Dave Cowan named Program Director of 88Nine Radio Milwaukee

From the press release received today by the ThirdCoast Digest Editorial staff:

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (July 20, 2009) – Dave Cowan, a 23-year radio veteran with long experience at a variety of community-oriented commercial stations, has been named program director of non-comm 88Nine RadioMilwaukee, the station announced today.

Cowan has served as general manager, program director and music director at a number of stations since 1986. He has also held various on-air positions, including sportscaster.

RadioMilwaukee Executive Director Mary Louise Mussoline said Cowan, who was chosen after a national search, brings strong industry experience and a community-focused history and sensibility that will benefit RadioMilwaukee listeners.

“Dave understands the important benefits that a local focus provides radio listeners,” Mussoline said. “With his passion for community and his experience at all levels of radio, we look forward to Dave helping build RadioMilwaukee into an even stronger local station.”

Cowan said that as commercial radio becomes less locally oriented, stations such as RadioMilwaukee become even more important to listeners.

“RadioMilwaukee is bucking the national trend in radio by investing in local programmers, producers and on-air staff instead of relying mainly on satellite-fed, cookie-cutter offerings,” Cowan said.

“I’ve seen firsthand how stations can serve the community well, and also how the trend toward consolidation and homogenization are unfortunately removing the local essence from good stations,” he said. “I look forward to continuing and advancing the great local programming at RadioMilwaukee, which will continue to be aimed at our listeners, not ratings services.”

Since 2005, Cowan has held a number of top positions with stations and station groups in the Missoula, Montana area, including as market manager for a seven-station cluster with GapWest. He worked in senior management positions at station groups in the Bozeman, Montana area from 1991 through 2005. From 1986 to 1991, Cowan served as program director, music director and on air at three Virginia stations.

A sports fan and experienced play-by-play announcer, Cowan also said he is thrilled to be working at a station just two miles from Miller Park, “the impressive home of the Milwaukee Brewers.”

88Nine RadioMilwaukee (WYMS-FM and www.radiomilwaukee.org) is a non-commercial station offering a unique mix of rock, urban and local music with elements of public radio-style first-person storytelling. The station promotes community involvement and celebrates Milwaukee’s rich heritage by playing diverse music for a diverse community.