Public radio partnerships like the one announced by WFPL in Louisville help stations build on their strengths.
According to an article in Business First, WFPL is teaming with 18 public radio stations in five states to report on environmental issues in the Ohio River Valley. To create the initiative, WFPL also built relationships with three foundations and Hanover College.
The experience we had with other stations and foundations at WNPR to create these kinds of partnerships helped the station enhance it's content around the environment, health issues and, reporting and on politics in Connecticut's capitol region. The collaborations drew the public radio stations in our region closer together, even those with which we shared listeners. It also brought several foundations a platform for their community service issues. The network of community service oriented non-profits was enhanced by these alliances.
I must note there was clear firewall between the funders and the news content. Through regular communications with the funders, WNPR was able to satisfy the foundations' needs. High quality reporting was making the public aware of the issues near and dear to the station's funding partners. We also found that these collaborations raised the bar for regional reporting among all of the stations involved in the initiative.
There's more about how public media can become involved in community service alliances at the National Center for Media Engagement.
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