With Eric Brown’s retirement, management of KRVN transitions out of family’s hands for first time
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Kearney Hub, December 26, 2011 12:27 pm (Eric resides at Johnson Lake, North Shore0
LEXINGTON — Lexington’s one and only radio station, established
with the intent to reach and benefit farmers and ranchers
throughout the entire state, has had only two general managers in
its 60 years.
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ERIC BROWN
ERIC BROWN of Lexington will retire as general manager at KRVN
on Sunday. Brown has managed the station since 1979, when he took
over after his father, Max, retired.
“The job doesn’t come open very often, so if you miss the boat you
have to wait 30 years,” Eric Brown joked last week after he
announced he will step down as general manager effective
Sunday.
He moved back to Lexington and rejoined KRVN as general manager in
1979 when his father, Max, retired.
KRVN provided Brown with his first job when he worked as a janitor
and disc jockey during high school. That taste of radio influenced
his educational aspirations and career goals.
“It’s in my blood,” he said of growing up while observing how his
father could use the radio station to provide valuable information
to people.
Brown will continue with KRVN and the Nebraska Rural Radio
Association in a national sales and public relations role until he
officially retires on Aug. 1, the 33rd anniversary of his
homecoming.
KRVN is the only farmer/rancher-owned radio station in the nation.
The NRRA was set up so that members receive no profit from the
income of the radio station. Instead, they benefit from the
programming being broadcast, as do nonmember listeners.
“I just think the people of the state are wonderful. They’re warm,
honest, friendly. They help their neighbors. This is a great place
to raise three kids,” Brown said.
Incorporated as a nonprofit organization, KRVN pays taxes as if it
were a commercial station and re-invests earnings in operations,
ag-related nonprofit organizations, and education.
Brown said his time at the head of KRVN has been satisfying. He had
flexibility to serve on a variety of local and state boards and the
opportunity to promote agriculture.
Additionally, Brown serves as a political lobbyist for broadcasters
and rural hospitals.
“It’s always changing, but you’re never out of issues,” he
said.
Providing information and linking people with the world around them
are important missions for KRVN.
“You can really help people in our audience with their need for
information — about markets, news, weather and sports,” Brown
said.
He said KRVN has the highest ratings of any agriculture radio
station in the nation in audience share, or percentage of
listeners. When listeners travel out of state and can’t tune in,
they report missing the market information and weather.
Career highlights for Brown include the 1984 purchase of KNEB-AM/FM
in Scottsbluff and KTIC-AM and KWPN-FM in West Point in 1996 for
the formation of the Nebraska Rural Radio Network. This expansion
aligned with the original goal of statewide broadcast
coverage.
Obtaining Federal Communications Commission approval, competition
for available frequencies and economic crisis were challenges along
the way.
Competing against Mother Nature has also been an ongoing battle.
Brown said the first FM transmission tower erected, which was 600
feet tall, was toppled by a storm three weeks after it went on the
air in 1962. The pattern repeated, and KRVN lost four towers in
less than 10 years before settling on a smaller 320-foot
tower.
A 1,000-foot tower was built almost five years ago in a joint
venture with Bott Radio Network of Kansas City. Bott purchased KAMI
of Cozad to offer Christian programming at 104.5, KCVN — The
Christian Voice of Nebraska, and occupies the upper part of the
tower. Another Christian station leases space below KRVN.
“That’s all I can do for insurance,” said Brown. “I put God above
me and God below me.”
Although employee longevity isn’t common in radio, it is at KRVN.
Brown said employees such as radio announcer Dave Thorell have been
with KRVN for more than 35 years. Even in the acquisition of new
stations many employees were retained.
“It’s a family culture,” said Brown. “We treat people as they would
like to be treated. We also help them develop and grow. We do some
promotion from within.”
Brown said KRVN was fortunate to be in the forefront of embracing
new technology, offering Internet service and developing a website
before many really understood the Internet.
“We were early on in that game,” Brown said. “We saw it as an
extension of our service in agriculture, as a service to our
listeners.”
Brown chronicled the history of KRVN in the book, “KRVN, the First
50 Years of Service to Agriculture,” written from his father’s
notes and published in 2002. His wife, Ruth, a journalism
professor, edited the book. Brown plans to update the book by
adding the history of the last decade as he retires.
