10 // LISTENING POST

The original concept of a listening post is a bit different than how journalists might use the term today.

Originally used to describe any station that intercepted enemy intelligence, listening posts in the world of journalism comprise the many places one might pick up on gossip and rumors. These haunts can include barber shops, churches, campuses, anywhere where people are likely to discuss recent news and events.

(The OG listening station. Taken by Jeff Geerling)

My listening post of choice is Magnolia's very own KZHE Broadcasting Station. I don't mean simply tuning my radio into their frequency (100.5 for those interested in classic country music); rather, I am a frequent, in-person visitor of the very station. Every Tuesday and Saturday, I sit in the booth and record a few commercials, either for the local university or various local stores.

This is a great method for learning about the tons of activities taking place in town. Some information can be a tad irrelevant to me, but the information about Southern Arkansas University and its sister school Southern Arkansas University Tech can be interesting enough for me to remember. Off the top of my head (can such a thing exist in digital form?), the latter's aviation mechanics and barbering program come to mind, as well as the week's weather forecast.

While a bit unconventional, these topics would be something I hardly care to think about if not for my circumstance and good-standing with the station.

(The interior and stage of the KZHE Radio Station)

Every journalist will have a different location for their listening post. But what matters the most, as least as far as most news outlets are concerned, is how valuable and bountiful the information that spot yields is.

- C. Thomas Bailey

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MM 2003 // C. Thomas Bailey

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