William “Bill” Kling is the founder and president emeritus of Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. He was also a founding member of the board of directors of National Public Radio, the founding chairman/president of Southern California Public Radio in Los Angeles, and the founding chairman and president of Public Radio International. He served as president and CEO of American Public Media Group (APMG) until June 2011.
Notable timeline markers in Kling’s career:
· In 1967, KSJR-FM went on the air, and was later spun off into a separate nonprofit community corporation known as MPR
· In 1969, Kling established The Radio Talking Book, the nation’s first closed-circuit reading network for the blind and vision-impaired
· In 1970, Kling helped found National Public Radio and served on its first Board of Directors.
· In 1982, Kling launched American Public Radio (now Public Radio International)
· In 2004, Kling started American Public Media, the national program production and distribution arm of Minnesota Public Radio.
Kling has won numerous honors over his career including 2009 CPB Resolution Award in Appreciation of Service in Public Broadcasting, 1981 CPB Edward R. Murrow Award, 1995 Bemidji State University Distinguished Minnesotan Award, and Saint John's University's Honorary Doctorate Citation for Doctor of Humane Letters, amongst others. He was a 2004 inductee to the Pavek Museum/Minnesota Broadcast Hall of Fame Award. In 1999, both Minneapolis Star Tribune and The St. Paul Pioneer Press list Kling as one of 100 most significant Minnesotans of the century. In 2017, Minnesota Public Radio named its headquarters "The Kling Media Center"
August 1, 1969 - Bill Kling, KSJR-FM general manager; and Father Colman Barry, Order of Saint Benedict and cofounder of Minnesota Public Radio, speak as part of Weyerhaeuser studios dedication ceremony at KSJR-FM.
July 21, 1979 - On this special Spectrum/Home for the Weekend broadcast, MPR’s Rich Dietman presents a group discussion and live call-in program on Minnesota Public Radio's programming decisions, its technical operations, and funding of the network.
June 27, 1980 - MPR President Bill Kling, Membership Director Marilyn Heltzer, and reporter/producer Bob Potter answer live listener questions about the Minnesota Public Radio network.
March 14, 1981 - National Public Radio President Frank Mankiewicz and Minnesota Public Radio President Bill Kling discuss public radio, funding cuts, and recessions proposed by the Reagan administration, and what the future may hold for public broadcasting on this call-in program.
November 5, 1983 - On this Weekend program, Bill Kling, president of Minnesota Public Radio, discusses recent changes in public broadcasting, both in Minnesota and nationally. Topics include the near bankruptcy of National Public Radio. Kling also answers listener questions.
November 3, 1984 - Bill Kling, president of American Public Radio, discusses the status of the network and plans for the future of organization. Topics include federal government funding issues, expansion of signal into rural areas, and foreign news programming. Kling also answers listener questions.
January 18, 1987 - As part of the 20th anniversary of Minnesota Public Radio, Marilyn Heltzer talks with Bill Kling, MPR’s founder and president about organization’s beginning, important milestones, and staff hirings of Marilyn Heltzer, Michael Barone, Gary Eichten, Arthur Hoehn, Garrison Keillor, and Marvin Granger.
November 11, 1989 - Midday’s Bob Potter talks with Bill Kling, president of Minnesota Public Radio, about the KSJN-AM call letters change to KNOW and the further development of community news coverage. Kling also answers listener questions.
December 26, 1990 - Midday’s Bob Potter asks MPR President Bill Kling about the organization’s purchase of WLOL for $12 million, giving MPR two FM frequencies in the Twin Cities. The result of purchase would move classical programming from 91.1(KNOW) to 99.5(KSJN) and provide ability for fulltime news programming on KNOW.
May 31, 1991 - MPR President Bill Kling details the BBC doing a weekend special broadcast from Minnesota that is being sent back to Britain and then out to the world. The politics art and culture of our Midwestern state will be highlighted.