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Radio 434: The MIKEShow
and Theatre Thursday
In March 2022, Mark Foreman had a chance meeting with Mike McKendree, owner and manager of a new streaming radio option for Lynchburg and the surrounding areas. Mark's initial goal was to explore different ways for theaters to market themselves; instead, this turned into a fortuitous partnership that lasted the brief but rewarding last few months of Mark's life. Mike and Mark hit it off instantly and developed a segment devoted entirely to local theater news. But we are getting ahead of ourselves...
McKendree has been involved in radio since the 1980’s. Starting in the Lynchburg area in 1994, he has worked his way up from radio personality and salesperson to owning over fifteen radio stations, including three brand new ones he created in Lynchburg: 93.7 KHF, 103.9, and 100.9. He was also instrumental in the purchase and operation of 97.9 The Planet and 106.9. From 2015 through February 2022, he hosted TheMIKEShow on 93.7.
In March 2022, he decided to devote his attention entirely to Radio434, which was anticipated to grow substantially in the coming years with radio streaming becoming the preferred form of radio. In addition, McKendree has moved into the world of video in-studio programming and creates social media advertising and promotional materials. TheMIKEShow, hosted by McKendree, is one of the most listened to local podcasts in this area. With its lighthearded approach to news, pop culture, and pretty much anything Mike finds interesting, listeners are sure to find something relatable each episode. And it's there where you will find a tribute to local theater with Theatre Thursday.
When Mark was meeting with Mike about advertising for specific shows, Mike indicated that he was interested in beginning a new radio program known as Theatre Thursday. "The idea was born in 2011 from a connection with the then-Marketing Director at the Academy Center of the Arts who was looking for a way to draw more attention to their organization at the time (pre-historic theater restoration)," explains Mike. "It expanded to include local theater companies like Wolfbane, Renaissance, Endstation, LU, Lynchburg College, and others." COVID put a stop to any theatre segments until Mark and Mike connected. Together they created this segment which began airing every Thursday morning in late March. With Mark along as co-host, they invited theater personalities on the program to discuss local theater news and performance information. When there were no specific shows to advertise, the two simply talked shop and entertained the listeners with fun facts and games. Mike says, "Mark was the most knowledgeable, kindest, gentleman I have ever met. His connection to the local theater groups and his vast knowledge of every show made our interviews incredible!" Mark always looked forward to his Thursday mornings with Mike and loved to interview visitors on the show because they were more than just guests; they were his friends.
When Mark passed away, the segment still continued. Some members of Mark's family assisted in co-hosting duties for a few shows along with other theater friends of Mark's. In March 2023, Mike got a new semi-permanent cohost in Desiree Baughman, another local theater talent. Similar to Mark's story, Desiree has been involved in shows at numerous theaters and could help with making sure all theaters had opportunities to send cast members and guests to market their shows. Desiree and Mike hit it off quickly and their banter is always an enjoyable listen.
Radio434 reaches an average of 30,000 unique users listeners per month. Two-thirds are from our local area with the remaining from all over the world, but 9 out of 10 of them have ties to Lynchburg. On Facebook, TheMIKEShow reaches tens of thousands of people each month. "Our highest was 46,451 in August 2023," says Mike. "Further, our podcast (which is a repack of each daily show) has had over 20,000 downloads and twice last year just missed the Top 100 of podcasts in the Nation. In November The MIKE Show VA podcast was ranked #113 most listened to podcast in the U.S. in the Performing Arts podcast category, ranked by Apple Podcasts!"
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Mike has found that the audience is most engaged between the hours of 8-11am. "We now do a 'Mid-Morning' show as opposed to showing up at 5am to do a traditional 6-10 am morning show." The show has also expanded its outreach to guests, newsmakers, non-profits, artists, musicians, theater. The more interviews and connections equates to more engagement for the audience.
Getting on Theatre Thursday is as easy as reaching out to either Desiree or Mike directly through their social media pages or via e-mail. In addition, there is a private Facebook page where a representative from each theater can join to make appearance arrangements for upcoming shows - reach out to Desiree to get added to this page. Accomodations can be made if segments need to be prerecorded. It's a great opportunity to market your theater, show off your cast, and get a some local publicity.
For more information and listening opportunities for Radio434, visit radio434.com and check out TheMIKEShow social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, and on YouTube.