A voice for broadcasters
Newberry makes community impact
HISEVILLE
Steve Newberry always found comfort in the voice on the radio. During tornado warnings in his childhood home, his family would retreat to the basement where he still remembers the power in that voice.
“I would listen to the announcer that was keeping everyone calm and keeping everybody informed and let everybody know where the severe weather was,” Newberry says. “I just always found it quite comforting and exciting.”
Newberry, a consumer-member of Farmers RECC, is the founder and CEO of Commonwealth Broadcasting in Glasgow.
Newberry’s first job in broadcasting was with WKAY at age 14. He did odd jobs around the station, then eventually worked the weekend shift.
He had plans to go to law school, but ended up buying a radio station in Cave City with the help of his family.
Several years later, Newberry got involved with broadcasting on the national level through the National Association of Broadcasters, where he once served as chairman of the board.
“It’s all been driven very much by a desire to serve the local community and to make sure that we provide that voice during those challenging times,” Newberry says.
Newberry and the late Kentucky Governor Brereton C. Jones grew Commonwealth Broadcasting together, reaching up to 38 stations at one point.
“There have been so many people that have been involved in helping Commonwealth be what it has become,” Newberry says. “I’m very proud of what [the stations] mean to the community.”
Newberry is professionally based out of Washington, D.C., but personally based out of Hiseville. He’s also CEO of Quu, a software and services company that aims to help radio implement visual programming, including in-vehicle visuals.
Dale Thornhill has worked with Newberry for almost 42 years and serves as vice president and COO of Commonwealth Broadcasting.
“He’s had a tremendous impact on broadcasting in Kentucky,” Thornhill says. “I mean that from his own personal, small radio stations all the way up to major market television. He’s been an advocate for local broadcasting.”
LILLY KEITH is a journalism student at the University of Kentucky and communications intern for Kentucky Living.
