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Navigating Southern Stereotypes with ‘The Bitter Southerner’

The Bitter Southerner Podcast

Having a Southern accent can often times come with some challenges, along with some unfair stereotypes. Listen below as WUGA’s Program Director and Morning Edition voice Chris Shupe speaks with Chuck Reece of The Bitter Southerner about what he has encountered, and why he feels the need to perhaps better define what it means to be Southern.

Chris Shupe began work at WUGA as a part time weekend announcer in 2010. At the time Shupe was focused on maintaining a thriving career in Real Estate, as well as balancing his time as a local entertainer. Shupe may be best known as The Athens King, a tribute to Elvis Presley, which often included an 8 piece show band! In 2012, Shupe joined WUGA full time as the station’s Morning Edition Host and Assistant Operations Director, and after 2 years of serving in that role Shupe was hired as Program Director for the station. As PD, Shupe spearheaded a return to more involvement in national conferences and continuing education opportunities through industry professional organizations like the Public Radio Program Director's Association, Public Media Development and Marketing Association, Morning Edition Grad School, the NAB, and the Public Media Journalists Association. This involvement led Shupe to undertake a comprehensive market study in 2015, the first such examination of local audience trends in more than 15 years.
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