In his 12th year working with Public Media Company, managing director Erik Langner has a passion for public media, radio and music, leading dozens of projects over the past decade to get music programming to a broader audience. That includes KXT in Dallas, The Bridge in Kansas City, KUTX in Austin an Open Air in Denver.
Among the company’s most recent projects is VuHaus, which now gives the public the ability to discover new and emerging artists through video and live-streaming in-studio performances and concerts. Erik Langner, president of VuHaus, helped secure startup funds and craft partnerships with stations to build a platform for new musicians to gain exposure and the public to find them.
“Radio is still important,” Langner says. “Some of the biggest acts, from Beck to Mumford & Sons, got their first spin on public radio.” Through VuHaus, artists are hand-picked to be featured as an artist of the week, based on talent rather than following.
“What’s guiding our philosophy is quality. The best talent, the best songs––that’s the only filter we apply,” Langner says. “What sets us apart is that everything is hand-selected and curated. There are no algorithms. We have an artist of the week, usually one no one has heard of. And we also exclusively work with public radio stations.”
Public Media Company’s network of stations reaches four million per week, and as Langner says, airplay is a critical component of the prelude to success for emerging artists.
“Our advice to emerging artists is to reach out to our local public radio partners,” says Langer. “They are on the front lines, and doing the hard work of seeking out and finding new and promising bands. They really are the initial tastemakers in this process.”
For more information, visit Vuhaus.com.
