Trinkl then lines up the guests from within and outside the credit union community to come on the show. Some of the shows and guests that have already aired include:

oLeasing vs. Buying Vehicles. Dr. Jeanne Hogarth, manager of consumer education, Federal Reserve Board, Washington, D.C.;

oStaying Safe at the Cash Machine. Samantha Smyth, vice president marketing, Co-op Financial Services;

oCollege Students and Identity Theft. Linda Foley, co-founder and co-executive director, Identity Theft Resource Center;

oPlanning Now For What You'll Need Then. Legal Documents and Financial Security. Sally Hurme, attorney with AARP's Financial Security Unit;

oStrategies For Helping Senior Parents Manage Their Money. Dr. Sharon Burns, executive director, Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education;

oCooling Housing Market: What Buyers and Sellers Should Know. Amy Crews Cutts, Deputy Chief Economist of Freddie Mac;

oFinancial Literacy: The Role of Congress. Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL);

oHoliday Spending: How Do I Get to January 1st Without Stuff I Don't Need and Bills I Can't Pay? Dr. Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director, Consumer Federation of America; and

oHelp for Compulsive Buyers. Dr. Lorrin Koran, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emeritus, Stanford University.

Trinkl then puts together a "bible" for host Paul Berry, known for his participation as emcee for CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference as well as serving many years as the local ABC news anchor. This bible includes guest biographies, key talking points and a pie chart clock that gives precise timing for guest appearances and advertisements.

Paul Berry "really does make the program come alive," Wolff commented. Berry is also the one who suggested they link a few related guests together for the same show.

CUNA invited Credit Union Times into the Radio America studio it uses late last month for a glimpse at the work that goes into producing the show. Dallas Martin, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, was an in-studio guest who spoke about the types of student loans available and how to apply.

CUNA tapes two shows every other Wednesday–Dec. 20 was Nos. 17 and 18. Wolff said the cushion is helpful, but, "We do feel if something really hot breaks, we do have the ability to go back and do that."

He added that Radio America seems pleased with the show and that it is "filling an important niche." CUNA and Radio America are now working to build an audience for the show that was launched Sept. 10. It already airs on about 30 stations including major markets like St. Louis, Atlanta, Albany, Boston, and Memphis.

Those listening to the show not only get an education, they get an introduction to credit unions. At the top of the show, it is headlined as being "presented by America's Credit Unions." CUNA also uses one of the advertising slots for educating listeners about credit unions.

The hour-long show airs on Sunday afternoons. "This kind of news you can use is popular with consumers," Wolff concluded.

Radio America is a 20-year-old Washington-based network with more than 500 affiliated stations. The show is also available on CUNA's Web site (www.cuna.org) for streaming or iPod download after airing. Podcasting is also in the works. –[email protected]