The Current Names Safar Managing Director
• After an extensive national search, Minnesota Public Radio’s KCMP (The Current)/Minneapolis-St. Paul elects to keep it in the family and promotes 13-year station vet David Safar to Managing Director, a new role that will oversee the long-term strategy, product development and planning of The Current. As Managing Director, Safar will lead The Current, working closely with longtime PD Jim McGuinn and Brett Baldwin, Managing Digital Producer, to align the station’s on-air service with the development of new products, partnerships, and content across The Current’s different platforms, while leading the overall direction of the station.
“In this new leadership role, David will focus on the future and develop new ways to serve our audiences, without taking our sights off of being the best possible music source for our local audiences,” said Nick Kereakos, SVP/GM of MPR’s regional services. “We’ve received such strong support from our audiences throughout the past 15 years and we owe it to them to continue exploring new and better ways to serve them. David’s experience and skills in our industry are a big part of The Current’s success, and we are confident that his leadership will help us continue to grow and serve more audiences.”
A three-time recipient of the Non-Comm Triple A Music Director of the Year award, Safar was promoted to the new role of Head of Music, Artist and Label Relations in January 2019 after serving as Music Director for seven years. He previously served as co-MD and AMD. Safar joined The Current in 2006 after leading University of Minnesota’s Radio K as PD and MD. He earned his juris doctor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and graduated from University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Safar said, “The Current has set itself apart by bringing people closer to music and performances they may not otherwise be able to access. We often hear the question, ‘Why doesn’t something like The Current exist in my community?’ and my goal is to reach those communities with our handcrafted approach to music, more often and in new ways.”
Approaching its 15th birthday this winter, The Current has been named Non-Comm Triple A Station of the Year for 11 of the past 12 years, taking home its most recent award last month. [Photo credit: Nate Ryan]
