Let’s Talk Opportunity Survey Report June 2017

Public Radio BizLab Published by Public Radio BizLab WBUR 90.9 FM Boston 890 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215

Printed by MIT Press Bookstore Espresso Book Machine

Illustrations Sheena Benavente With Thanks

To William J. Poorvu for his encouragement and support to engage our audience in order to better understand and serve them in the future.

Author’s List

The team at WBUR who made it possible to create a refreshed perspective on our audience.

General Manager Research Participants Charles Kravetz Tiffany Campbell Richard Chacón Principal Investigator John Davidow Dr. Johanna Brewer Mark Degon Sam Fleming Executive Director, BizLab Bruce Gellerman Meg Siegal Dan Mauzy Tonya Mosley Executive News Director Bob Oakes Tom Melville Kassandra Sundt Ben Swasey Sub-Section Authors Fred Thys Martha Bebinger Alison Bruzek Survey Distributors Abby Conway Kathleen Cronin Moura Shannon Dooling Leah Davis Zeninjor Enwemeka Kristin Holgerson Elizabeth Gillis Alexis Hyder Amy Gorel Peter Lydotes Lynn Jolicoeur Candice Springer Louise Kennedy Mike Steffon Erika Lantz Max Larkin Lisa Mullins Shira Springer Table of

1.0 Introduction 8 Societal Role & Work Responsibility 44 Background: WBUR’s BizLab 8 Work Sector 45 Study Origins: Newsroom + Work Location 46 BizLab 10 Research Methodology 11 48 Survey Response 11 3.0 Engagement with WBUR Outline & Overview 13 3.1 Awareness 50 How To Read & Use This Book 14 Discovery Paths 51 2.0 Audience Overview 16 Born & Raised on Public Radio 51 NPR Afiliates & Syndicated 2.1 Personal Identity 18 Programs 52 Age 19 Curious Flipping & Scrolling 53 Birthplace 20 Word of Mouth Nationality 22 Recommendations 54 Race 23 Conversion Triggers 56 Gender 24 Personal Changes & Life Events 56 Orientation 25 GeoChanges 58 Religiosity & Activity 26 National & World Events 62 Religious Afiliation 27 Political Leaning 28 Quality Journalism Political Activity 29 & Captivating Programs 63 Disability 30 3.2 Consumption 64 2.2 Domestic & Private Life 32 Time Since Conversion 66 Time Living in Boston Area 33 Listening vs. Reading 67 Home Location 34 Means of Access 68 Relationship & Parental Status 38 Program Following 70 Living Situation 39 Time of Day & Week 72 2.3 Work & Public Life 40 Frequency & Duration 73 Education 41 3.3 Talk 74 Inheritance & Assistance 42 Calling Etiquette 75 Household Income 43 Good Form 76 6 Contents

Bad Manners 77 Environment & Climate Change 117 3.4 Support 80 Health, Mental Health & Wellness 120 Donation Catalysts 81 Business & Economy 122 Program Passion 81 Education 124 National & World Events 82 Race 126 GeoChanges & Reconnections 82 Gender 128 Identity Capstones 84 The Arts 128 Funding Wishlist 86 Glocal: Global, Local Financial Independence 86 & (Im)migra(tion) 131 Financial Transparency 89 Positivity & Kind World 132 Modern Models for Uncertain Sports 134 Times 89 Spotlight on Volunteering 90 5.0 Standards & Values 138 3.5 Exits 92 Consumption Turn-Ofs 93 Reaching Limits 94 Focus Changes 96 6.0 Opportunities for 144 Values Violations 97 Reaction Polarizing Programming 6.1 Innovation Framework 145 & Stale Sounds 100 6.2 Opportunity Classes 148 Conversation Killers 103 Follow-Up Research 150 Missed Connections 103 High-Impact, Small Changes 152 Donation Blockers 105 Clear Next Steps 154 Support Termination 106 Unexpected Avenues 155 4.0 Audience Deep Dive 108 Big Swings 157

4.1 Communities of Practice 110 7.0 Conclusion 160 Podcast Listeners 110 Readers 112 Appendix 161 Voices of Youth 114 4.2 Topics of Interest 117 7 1.0 Introduction

WBUR reaches half a million the conversation about how it people in the Boston area and might unfold. For a public radio millions more across the nation station, the best way to enter and around the world. We are into that dialogue is to begin responsible for truthfully telling by switching off our broadcast the public’s stories and over mode for a bit and to focus on the course of 67 years we’ve listening. become very skilled behind the mic. Today, we find ourselves By inviting our audience to facing a new sort of challenge. talk to us, to tell us about their The proliferation of internet- identities, their needs and connected technologies their opinions, we can draw is fundamentally altering inspiration for how we might the way in which people better serve them. Rather than expect to engage with media trying to dictate the terms organizations. At the same time, of our relationship, we can this shifting landscape has open ourselves to hearing how afforded stations like ours an listeners and readers conceive unprecedented opportunity to of our role in their lives and interact with their audiences. build upon that foundation. This book presents the results We currently have a large of the first station-wide effort following, but in order to to instill this Human-Centered maintain our leadership status approach in the very heart of the we must evolve to meet these organization: the newsroom. changing expectations or risk becoming obsolete in the future. Background: We cannot be complacent in our success, but we cannot predict WBUR’s BizLab what lies ahead. And so we must In partnership with the Knight help shape the future by joining Foundation, WBUR launched

