{{Use mdy dates, date=March 2025 ''AK'' was a weekly

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

program broadcast on the Alaska Public Radio network. Past episodes of ''AK'' are available through a

podcast A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...

archive. ''AK'' focused on Alaskan issues. The program encouraged participation from all of its listeners.

History

The pilot of ''AK'' was called ''Weekend Alaska'' and was produced in January and February 2002. It was broadcast on many public radio stations in March. A grant application was made to the

Corporation for Public Broadcasting The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB; stylized as cpb) is an American publicly funded non-profit corporation, created in 1967 to promote and help support public broadcasting. The corporation's mission is to ensure universal access to ...

(CPB) and awarded in summer 2003. A production team was assembled, consisting of Shelly Wozniak (host), Ellen Lockyer (reporter), Jessica Cochran (producer), Duncan Moon (editor/executive producer) and John Nelson (audio engineer). ''AK'' began weekly in October 2003. In April 2004, Gabriel Spitzer took over as host and Wozniak became audio engineer. In August 2004, Ashley Gross joined as an interim producer for several months, then continued as a part-time reporter for the show. In May 2006, Rebecca Sheir took over as host when Spitzer left for

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. In August 2006, the staff was notified that the show was canceled, and most were laid off. After a public outcry, CPB stepped in with an additional grant and, after a 4-week hiatus during which old shows were re-broadcast, production resumed with the same staff. In December 2006, Gross left for Chicago also, and Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock joined the team as Fairbanks reporter. In June 2007, Hitchcock left for a fellowship in environmental reporting in

Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most ...

and

Scott Burton Scott Burton (June 23, 1939 – December 29, 1989) was an American Sculpture, sculptor and performance artist best known for his large-scale furniture sculptures in granite and bronze. Early years Burton was born in Greensboro, Alabama to Walte ...

joined as a reporter based in

Juneau Juneau ( ; ), officially the City and Borough of Juneau, is the capital of the U.S. state of Alaska, located along the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle. Juneau was named the capital of Alaska in 1906, when the government of wha ...

. The show was again cancelled due to continuing funding problems and its last episode was on December 20, 2008.

Awards

''AK'' was recognized since its inception for its high production quality and story telling. It won a second place award from the Public Radio News Directors Incorporated for a show produced only six weeks after its debut . In 2004, it won first place – Best News and Public Affairs show in the country, Division A - for the "Alaska Myths and Misconceptions" show , in 2005 for the "Communication Show" and in 2006 for the "Five Senses" show. ''AK'' received a 2007

Clarion Award Clarion may refer to: Music * Clarion (instrument), a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages * The Register (music), register of a clarinet that ranges from B4 to C6 * A Trumpet (organ stop), trumpet organ stop that usually plays an octave abov ...

for the best radio regular feature program.

External links

APRN website

References

2003 establishments in Alaska Mass media in Alaska Alaska Public Radio Network American public radio programs