Curating Culture: Public Radio’s Role in Music Discovery and Diversity

Public radio stations and networks have long played a vital role as music curators, tastemakers, and incubators. Spotlighting emerging talent, championing diversity, and shaping musical narratives across genres and geographies. In this panel, we explore how music programmers, producers, and DJs navigate their responsibility to reflect artistic innovation and serve the public good, while adapting to the pressures of streaming algorithms, shrinking budgets, and shifting audience habits. For agents and bookers, understanding how public broadcasters discover and elevate new artists offers valuable insight into early momentum, audience building, and cultural relevance. What influences curatorial choices today, and how can the live music sector better align with public radio’s evolving strategies to identify and support the next wave of talent?