Beer meets politics in Policy & A Pint

September 6, 2012 by kksparks under Engagement Trends, Journalism, Public Media System, Public Radio

“We had no idea what we were doing…but we came up with a successful event.”

That’s KOSU’s Rachel Hubbard describing the risk the station took with Policy and a Pint. But, it was a risk that paid off. This “political conversation meets drinks with friends” event series helped the station engage the community around some pretty tough issues.

The story starts in 2010. Twelve hot-button ballot initiatives were up for vote in Oklahoma. The initiatives were complicated and controversial, which created a challenge for newsroom staff in how they would engage with the community around them.

In the midst of this, Hubbard heard of Policy and a Pint: a Minnesota Public Radio event that brought people together for drinks and discussion. The idea was perfect – with one hitch. Click here to read more.. »

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Over fifty new & inspiring stories of impact

January 18, 2012 by kksparks under Audience Engagement, Creative Practices, Online Engagement, Public Radio, Social Media, Television

“It was one of those nights when it becomes crystal clear that public media can and does make a difference in people’s lives,” says Julie Coan, Director of Communications and External Relations for HoustonPBS, about Deaf Jam, which helped them connect two communities that might not otherwise have come together. (See the story of impact here.)

The story above is one of nearly 500 stories that NCME has collected to highlight the impact that local radio and tv stations make on their communities.  The power of stories to inspire and motivate us is undeniable. That’s one of the reasons we  collect these – to inspire as well as share ideas about how your colleagues in public media are connecting with their communities.

The past year saw many stations connecting with their communities, and we’re excited to share 50 new stories that share these examples of meaningful engagement. Click here to read more.. »

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