“Staff
Announcer” is the basis for all KNOM volunteer positions. Typical
duties
including several hours of deejay work per day, and with training,
additional
duties such as news reading and writing, spot production and
interviewing.
The volunteer is given a broad range of responsibility.
But I have no broadcasting experience.
We
train
on the job. It is important that you can clearly speak un-accented
English,
and have excellent writing skills, plus the ability to read well aloud.
I can't imagine living in such a remote place.
It’s true that Nome is isolated. But we do have high-speed cable-modem Internet service, excellent long distance telephone service as well as cable television. There’s plenty to do, from taking college courses to basketball, bowling, or swimming in Nome’s Olympic-size pool. Nome has an excellent public library, two community plays every year and many activities.
Hiking the mountains and tundra, and
relaxing
on the miles
of quiet beach are popular in the summer; skating and cross-country
skiing
in winter. Three blocks north of the volunteer house, the Nome
Recreation
Center features basketball, racquetball, weight rooms and bowling. The
town sports many clubs and organizations. There's plenty to do.
What about the winters?
The
winters can be harsh, but there can be delightful winter weather, also,
and the town is usually snow-free from mid-May to early October.
Because
Nome is on the seacoast, winter temperatures are milder than in
Alaska’s
interior. Winter days can vary from +20° to -25° F., with
occasional
colder periods, dropping below -40° F. every couple of years.
Adaptation
to the cold is surprisingly easy. Both the KNOM studio and the
volunteer
dormitory are new, super-insulated buildings, well heated and cheerful.
How do you handle the darkness?
Since
Nome is south
of the Arctic Circle, we have sunlight every day of the year, 3 hours
54
minutes of it at the winter solstice. Conversely, between May and
August,
the sky never gets completely dark. Interestingly, newcomers find it
more
difficult to adjust to the brightness of the summer nights. The swing
in
light provides interesting reading for relatives back home, but is
prosaic
for long-term residents.
What are the living conditions?
The
KNOM volunteer
house is a 7-bedroom super-insulated home with full amenities,
including
cable TV and a second floor deck with a great view of downtown Nome and
the Bering Sea.
What is community life like?
With a
full house,
there is always something going on. The volunteer community assembles
for
meals and games, but you will have your own room for privacy, as well.
Volunteers share cooking and cleaning duties.
Do volunteers get vacation time?
Yes.
At the end
of 53 weeks of service, a re-enlisting volunteer receives 20 working
days
vacation, , with round-trip air transportation home and $100 expenses
paid
by KNOM. Travel during some periods, such as December or March, may not
be possible.
How do I get there?
Unless you travel
by dogsled
or snowmobile in winter, or by boat in the summer months, the only way
in or out of Nome is by jet airplane from Anchorage. Nome is served by
one major carrier, Alaska Airlines, and many smaller airlines that fly
to more remote communities. Flight time from Anchorage is about 1-1/2
hours.
Do you pay my way?
Yes, if you're
accepted, round-trip
air fare is provided. At the end of their year, some volunteers prefer
to wend their way home via scenic routes, such as by ferry down the
Southeast
Alaska coast, and for these, in lieu of return fare, KNOM provides $500
cash.
What about toiletries and personal items?
Sheets
and towels are provided. Nome has two grocery stores where you can buy
just about anything you need. But keep in mind that prices are about
two
times those in the Lower 48. It's a good idea to stock up on personal
items
before you come up, especially if you're partial to certain name brands
which may not be available in Nome.
What kind of clothes do I need?
Everyone in Nome
dresses casually. During winter, you spend a lot of time indoors.
Volunteers
typically wear slacks and blue jeans, t-shirts, sweaters and sweat
shirts.
The volunteer house has extra winter gear. If you're accepted to
volunteer,
we can recommend specific types of clothing you'll want to bring.
Can my student loans be deferred?
It’s
up to you
to provide us the proper forms by which payment on loans can be
deferred.
Currently, volunteers have had no problem being granted Economic
Hardship
Deferments.
AmeriCorps: KNOM is a
qualified
AmeriCorps
program.
Contact KNOM general manager Ric Schmidt for
more information.
Health Insurance?
Yes, medical
and vision insurance are provided; dental is not. Before arriving
in Nome, a
volunteer
is expected to have completed full vision and dental checkups.
The
volunteer is responsible for payments for treatment of pre-existing
dental
conditions, or dental problems caused or aggravated by lack of routine
dental care.
What are the other benefits?
KNOM
provides room
and board and a stipend of $200 per month, less tax. At least once a
year, KNOM
offers
a two-day spiritual retreat conducted by a priest. And, of course,
volunteers
receive the benefit of gaining experience while working for a
nationally
respected
radio station.
Nationally Respected?
You bet. KNOM has
won 13
Gabriel “Radio Station of the Year” Awards, the NAB Crystal (three
times) and
Marconi (twice) Awards, plus several top honors by the Alaska
Broadcasters
Association
and others. It's possible that KNOM is the most
award-winning radio station in the Unites States.
What's your closing date for applications?
Typically,
we begin accepting applications in November, and fill most positions by
the middle of April. Feel free to contact us at any time to see
if we happen to have
a position
available.
Who runs the station?
KNOM is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks. It's a nonprofit charity, supported entirely by donations.
Overall, KNOM is managed by Ric Schmidt, a respected broadcaster who is currently president of the Alaska Broadcasters Association. Ric was a KNOM volunteer in 1984, and before returning to KNOM in 1995, was general manager of KBVM-FM in Portland, Oregon. He is aided by 40-year broadcast professional Tom Busch, who was a 1970 KNOM volunteer. Tom, who stepped down as KNOM general manger in 2005 to focus on the station's fundraising, is a twice past-president of the Alaska Broadcasters Association, has been inducted into the Alaska Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and is recipient of an honorary doctorate from Boston College.
At present, KNOM employs five volunteers, plus five full-time and one part-time permanent staff.
All of KNOM’s permanent employees first
joined
the station
as volunteers. KNOM’s management philosophy is to provide 24 hours of
quality
broadcasts per day, together with a quality experience for all
personnel.
What's your programming?
KNOM is
programmed as
a mass-market religious station. Most hours have approximately 45
minutes
of deejayed popular music, a blend of many styles, interspersed with
short
spots, both inspirational and educational, sprinkled among the music
and
chat like commercials. All together, about 40% of KNOM’s programming is
news, weather and other information. While aiming for the mass western
Alaska village audience, KNOM also broadcasts strictly Catholic
programs
such as daily inspirational talks, evening Rosary and Sunday Mass.
Why are you on the air?
KNOM exists to
educate
and inspire the residents of Alaska’s far-flung villages, most of which
are rife with health and sanitation problems, poverty, alcohol abuse,
domestic
violence and problems of many kinds. In a quiet but extremely
effective
way, the station also brings Catholic inspiration and programming into
many far-flung places which do not have full-time priests.
I have other questions.
Speak with a volunteer by giving us a call at the station, 907-443-5221, keeping in mind that we are four hours behind Eastern Time. Fax us at 907-443-5757.
Check out our volunteer contract in .pdf format.
E-mail general manager Ric Schmidt at rschmidt@knom.org.
You'll find a few ordinary street photos of Nome on our site here. For pointers to sites with volumes of information about Nome, the region and climate and image galleries with many photos, log onto financial officer Tom Busch’s personal web page, www.tomsnome.com.