KRCL radio & Lara Jones

When KRCL (90.9 fm) community radio host, Lara Jones, first entered the world of broadcasting in 1984, radio broadcasting was very much a man’s world.

“There were not a lot of women doing this when I started,” she said. “When I got into radio broadcasting in the 80s, it was very much a boys’ club and the sexism was rampant.”

In 1984 Lara received $3.35 an hour, minimum wage.

In December of that same year, she was due a $0.25 pay increase. But, she said, “He tried to tell me that I would be in a higher tax bracket and advised against taking the pay raise.”

It never occurred to Lara that she could get paid less than a man for doing the same job, “or that I was the only one being pressured to turn down a pay raise.”

Higher tax bracket be damned—Lara risked it.

After years of working against the grain of the good ole boys’ club, Lara finally found her place in broadcasting, and that place is called:

RadioACTive—grassroots, community builders

Lara is now the executive producer and co-host of the Utah community program, RadioACTive. It focuses on grassroots activists and community builders.

“We pretty much have an hour each weeknight and cram in as much as we can; grassroots activism from community members,” she said, which she thinks includes anyone who is a part of a true community.

Since beginning her journey into the mercurial world of radio broadcasting, Lara knew where she wanted to end up.

She said, “I always loved community radio and always thought I would end up at KRCL.” And added, “I’m really just a part of the team that stewards affairs. I could not do the show without Billy Palmer, Ma Black, and so many other people.”

Lara’s vision, her hope for RadioACTive is identic to community radio’s in general: “ … to expand the definition of community, who is in our community …” and giving voices with stories a conduit through which to speak.

Radioactive broadcasts on weeknights from 6-7 on 90.9 KRCL

(Got a story you’d like to share on the RadioACTive? Record a voice memo on your smartphone, email it to radioactive@krcl.org. Please keep it under 3 minutes, and be sure to include a name and phone number in the message.)