8 INTRODUCTION 1.0

1 Explore unmet needs BizLab by speaking directly tackles every with our audience. 2 challenge by Experiment with new forms of product, executing services, content or a three phase means of distribution. 3 approach: Evaluate experimental results.

the Public Radio BizLab in early In its first year, BizLab started 2015, believing it is critical by introducing this pioneering that we invest in innovation to Human-Centered Participatory develop new and sustainable Research & Design methodology business models to support to the station. In partnership journalism, especially while with IDEO, BizLab conducted an WBUR is financially sound. The introductory study examining mission of BizLab is simple listener needs and behaviors. In but challenging: to spend five parallel, the BizLab team also years developing and testing undertook an extensive study of ideas that change the way the operational procedures of we think about funding and WBUR itself in order to inform innovation for public radio the creation of a Dynamic in order to provide all public Growth Dashboard. During media organizations with new BizLab’s second year these two and creative business models initiatives were united with a that sustain their excellent small test project called The journalism. Magic Pill, an interactive email- based podcast experience, 9 1.0 INTRODUCTION

designed following Human- direct participation in the work. Centered principles and Our ambitious goal, then, is measured with the Dashboard to empower the newsroom prototype. BizLab proved the by teaching its members the success of its methodology by basic skill set used to support creating a new product that innovation in cutting-edge achieved an incredibly high companies like Apple, Disney, rate of engagement: while Google, Intel and Sony. To the standard media industry accomplish that our initial open rate for emails is 19% we plan was to test this hands-on achieved an average of 90% with approach with the local news The Magic Pill. The significant team. However, interest in this results of this small project project was incredibly high and were enough to win WBUR we quickly decided to encourage a 2017 regional Edward R. participation from any member Murrow award for Excellence in of the newsroom. Innovation. Accordingly, we began this Study Origins: Participatory Research project Newsroom + BizLab in December 2016 with an open invitation to WBUR’s After two years of successful journalists asking them to join innovation at the vanguard of the kick-off session in which we the organization, BizLab earned would brainstorm, as a team, enough trust across WBUR to a research question about our be invited into the heart of the audience that we would like to station: the newsroom itself. answer. From its inception, this WBUR’s GM tasked the BizLab Participatory Research project team with finding a way not to has been defined and conducted merely communicate the results by the members of the WBUR of small-scale Human-Centered newsroom themselves, with Research & Design efforts to BizLab’s Principal Investigator the newsroom, but to leverage guiding the team to ensure the the expertise of the journalists quality of the findings without themselves by facilitating their prescribing the outcome. To

10 INTRODUCTION 1.0

our knowledge, a research To answer that question, we project such as this is without began by elaborating what it parallel in public media, and as would take for us to feel we had such serves as an exemplar of an accurate mental picture of innovation in the industry. our audience. Recognizing that we could not even state with Research Methodology certainty whether our audience could be described as a cohesive The findings presented in this community, or if it was a book represent the collective fractured set of subgroups, we effort of 36 different individuals decided to focus on building working in WBUR’s newsroom. a detailed understanding of Design, implementation and our audience’s identities as analysis for this research study individuals. Collectively we took place over the course of six agreed upon 40 specific data months from December 2016 points that would constitute a to May 2017. To coordinate our detailed portrait of a person. large group, we held 15 open- We also challenged ourselves attendance team sessions as to attempt reach out to as many well as 25 individual analysis people as possible, especially sessions guided by the Principal those at the fringes of our Investigator. community that we may have never heard from before. To Within minutes of kicking off accomplish these goals and our first group session, the answer our research question, research question on everyone’s we chose to conduct an open- mind was surprisingly clear. ended survey. Though objections were raised that it seemed too obvious, that we should already know, Survey Response WBUR’s journalists took the We created a responsive bold, brave step to ask, and web questionnaire using make the commitment to SurveyMonkey. There were answer: what does our audience 35 short-answer questions actually look like?” presented as text fields, radio

