WAMU’s Jim Asendio at AU
Jim Asendio addressing the students
WAMU 88.5 FM one of the few public radio stations in the country that can say that business is good in the current economy. WAMU is the leading public radio station for NPR new in the greater Washington DC area. In the last year WAMU has also doubled its news budget. Jim Asendio, news director as of July 2006, is one of the driving forces behind this thriving station. An interesting man with a very calm exterior and a little ear stud that glimmers in the light.
Jim started writing for little publications in Harlem and Queens, New York, from at the age of twelve. He participated in the anti poverty programs. These were programs in the 1960’s where, in this case, New York Times reporters and Journalists from the Wall Street Journal visited the local libraries of Queens and thought young people how to become Journalists. A couple of decades later Jim does the same for the students at American University.
He gave them advice on how to advance their career in journalism. People know each other in this business he says. It’s all about Contacts and never burn any bridges. He also wanted the students to understand the fact that it’s not just journalism but a story. That’s why they call it a story. “We are word smiths” he said.
Today his job is much more resource management, whether it’s his budget or his people. It’s much more important to make sure that his journalists have the latest technology at their disposal. This way they can do their job in the best way possible. His job is much more administrative than he would like it to be, but somebody had to do it.
