For the past 47 years, WIPB, Muncie’s PBS station, has served 22 counties in east central Indiana and western Ohio. Now the station will be using a long-time employee to guide its local content into the future.
Lori Georgi started with Ball State University Media Services as a producer/director in 1991. Since then, Georgi has held several different titles on campus and as recently promoted from community engagement and membership manager to content director of WIPB and Indiana Public Radio.
Georgi has received $665,000 in external grant funding, used for community engagement initiatives to extend learning beyond the broadcast. Community engagement has been an important part of WIPB’s mission to educate, entertain, and engage the communities served by covering a wide range of topics including early childhood education, poverty, race, and science.
Georgi’s next project is celebrating the 40th year of Telesale, the auction that raises money for WIPB. “This year, because it’s the 40th anniversary, we will not only be doing Telesale online, but we will do a live night on WIPB. We plan to bring people back for that one evening who have worked Telesale throughout the years to share their memories of past Telesales and to help auction off some great items.”
After WIPB’s special night, Georgi will focus on her new role as content director, collaborating with the community to develop and create local content, building a bridge between Ball State and the station’s 22 counties. “WIPB is a big part of the University, I think it’s really important that we have a local station here, and we do local content.”