By Richard Tew/Contributing writer for The Post Newspaper
For as long as I can remember, I have heard the name Bruce Munsterman on the radio. His daily segments updating news, events, station financial reports and interviews in his calm, pleasant voice have become a staple over the last 20 years or so I have tuned into 105.7 FM KHCB.
The Christian station has been in existence for 62 years, Munsterman has been with KHCB for 46 of those years. For those who don’t know, the call letters stand for “Keeping Him Close By.”
Munsterman says faith was an important part of life in his family and he himself become a Christian at the young age of seven-years-old.
“I grew up in a Christian home,” said Munstermen. “I was at vacation bible school and realized God has no grandchildren only children, and needed to make my own profession of faith and trust in Christ for my salvation.”
Hailing from Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Munsterman lived near a radio station owned by Moody Bible Institute under the call letters WMBI and would regularly listen to the radio station on his frequent family trips to Chicago and back.
At night, Munsterman says he would use tape recorders borrowed from his dad, who owned a rental company, and record theme songs from TV shows such as “Gunsmoke” and played it back pretending to be the announcer.
Those early days practicing his delivery would eventually led to Munsterman applying and being accepted into Moody Bible Institute where he majored in radio and TV broadcast. After graduating from Moody, he’d end up relocating to Houston to attend the University of Houston’s broadcast journalism program. While there he interned at KXYZ 1320 AM, a local Houston radio station.
It while he was at UH Munsterman heard KHCB on the radio for the first time. He decided to travel to the station to offer his services as a licensed radio announcer. He says Peter Stiegerwald, the former station manager told him the non-profit radio station had no part-time jobs available but was looking for volunteers to help with day-to-day operations of the radio station.
Back in his dorm, Munsterman says he reflected on the meeting and the fact he was looking for work to help pay for tuition and was leaning towards seeking other options for work. He credits the Holy Spirit for nudging him to reconsider helping the radio station as a volunteer.
“Somehow the Holy Spirit kept prompting me and said ‘you need to come back here (KHCB),'” said Munsterman.
Come back to KHCB he did where he will begin to cover for announcers who had to miss a shift now and again. After graduating UH he was offered a full-time job at the radio station which Munsterman says he quickly accepted. His dad though he would come back and work in his rental business back in Wheaton but Munsterman found his place on the dial at 105.7 FM.
“He gave me some wonderful advice,” said Munsterman. “Go where the Lord leads, don’t go where the money leads. I took that to heart. He said ‘The money will grow old but the leading of the Lord will never grow old.”
In learning to develop his own unique style of broadcasting, Munsterman says storytelling on radio is different than telling stories on TV. The absence of the visuals makes a big difference he says. He recalls a former professor telling Munsterman’s announcing class to always picture a person they are telling a story to; a technique designed to help an announcer describe events the listener didn’t witness themselves.
“You always pick somebody you are talking to,” said Munsterman.
For new or up and coming announcers Munsterman suggests reading aloud, preferably in front of an audience. He also suggests connecting with local radio stations looking for volunteers.
“We have hired many people off our volunteer staff,” said Munsterman. “Try to get involved.”
As for the future of the radio industry, Munsterman says he thinks radio in its current form will be around for at least 20-30 years, maybe more unless something is created to replace it. He does see more and more technology playing a role and delivering news, music and other media. He cites the ability to share media content around the world through computers, phones and smart devices as a modern way to evangelize.
Speaking of the future, KHCB itself is embracing some changes within its ranks. Munsterman says he decided to pull back a bit from his station management duties, and is now president emeritus. That decision took effect in February of this year. They also welcomed new president and CEO Scott Krus, also a veteran in the radio industry with the Moody Broadcasting Network in Chicago who has taken over network responsibilities.
Munsterman says he will still be at the radio station doing what he can do to help out both on the air and off, and says he plans to spend more time with family.
To listen to my complete interview with Bruce Munsterman, please click the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crwzzp5EcS8
To learn more about KHCB 105.7 FM or to donate to support the radio station and it’s efforts to promote Christianity through the medium of radio, visit: http://www.khcb.org.
Photo cutline: KHCB Radio Network President Emeritus Bruce Munsterman. Photo provided by Bruce Munsterman.
Richard Tew
Contributing writer/Columnist for The Post Newspaper.
http://www.thepostnewspaper.net
