After more than four decades as WUWF’s leader, Executive Director Pat Crawford is retiring. During his time on the job, Pat has been at the forefront of establishing the local identity of Northwest Florida’s public radio station and has gone above and beyond in his efforts to keep it strong for this community.
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Sandra Averhart: So, Pat, you spent your entire career working in public radio. Talk about the importance of public media and your efforts to keep it strong for our community here in Northwest Florida.
Pat Crawford: Well, one thing that's unique about public radio and always has been, is the local identity. Most commercial stations are tied to a network. We're tied to a network, of course, NPR, but in a different way, because NPR doesn't really direct what we are supposed to be programming. NPR is one of many sources we have of news, information, cultural arts, the whole gamut, but they're not the exclusive one. So we're not really a network in that sense. And that's a good thing because we can customize our programming to best meet what we perceive to be the needs of our community. And that has always been the strength of public radio. It's something that people relate to. It's critical to our success because, as well you know and from the many times we have worked together on fun drives here at the station, we rely very, very much on public support in the form of listeners being willing to contribute to us to help provide the programs that they enjoy. So we better have programs that they enjoy or they find worthwhile. And so being plugged into the community at all levels is critical. That's an essential thing. That is what I've always loved about public radio.
Over the years, Pat has contributed thousands of dollars and he hiked and biked more than 3,000 miles combined to raise money and awareness for public radio. In 2007, he walked along the east coast to NPR Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and in 2009, he biked a path of the Underground Railroad to Ontario, Canada.
WUWF's technological evolution: We’re not just radio
Under Pat's leadership, WUWF has evolved with and survived ever-changing technology.
Crawford: People have counted radio out so many times over the years. Along came satellite radio when everybody is like, 'Oh, satellite radio .... people are not going to listen to radio anymore.' And then, of course, the digital age. But radio has transformed itself. We've kept up, we've modified; we've managed to make a place for ourselves in whichever technology comes along now. And now we're right out there with everybody where any device you have, you can get the things that we do. We can do things we couldn't do when we were just radio, over the air radio. We do so much more digitally now. We're not just radio, we're TV too, we're video. We have all of that and it's really great.
A leader in disseminating emergency weather information
Pat also has been at the forefront of broadcast efforts during weather emergencies, helping to forge partnerships with other local media and the state. Florida Department of Transportation signage directs hurricane evacuees to tune to the nearest public radio station in the state for up-to-date information. And most recently, he and his colleagues were instrumental in starting the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network, or FPREN.
Crawford: Now of course, technology-wise, you know, it's cutting edge. We're on every platform it could possibly be on and we have proven ourselves as basically a life-saving organization. It's something that keeps people informed. We have a mobile app, Florida Storms, which if someone has that app, no matter where they are in the state, it'll show them exactly what's happening where there are. It'll show them where there are evacuation routes. They can call a site and find out is there room for me, I need to evacuate, and if not, you know, where's the next closest one that I can go. So it has literally been a lifesaver and that's been a great thing. We're very proud of that as part of what we do as a public service.
>>>Make a donation in honor of Pat Crawford’s 42 years
A Legacy of Community Connection
Pat says he's also proud of many other accomplishments, including the station's wonderful relationship with the University of West Florida, our locally produced news and music programs and our community outreach through RadioLive, and our partnerships with the arts community, especially the great Gulf Coast Arts Festival and Jazz Fest.
Averhart: What do you think your legacy will be?
Crawford: Well, I hope my legacy will be that we continue to do the great things we have done and that we do new things that some of us haven't even thought of yet. Because technology, who knows where else it's going to take us now, but I think we have always had the same values. And our values are honesty, integrity. When you hear what we report, when we do our local stories and our national stories, our regional stories, people know that these are stories that are factual. And we're proud of that. And we're proud to be able to represent the university in that way. We're here for everybody. And that's the other thing. Public radio is free. It's not a subscription service; no one has to pay to enjoy it. We're thankful that there's enough of a core of people who voluntarily contribute to us when we have our member drives twice a year and that’s enough to pay the bills, which is great because there're a lot of people that can't afford to do that, but that's fine because there are those that do it. And that's the beauty of it. We are so plugged in. We are so part of the university. The university is so much a part of the community and we're all just in there together. And that's what it's all about.
Looking ahead to the Future
Despite some uncertainties, Pat says he’s optimistic about the future of WUWF and will be turning over the reins to broadcast colleague and friend David Brinkley. His own future includes more time woodworking and with his four grandchildren.
Averhart: Will we see you around?
Crawford: Of course you will.
Averhart: So this is not goodbye?
Crawford: Well, you'll definitely see me at RadioLive every month. You know, RadioLive is my baby. I'll be there.
Pat Crawford is retiring after 42 years at the helm of WUWF Public Media. He will be missed.