11 1.0 INTRODUCTION

buttons and multiple-selection we crafted an equally strategic checkboxes, as well as 5 long- messaging and distribution answer questions presented as plan in order to be as inclusive multi-line text areas intended and expansive as possible. We to elicit essay-like responses. All named the survey “Let’s Talk” of the questions were optional precisely because we wanted to and the survey typically required demonstrate our willingness to 5-10 minutes to complete (the truly listen. full text of the survey can be found in the appendix on page WBUR’s Let’s Talk Audience 162). The narrative arc of the Survey launched on January 27, questions, and their specific 2017 and closed on February 27, wording, was carefully chosen 2017. In one month we received in order to draw out richly 3,662 responses representing detailed, and sometimes very 0.7% of our audience. This is an personal, information about excellent representative sample our audience’s identities and and in statistical terms for a opinions without imposing our confidence level of 99% we only worldview on them. Likewise, have a 2% margin of error. What

Let’s Talk Audience Study Duration Survey January 27 - February 27, 2017 Total Responses 3,662 individuals, an estimated 0.7% of WBUR’s audience

Statistical Significance 2% margin of error at a 99% confidence level

12 INTRODUCTION 1.0

that means is if we repeated data and employ fundamental the Let’s Talk Audience Survey ethnographic techniques to 100 times, 99 of those times the analyze the free text responses. responses we gather would only As a team, we reviewed the be at most 2% different than open, axial and selective codes what you will see in the coming that we identified in order to pages. Nielsen Scarborough develop the grounded theory data relies on only 356 people which structures the findings for its demographic reports. presented in this book. As Quantitatively speaking, this individuals, several members research study has reached of the research team identified ten times that number of specific areas of the data they respondents, and qualitatively wanted to dive into more deeply. speaking, it has done so at a These detailed ethnographic level of detail far richer than the analyses can be found in the basic standardized data typically Audience Deep Dive. Where gathered. Our respondents no specific byline is listed the generated over 500 pages of findings presented are the free text in their long-answer results of our collaborative responses. analysis.

The overwhelming volume, Outline & Overview in both quantity and quality, of the response from our This book presents the audience made it clear that we results of WBUR’s Let’s Talk had demonstrated our intent Audience Survey. The findings to hear their point of view. Our are presented in five main team then spent April and sections: Audience Overview; May of 2017 analyzing all of Engagement with WBUR; the data we collected during Audience Deep Dive; Standards our group and individual & Values; Opportunities for sessions. Under the guidance Reaction. of the Principal Investigator, the newsroom team learned The Audience Overview how to interpret statistical synthesizes the short-answer

13 1.0 INTRODUCTION

responses of the survey to as well as Topics of Interest, paint a detailed picture of the coverage areas we often think of demographic makeup of our as beats or verticals. audience. This section visualizes the Personal Identities, Domestic The brief Standards & Values & Home Lives and Public & Work section stands alone to Lives of our audience through emphasize its significance. It is a variety of charts, figures and comprised of ten key principles, graphs. united by a single overarching mandate, that the audience Engagement with WBUR universally clamors for us to presents the relationship uphold, an emergent code of audience members have with ethics for the station. the station by examining their journies through the The Opportunities for Reaction engagement funnel. This section presents a series of section unpacks the ways in promising avenues for further which our audience members action we might take based on become Aware of the station, the results of our study. These begin to Consume regularly, are recommendations demonstrate compelled to reach out to Talk, concrete examples of how we and finally give their Support can use this research to ground to WBUR. Additionally, we our future decisions. By tracing highlight the main triggers that the lines from observable facts cause our audience members about our audience to potential to Exit a given level of the paths for innovation, we discuss engagement funnel. opportunities for action at all levels of the engagement funnel. The Audience Deep Dive explores 13 different subgroups of our How To Read & Use audience through the eyes of an individual researcher from our This Book newsroom. We spotlight both If you’ve just picked up this Communities of Practice, groups book and opened to this that share a common behavior section, the best way to read it or expression of their identity, is to go back to the beginning 14 INTRODUCTION 1.0

of this introduction to orient something freed us to seek yourself. If you’ve already done out the answer. The practice of that, then we recommend first- remaining in that questioning timers carry on and just read state, of staying defamiliarized, through to the end. This book is an essential technique of not was designed to grapple with only social science research the question: what does our but of design and innovation as audience actually look like? The well. This book reminds us of answer, like our audience, is how much we didn’t know and multifaceted and so this book how important it is to constantly has been structured to be as check our assumptions and digestible and approachable dispel our biases. as possible. Reading it cover to cover, at whatever pace suits you, As a common frame of reference, is the best way to absorb all the we can build upon the findings knowledge it contains. presented herein while remembering that we always For those readers who are have more to learn. This book already familiar with the findings is a stepping stone towards the contained herein, we hope that next unknown. As of publication this book becomes a well-worn in June 2017, our station has an reference guide. When you find accurate, shared picture of what yourself in a debate about what our audience actually looks like. course of action you should take, This snapshot resolves one big especially in matters that directly question, but opens the door on impact our audience, you can so many others. We hope that use this book to ground your this book will be a reminder of decisions. how it is within our collective power to mount a research study We began this research project to find the answers. because we had the temerity to admit we weren’t all-knowing when it came to our audience, that we might not understand them as well as we thought. Accepting that we didn’t know 15 2.0 Audience Overview

