KUVO JAZZ Announces New Program Director Shane German

KUVO JAZZ is proud to announce our new program director, Shane German. He brings more than two decades of professional music industry and non-profit experience and is committed to serving diverse communities through public media. German joins KUVO JAZZ from Duluth, Minnesota, where he was the afternoon drive host of Northland Afternoon on The North 103.3 FM and Special Projects Coordinator with PBS North (WDSE). He has served as Director of Music and Programming at WYCE, 88.1 FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Manager of Artist and Label Relations at SoundExchange, is a Grammy voter and was an elected official on the Board of Governors for the DC Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences from 2010-2012.

“We are honored to have Shane’s experience, joy for public media and dedication to community as a part of the future of KUVO Jazz,” KUVO JAZZ and THE DROP’s general manager, Nikki Swarn. “As a retired indie musician and true fan of the station, he brings a unique perspective to the work that focuses on music lovers and creators alike, and we are proud to welcome him into the KUVO community.”

As a fierce advocate for indie artists, German proudly shares his industry knowledge to ensure they have the tools needed to succeed in an ever-changing music industry landscape. German has a proven track record of advocating for performance rights on behalf of recording artists and sound recording copyright owners – from working to resolve millions of dollars in uncollected royalties from digital service providers and internet streaming radio services at SoundExchange, to lobbying on Capitol Hill for the passage of the Performance Rights Act.  Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors with the Michigan Music Alliance, which provides independent Michigan musicians through educational training on how to support artists to build their artistic brands, understand copyrights of their musical works, collect royalties, explore sync licensing, learn how to book tours, and more informative tools to guide their musical careers.

“I look forward to joining this family of talented and committed individuals who bring exquisite music curation, community service, and passion to our loyal community of listeners,” Shane German said. “Having been a longtime fan of KUVO Jazz since streaming from my kitchen in Grand Rapids and my familiarity with the station’s values and passion for providing a platform for diverse voices to be seen and heard and to create spaces for us to engage our multicultural communities in innovative ways makes this a natural fit for me.”

German will start in this role on Monday, October 16.

He joined The Morning Set on Behind the Mic this week to say hello to the KUVO community!

Original Air Date: 10/17/23

ABOUT KUVO JAZZ

Since 1985, independent, public radio station KUVO JAZZ provides a rare blend of music and news. The station broadcasts the very best in jazz, Latin jazz, and blues in addition to seventeen locally produced, culturally diverse programs. KUVO JAZZ’s mission is to provide distinctive music, news and informational programming reflecting the values and cultural diversity of its listener community. In addition to the broadcast on 89.3 FM, KUVO JAZZ’s free app gives the station the ability to stream programs live to a worldwide listener community. KUVO frequently features live broadcasts of national touring artists as well as local musicians and students from the station’s Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Performance Studio and broadcasts remotely from concerts, festivals, and community events.

ABOUT ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLIC MEDIA

Rocky Mountain Public Media (RMPM), the parent company of Rocky Mountain PBS (RMPBS), KUVO JAZZ and THE DROP 104.7, is Colorado’s largest statewide, member-supported, multimedia organization. Rocky Mountain Public Media has more than 90,000 members representing every county in Colorado and reaches 98 percent of the state’s citizens through television, radio, and digital platforms. A non-commercial media organization by and for the people of Colorado, RMPM creates high-quality local and multimedia content through Regional Innovation Centers in Denver, Colorado Springs, Durango, Grand Junction and Pueblo.

RMPBS, started in Denver in 1956 as Colorado’s first public television station, is now a statewide television network with stations in Denver (KRMA), Pueblo/Colorado Springs (KTSC), Steamboat Springs (KRMZ), Grand Junction (KRMJ) and Durango (KRMU). KUVO JAZZ broadcasts jazz, blues, and a lineup of locally produced diverse music programs (89.3 FM Denver, 89.7 FM Breckenridge and streaming on the KUVO JAZZ App). Launched in 2019, THE DROP 104.7 is the People’s Station for R&B and Hip Hop (104.7 FM and streaming on Google Play and Apple). For more information, visit https://www.rmpbs.org/

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