The station, under Thrift, doesn’t operate on a business model but on a community model.
Under a business model, Thrift believes, an emphasis on profit and professionalism is “sometimes a real barrier” to diversity and inclusivity. Stations, she says, look for “the tight-knit podcast…that creates financial resources and exclude the voice that is brand new, that hasn’t had the training,…that doesn’t come from experience in radio but instead comes from experience with life.”
Under a community model, however, Thrift has led KEPW, “to counter the norms of… embracing non-local programming and profits as a priority….Our funds follow our actions….Instead of saying ‘this is where you can hear things,’ people say, ‘this is where you can be heard.’”