Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Chester.
Hi Ken, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I started my quest to aid and assist automotive consumers in 1989 with the founding of The AutoBuyer Plus Corporation – a consumer-centric company designed to leverage my knowledge of the auto industry to offer local consumers hands-on assistance throughout the car buying process.
That evolved into sharing my expertise in newspapers, resulting in the creation of the Motor News Media Corporation in 1997, a nationally syndicated automotive news, features, and photography service that catered to a large number of general interest daily newspapers across the United States.
In 2018, I created RoadWorthy Drive Productions, that would grow to distribute several nationally syndicated short and long-format radio programs on a weekly basis that covered a variety of mobility and technology topics. That company would be rebranded in 2023 as TechMobility Productions Inc.
I am a founding member of the Black Automotive Media Group (BAMG). The group, which represents over 150 years of automotive journalistic experience, actively engages with the automotive industry to address issues affecting black automotive journalists and black-owned media companies. These issues include a lack of representation at press events, insufficient marketing and advertising support for various media outlets, and a lack of black individuals in automotive corporate and advertising agency positions.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Changing technology with the rise of the internet and availability of information inspired my first move to newspapers in the mid-1990s. The exponential growth of The Motor News Media Corporation was accomplished over time, cold calling the over 1500 daily newspapers that were active in the United States at the time. The recession of 2007-2009, coupled with the implosion of the newspaper industry and, again, evolving technology, crippled that business.
My move to radio in 2017 continues to present new challenges. For an independent content creator, revenue generation is much harder – providing content to a growing number of commercial radio stations, podcast platforms, and social media in exchange for a national inventory of airtime that then has to be sold by the content creator in order to get paid. It continues to be the main challenge for my business.
We won’t even talk about the impact of COVID on our growth plans!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Wow, where do I start? I have been reporting on, around, and about the auto industry for over 30 years! I have proud of my ability to evolve to new and different types of media over the years. From newspapers to radio to podcasting and social media, I have had to learn production hands-on to distribute my content.
About that content, over the years, what I have talked about and covered has also evolved. From only doing vehicle reviews to now covered that and so much more as technology continues to permeate our lives and how mobility and technology continue to blur together.
I am most proud to be able to teach my viewers/listeners something of value that makes them informed citizens and better consumers.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
That TechMobility Productions is 100 percent minority owned and based in Des Moines, Iowa.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://techmobility.show
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thetechmobilityshow
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thetechmobilityshow
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techmobility-productions-inc/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/techmobilitypod
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@thetechmobilityshow
- Other: https://thetechmobilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com
Image Credits
TechMobility Productions Inc.
