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Athens News Matters: February 7, 2020

This week on Athens News Matters, hear: 

  • How local businesses and community leaders are trying to bring a national carrier to Ben Epps Airport

  • An interview with the Cedar Shoals High School student journalists who broke the story that recent Board of Education appointee Antwon Stephens didn’t graduate from CSHS

  • The director of the UGA Institute for Disaster Management discuss the coronavirus outbreak

  • UGA researchers on their quest to develop compostable plastics

  • UGA freshmen who ditched the dining hall in favor of their own kitchens

  • Statistician Nicole Lazar on the true significance of statistical significance

  • An introduction to wine with The Expat’s sommelier, Krista Slater

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.
Alexia Ridley joined WUGA as Television and Radio News Anchor and Reporter in 2013. When WUGA TV concluded operations, she became the primary Reporter for WUGA Radio. Alexia came to Athens from Macon where she served as the News Director and show host for WGXA TV. She's a career journalist and Savannah native hailing from the University of Michigan. However, Alexia considers herself an honorary UGA DAWG!
Martin Matheny is WUGA's Program Director and a host and producer of our local news program 'Athens News Matters.' He started at WUGA in 2012 as a part-time classical music host and still hosts WUGA's longest-running local program 'Night Music' which is heard on WUGA and GPB Classical. He lives in Normaltown with his wife, Shaye and dog, Murphy.