WVMO music director outlines playlist 'recipe,' digital workflow and summer concert partnership

Fletcher, WVMO’s music director, told committee members that his job is to curate the station’s playlists, maintain the music library and keep the station’s sound consistent: “I think the easiest way to think about what I do as a music director is to sort of consider me as a librarian,” he said.

Fletcher said the station uses a 15-minute programming unit designed to give listeners a representative “taste” of the station. “My goal in scheduling music is to provide a taste of all of our music elements that we feature in a 15-minute span of listening to WVMO,” he said. He described a typical five-song mix that includes a classic track, a brand-new release, a modern classic, a local artist and a deep cut.

The approach, Fletcher said, balances support for emerging artists with listener retention. He told members WVMO intentionally features local artists “twice an hour every day” and that selection weighs song construction, sonic fit and emerging trends in the Americana scene. “There’s a number of factors…is this a well-constructed song that has some unique element to it,” he said.

On licensing and music acquisition, Fletcher explained that WVMO pays annual performance-rights licenses rather than buying individual recordings, and that the station receives unsolicited CDs and digital files from artists and labels. “We don’t purchase music. We are given music by artists and record companies,” he said. Joe, a committee member, added that because WVMO reports to charting services the station receives a steady stream of unsolicited music.

Fletcher described the station’s technical workflow: he manages the library and schedules remotely via internet access, records a weekly show from a home studio and uploads promos and sweepers. He said the station can track online listening numbers but lacks commercial-grade audience measurement, so staff extrapolate trends from available digital metrics.

Members also discussed a summer event partnership. Fletcher and others said WVMO is partnering with San Damiano on a series of concerts — June 25, July 16 and Aug. 13 — and that the Aug. 13 date conflicts with the committee’s scheduled meeting. Organizers said the friends group and an individual identified in the discussion, Mark Johannic, are doing most of the booking and logistics; WVMO staff are handling music-related promotion and green-room needs. Organizers estimated hoped-for attendance in the “about 1,000 to 2,000” range but noted site constraints could limit crowd size.

Committee members discussed whether to reschedule the Aug. 13 meeting; options included moving the date, holding an online meeting or using an email/Google poll to find a date that works. Will said he would follow up on scheduling logistics.

The committee approved the May 14 minutes unanimously earlier in the meeting, and toward the end of the session members carried a procedural motion by voice vote (the transcript does not specify the exact motion text). The committee ended with members thanking Fletcher for the presentation.

What’s next: committee members said they will follow up on scheduling options for the August meeting and continue coordination with event partners and the friends group.