Where now for pubradio's push to engage new listeners?
As pubradio research/marketer John Sutton pointed out on his blog this weekend, CPB and other funders invested millions in NPR's Day to Day and APM's Weekend America, just two of the public radio shows that have been canceled this year. Neither was able to attract big enough audiences (and the underwriting revenues that come with them) to cover their production costs.
Now CPB is laying the ground work for a brand new public radio format targeting English-speaking Latinos in Los Angeles, and the Station Resource Group is finalizing its recommendations from a year-long project examining the best options to "Grow the Audience."
Meanwhile, pubradio traditionalists in Chicago have blamed Vocalo, an experimental radio/web hybrid service launched by Chicago Public Radio, for diverting needed resources from the city's flagship NPR News service.
The economic downturn is pushing public radio to retreat from shows that were once seen as key to its expansion.
Does public radio have the resources, wherewithal and know-how to attract and engage minorities and younger listeners while still serving its prized core audience? What will it take to succeed, given the lengthening list of recent failures?
Who will provide the leadership?
Now CPB is laying the ground work for a brand new public radio format targeting English-speaking Latinos in Los Angeles, and the Station Resource Group is finalizing its recommendations from a year-long project examining the best options to "Grow the Audience."
Meanwhile, pubradio traditionalists in Chicago have blamed Vocalo, an experimental radio/web hybrid service launched by Chicago Public Radio, for diverting needed resources from the city's flagship NPR News service.
The economic downturn is pushing public radio to retreat from shows that were once seen as key to its expansion.
Does public radio have the resources, wherewithal and know-how to attract and engage minorities and younger listeners while still serving its prized core audience? What will it take to succeed, given the lengthening list of recent failures?
Who will provide the leadership?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Rob Paterson on -
Karen - thank you for coming into the conversation as you did.
I think that Mapping the Assets is a key idea - In Alaska we are looking at who else could become part of this larger alliance.
It's very interesting that much of this good work is happening at the local station level and not at the centre - mapping what is out there nationally might also be a great start.
My bet is that this way of doing things - building out from work already under way versus starting from a blank piece of paper has great merit
Part of my frustration and fear is located in the natural reaction to bad things which is to narrow your focus to yourself. Can we have have a national conversation that looks at the "whole"
Does this need a of of money? I am not sure that it does. If there was an agreement about the "grand alliance" my bet is that a small group of evangelists could make a huge difference and that we can all learn a lot form each other if we were to get connected better
About
© 2009 Created by Current.org moderator on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
