KEN MILLS

PUBLIC MEDIA CONSULTANT & BLOGGER

Ken Mills is a consultant and blogger specializing in nonprofit media, particularly public radio. 

He is a leader in content syndication, program creation, promotion and marketing.

Mills seeks content that matters. 

His company, Ken Mills Agency, LLC (“KMA”), is the exclusive station representative for America Routes with Nick Spitzer.

KMA serves public radio organizations, national program producers and organizations that provide funding for public media projects.

His goal is to help clients be financially sustainable, create content that has an impact on society and serves the needs and interests of readers, listeners and viewers.

Ken Mills Agency, LLC

P.O. Box 27511

Minneapolis, MN 55427

612-819-8456

publicradio@hotmail.com

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

• OWNER, KEN MILLS AGENCY, LLC

  Minneapolis, Minnesota • September 1997 to present

We offer consulting services for public radio organizations, national content syndicators and organizations that provide funding for public media. Core activities include new program creation, project management, securing carriage on stations and on digital platforms.

We are the exclusive station representative for American Routes, distributed by PRX. Other current and recent clients include NPR’s Justice Talking, APM's Weekend America, WBEZ’s Sound Opinions and The Stanley Foundation.

• PUBLISHER, SPARK NEWS

  Minneapolis, Minnesota • September 2014 to present

Spark News is a news blog that provides news, issues and commentary about public, particularly public radio. Each weekday we reach more than 300 people who work in public media.

• DIRECTOR OF NEWS, PUBLIC RADIO INTERNATIONAL (PRI)

  Minneapolis, Minnesota • October 1992 to September 1997

Representative for Marketplace, BBC World Service, The World, programs from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Monitor Radio.

• GENERAL MANAGER & PROGRAM DIRECTOR, KCSN-FM

  Los Angeles, California • July 1989 to September 1991

NPR member station based at Cal State Northridge. Created and distributed Classical Countdown, an international classical music program produced in association with Billboard Magazine.

• AFFILIATION MANAGER, TRANSTAR RADIO NETWORK

  Colorado Springs and los Angeles • July 1987 to September 1989

Transtar was a pioneer of 24/7 satellite-delivered radio programming. The legendary Dick Clark was one of the owners. Transtar was also the source of CNN radio news and television audio to U.S. stations.

• EARLIER WORK & PROJECTS

General Manager, NPR member station KCSU, Fort Collins, Colorado • January 1986 to July 1987

Faculty, Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunications at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona • September 1984 to December 1986

Founder, General Manager & Part Owner, K-SKY FM, a commercial album rock station serving the Black Hills of South Dakota • May 1979 to August 1984

Co-founder and President, Media One Advertising & Marketing, Sioux Falls, South Dakota • January 1975 to May 1975

Announcer at WCCO-FM, an eclectic-oriented rock station in Minneapolis, Minnesota • April 1973 to January 1975

Announcer & Music Director at KISD, a Top 40 rock station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota • October 1967 to June 1972

EDUCATION


Master of Mass Communication, Cronkite School of Journalism &

Telecommunication at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona • December 1986

Bachelor’s Degree, Psychology, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota • May 1971

PUBLICATIONS

Publisher, Editor & Researcher, Public Radio Talk & Interview Program Directory • 2009

Publisher, Editor & Researcher, Public & Noncommercial

Radio Station Directory • 2007

• Co-Editor, Independence and Integrity: A Guidebook for Public Radio Journalism with John Dinges, NPR; Tripp Sommer, Public Radio News Directors Association; and, Dr. Alan Stavitsky, University of Oregon. Published by NPR with funding from CPB • 1995

• Author, Guidebook For Unattended Operation of Public Radio Stations • 1992 -1995