Annual Report July 2019 - June 2020 Table of Contents Essential Work, Essential Workers Our Commitment: Civil Dialogue, Context and Conversation Community Connections Building Habits for Lifelong Learning May We Introduce . And the Awards Go To . .NEPM How Our Music Hosts Found Inspiration in the Age of COVID Wining, Dining and Dancing the Night Away NEPM Donors NEPM Sponsors The Numbers Essential Work, Essential Workers s the world was turned upside down by COVID-19 in March of 2020, all of us at NEPM rose to the challenge of continuing our essential work Awhile following protocols for safety. Many of us moved our workplaces to our homes, some needed to venture out for field pieces and others needed to spend time in our studios. Zoom became our conference room. With diligence and ingenuity, the radio newsroom and Connecting Point teams figured out how to continue to be your best source for trusted and timely local coverage. NEPM’s Presencia Team in partnership with Holyoke Media, Vaya Con Muñoz, El Pueblo Latino, El Sol Latino, and NEPM’s Tertulia launched Colectivo “de Medios Latinos — an all Spanish source for local information on the coronavirus. Our music hosts provided comforting music and our “Culture to Do” e-newsletter featured local arts events that could be enjoyed “from your couch.” PBS Learning Media provided lesson plans and scheduled educational documentaries on the NEPM WORLD channel. Working from home, together Top Stories CONNECTING POINT NEWSROOM Holyoke Soldiers’ Home An Essential Worker, COVID-19 Resident’s Family Concerned Nurse Is Often ‘The Last Voice After COVID Deaths That My Patient Hears’ The Coronavirus Pandemic on NEPM NEWSROOM NEWSROOM Catherine Forrester, 90, Colectivo de Medios Latinos Moved To Springfield Area Interview with Congressman in ‘60s ‘To Do Better’ Joe P. Kennedy III NEPM Staff on Working from Home Our Commitment: Civil Dialogue, Context & Conversation he killing of Ahmaud Arbery on addressing the challenges that we February 23, 2020, Breonna face as a society. Our radio newsroom, Taylor on March, 2020 and the Connecting Point team and the Read Our Complete Statement on Racial Equity Here Protesters kneeling at a protest against police T violence in Holyoke, Mass., on June 2, 2020. George Floyd on May 25, 2020 reporters and producers for Presencia BEN JAMES / NEPM triggered national and international through the Colectivo de Medios NEWSROOM CONNECTING POINT outrage and calls for systemic change. Latinos addressed these issues head We once again saw the bitter truths on, through reporting and dialogue with about racism, inequality and injustice. community leaders and local residents. Our education team’s curriculum aims New England Public Media serves to ensure that underserved youth and as a convener of civil dialogue for all children are empowered to tell their members of our community. We are own stories. committed to exploring and addressing the structural, systemic and institutional Racial injustice of any kind is racism within our organization and the antithetical to our values and mission. greater community we serve. Our aim is As an institution, we stand firmly to stimulate action towards equity. Local Activist Shirley On A Weekend Of Protests, against racism, bias and prejudice of Edgerton Reacts to the A Common Message With any kind. As a public media organization, NEPM George Floyd Protests Wildly Different Tactics is obligated to play a critical role in by Nancy Eve Cohen by Ben James Watch Now Racial Justice on NEPM Community Connections Legal Vices — One Year Later America Amplified: Life, Community, More than 150,000 people visited MGM and COVID-19 Springfield’s 2 million square-foot complex America Amplified, a national public media during its first weekend of operation in collaboration funded by the Corporation August 2018. In late November, traffic for Public Broadcasting, was launched in backed up on I-91, news reporters the fall of 2019 with a mission to empower descended, and long lines snaked through public media to create innovative journalism Northampton for the first day of legal sales by listening to communities and elevating of cannabis in Massachusetts. diverse voices, strengthening collaboration Yo-Yo Ma Provided Comfort with the within public media, building trust in local On November 25, 2019, Connecting Point Bach Cello Suites journalism, and deepening understanding of host Carrie Saldo and NEPR reporter and In August, 2018, Yo-Yo Ma began a two-year America’s needs and aspirations. The New All Things Considered host Adam Frenier journey to perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s England News Collaborative, of which NEPM moderated a town hall-style discussion six suites for solo cello in 36 locations around is a member, is one of eight regional networks focusing on the impact of the MGM Casino the world, music that is among the first Yo-Yo involved in the project. and legalized marijuana in western Mass. Did ever learned when he began playing the cello Three Chords