I’m proud to have been asked by the Encyclopedia of Arkansas to write an entry on KBTM, which was one of the state’s early radio stations, while its FM frequency with the same call letters is believed to have been the first licensed FM in the state. The online encyclopedia is a project of the Central Arkansas Library System.
I had extensively researched the Jonesboro radio station in 2011, even interviewing many people who worked there, as well as members of the Patteson family, which owned the AM/FM combo for 35 years. My research was spurred by eventual corporate owner Clear Channel Communications killing off the powerful FM frequency to put a lower power station on the air in Memphis, which would make more money being in a larger market. It was a joy to revisit my research as I prepared the entry for the encyclopedia, following its style. The entry was published Nov. 23, 2019 and can be read here. If you’d like to read what I originally wrote for my website, which includes audio of my interviews, you can find it here.
While the impeachment of President Trump dominates national news, the roundtable discussion on AETN’s Arkansas Week opened with us discussing a new report regarding the state’s child welfare system. A few years ago officials described the system as being in crisis and began major reforms. On Wednesday I covered leaders of the state Department of Human Services discussing a report that suggests major improvements have been made, though much more work still needs to be done. The state says over the past three years the number of kids in foster care is down, as is the average caseload for frontline workers.
We also talked about the announcement Thursday that after 63 years of greyhound racing at Southland in West Memphis, the races will be phased out over the next three years. It comes after Arkansas voters last year approved a constitutional amendment allowing Southland and Oaklawn in Hot Springs to become full-fledged casinos. Finally, we talked about the different reactions from members of the state’s congressional delegation to the ongoing impeachment of President Trump.
Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz on Monday announcing a donation by the railroad to a Little Rock museum. Photo: Michael Hibblen
This is a time of change at the nation’s largest railroad. The key thing I’ve been hearing about and not completely understanding is something called Precision Scheduled Railroading. The change is prompting widespread job cuts and the closing of many facilities, including the hump at the Pine Bluff, Arkansas yard. What is Precision Scheduled Railroading? I put that question to the head of Union Pacific on Monday.
Company President and CEO Lance Fritz was in Little Rock to join Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson for a pair of news events. After one press conference, I introduced myself to Fritz and recorded a brief interview, which you can hear or read a transcript of on the link. You can also find links to stories about the events in the state that Fritz look part in.
This is the online home of broadcasting news veteran Michael Hibblen. I've worked for newspapers, radio and TV stations around the country, with this website telling the story of my career, including audio, photos and videos. Also featured are various interests I've researched, primarily about radio and railroads. Today I'm Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, overseeing production of Arkansas Week and the streaming of events on the Arkansas Citizens Access Network. The posts on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Arkansas PBS or my former employers.
My Book
Released by Arcadia Publishing in 2017, Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas delves into the history of the railroad which once had a huge footprint in Arkansas, as well as other states in the middle of the U.S. The book features historic photos and tells the story of the Rock Island, which was shut down in March 1980. READ MORE
For 13 years, from May 2009 to December 2022, I worked for NPR station KUAR-FM 89.1 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. That included 10 years as News Director while continuing to anchor and report. You can read and hear reports from that time on Little Rock Public Radio's website.
I’m proud to have been asked by the Encyclopedia of Arkansas to write an entry on KBTM, which was one of the state’s early radio stations, while its FM frequency with the same call letters is believed to have been the first licensed FM in the state. The online encyclopedia is a project of the Central Arkansas Library System.
