Settle down, fella! Victor Montana and surroundings.
After I select my route, I’ll be asking everyone for interview suggestions. I have a pretty good list (those not on the tour route will be on Zoom), but I’m wide open for suggestions.
I know, I could sit tight and do all these interviews via Zoom and work on BBR programming from home, but there will be some great stories and great face-to-face interviews I would otherwise miss, and this should help to drum up interest for a BBR kickoff.
Images: texas longhorns Photo by Heather Gill on Unsplash
Nashville: Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash
Chicago winter: Photo by Yomex Owo on Unsplash
Victor, MT photo by DW Shumway
addendum: I’m leaning toward option 3. #1 and 2 are maybe too much driving. And Amtrak and Greyhound are not good for North/South routes out west in the Rockies. Option 3 gets me to Chicago, and from there you can catch a $55 round trip, non-stop flight to NYC for great interview potential (OK, $120 on American- the $55 is on Spirit Airlines- even El Cheapo Rides again Shumway doesn’t want to take that gamble.) Furthermore, this route leaves me with more time in South Dakota.
-South Dakota!?
-Yes! This is Kristy Noem’s state. She’s the new Head of Homeland security and as governor she signed the latest anti-free speech legislation into law in SD. This stuff needs to be challenged. Plus there is a very interesting human interest story I want to pursue involving federal coercion.
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