and the Truth projected financial benefits come to pass? at age four. “The Bach Project” was motivated In the spring of 2020, AA produced the series, For many public television fans, there’s nothing How did various minority communities fare? not only by his six-decade relationship “Life, Community, and COVID-19.” NEPR’s better than a new series from Ken Burns. Were there unforeseen consequences? The with the music, but also by Bach’s ability John Dankosky hosted four segments in the On September 8, 2019, in anticipation of the broadcast was the first editorial collaboration to speak to our shared humanity at a time series: premiere of Burn’s epic 16-hour “Country for New England Public Media. when our civic conversation was so often Music,” NEPM held a related local preview event focused on division. When the final leg of The “Are we ready to reopen at the Academy of Music in Northampton. The Bach Project was cut short by COVID-19, more businesses right now?” event brought together exclusive segments Ma generously offered to present a live “What has the pandemic taught from “Country Music,” lively conversation with performance of the suites from the studios of us about how we care for our Signature Sounds’ Jim Olsen, country music WGBH, as a memorial for those we had lost seniors?” artist Laura Cantrell and Grammy-award thus far in the pandemic and a tribute to the “Our cancelled summer plans and winning producer Jim Rooney. The event resilience of our communities. NEPM was the economic impact” concluded with a live on-stage performance proud to offer this special performance on “The pandemic’s unequal toll on by Laura Cantrell, the Piedmont Melody Makers May 24, 2020, on radio and via live stream for communities of color” and Jim Rooney. audiences throughout western New England. Building Habits for Lifelong Learning NEPM delivers much more than TV and Radio. Our Educational Engagement Team works in the community to make sure that the habit of life-long learning starts as soon as possible. Public Media Immersion thought-provoking. Students also wrote The WGBY Youth Media Institute and the a newspaper column and produced a NEPR Media Lab joined forces during the radio commentary. summer of 2019 to welcome ten local youth At the end of the workshop, peers, family for a comprehensive immersion experience and friends were invited to hear students in public media. The internship is designed talk about their experience and watch their for young people interested in gaining completed digital stories. professional behind-the-scenes experience in Summer of Fun and Learning media production. Participants learned about broadcast TV and radio production, journalism, NEPM’s 2019 “Summer of Fun and Learning” social media, press relations, and more. marked its fifth year of service to Springfield children and families. Education Programs The centerpiece of the program is storytelling Coordinator Bess Kapetanis worked with four and students learned how to create their own interns from the New England Farm Workers digital story based on personal narratives. The Council YouthWorks Program. process included writing a script, creating a storyboard, recording voiceover, and Working closely with Community Engagement learning how to use digital media software & Education Department staff, the interns to manipulate photographs, add effects, and were immersed in the core values of public manage transitions. Every story was unique media — integrity, diversity, creativity, and — some inspirational, some humorous, some lifelong learning. Field trips helped them get to know each other better and expose them to career pathways.The interns traveled to learned the basics of creating audio narratives, Head Start and YMCA classrooms, where audio production and editing. In partnership they engaged youngsters with fun learning with the Latino Education Institute and materials from PBS KIDS. To build a bridge Duggan Academy, Presencia co-host Veronica from classroom to home each week, they Garcia, NEPM Director of Community also help NEPM to distribute new books to Engagement & Education Vanessa Pabon, children and send home learning tips from and an intern from Bay Path University led PBS Parents. the program. It’s no wonder interns experience lots of smiles and high fives in these classrooms Distance Learning, Pandemic Parenting over the summer. Within days of the announcement of school closing throughout western New England in March, 2020, NEPM deployed resources PBS Kids Fan Day to help families cope with the COVID-19 Hundreds of families flocked to the Basketball pandemic. PBS LearningMedia delivered Photo credit: Fred Rogers Productions Hall of Fame on November 9, 2019, for our videos, comprehensive lessons, and other DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD © 2012, The Fred Rogers Company. All rights reserved. 5th annual PBS Kids Fan Day to enjoy activities, including “Diversity in Latino meet-and-greets with Curious George and Culture” from our bilingual program Presencia.