Developing a clear picture of statistical information that what our audience actually is often represented as a looks like begins with a percentage. These statistics are robust understanding of the based upon the 3,662 responses demographics we serve. WBUR’s we received to the survey. Because Let’s Talk Survey featured over all questions were optional, 25 short-answer questions about many of the figures indicate the our audience’s identities, many percentage of respondents who of which were completely open- chose not to answer, that is to ended. For example, rather than skip, the related question. presenting respondents with the typical five fixed options to Every percentage shown in the define their race, we asked our coming pages represents the audience to describe their racial, number of survey respondents ethnic or cultural identity in their who voluntarily expressed a own words. Utilizing this highly certain aspect of their identity. qualitative survey methodology Because we implemented a allowed our research team to breadth-focused distribution analyze the responses and draw plan, and given the fact that we out the emergent demographic reached 10x more our audience categorizations that our audience than any other survey conducted members use to describe on behalf of WBUR in the past themselves. This inductive decade, we can confidently say approach allows and encourages that these results accurately us to speak about our audience reflect our overall audience using their preferred terminology. population. While the statistics are based upon the responses we This section uses a variety received, the scientific rigor with of charts, graphs and other which we conducted our research figures to visualize the Personal gives us solid ground on which to Identities, Domestic & Home base the claim that what you see Lives and Public & Work Lives in the coming pages is indeed what of our audience. Many of the our audience actually looks like. visualizations include detailed 16 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW 2.0

Stay Defamiliarized

When your knee-jerk reaction is to doubt a fact you see in this book, ask yourself why five times. Either you will be convinced to let go of an unhelpful assumption you were hanging on to, or you’ll be compelled to go out and gather the data to prove your instinct!

17 2.1 Personal Identity

Our overview begins with an and orientations they identify examination of the building with, their disabilities, political blocks that form the core of leanings and religious beliefs, our audience’s identities. By we gain a rich understanding exploring when and where they of how our audience members were born, the races, genders picture themselves.

p. 19 Age p. 20 Birthplace p. 22 Nationality p. 23 Race p. 24 Gender p. 25 Orientation p. 26 Religiosity & Activity p. 27 Religious Afiliation p. 28 Political Leaning p. 29 Political Activity p. 30 Disability

18 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity 2.1

Age

Average 51

Youngest 19

Oldest 100

2% 15% 15% 17% 19% 17% 4% 10% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ Skipped

19 2.1 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity

Birthplace

20 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity 2.1

Total Respondents

By State By Country 1-10 None 11-50 1 51-150 2-4 151-500 5-9 501+ 10-24 25+

21 2.1 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity

Nationality

88% US Citizens 2% Non-US Citizens

? 4% Dual Citizens 10% Skipped

1% Canadian 1% British 1% Irish

0.4% French 0.3% German 0.3% Israeli

Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Bulgaria

Columbia D.R. Congo Costa Rica Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador

Finland Ghana Greece India` Iran Italy

Jamaica Libya Mexico Netherland New Zealand Nigeria

Norway Peru Poland Romania Russia South Africa

Sweden Taiwan Turkey 22 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity 2.1

Race

75% White 4% Multiracial Anglo-Saxon English Lithuanian Sicilian Respondents who indicated more British European Polish Swedish than one race or simply said mixed. Bulgarian French Portuguese Ukrainian Caucasian German Protestant WASP Celtic Hungarian Russian White 17% Skipped Catholic Irish Scandinavian Yankee Dutch Italian Scottish 3% Jewish 1% Black 1% Middle Eastern Ashkenazi African American Arab American Jewish Black Arabic Armenian Iranian 2% Asian 2% Latinx Lebanese Asian Brazilian MENA Asian American Cuban Middle Eastern Asian Indian Dominican North African Cantonese Latina Turkish Chinese Latino Filipino American Latin American Japanese American Haitian 0.3% Native Indian American Hispanic American Indian Korean Mexican Cherokee Singaporean Mexican American Native South Asian Nicaraguan Native American Southwest Asian Puerto Rican Pacific Islander Taiwanese Polynesian Vietnamese 23 2.1 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity

Gender

63% Female 27% Male

0.4% Non-Binary 10% Skipped

3% Trans-aware Respondents who described their gender using words like cis and trans or expressed appreciation for the open-ended question format.

24 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity 2.1

Orientation

72% Straight 9% LGBTQIA* Breeder Asexual Hetero Bi Heterosexual Bisexual Regular Celibate Mostly straight Demisexual Normal Dyke Straight Flexible Straight-ish Gay Straight but not narrow Goddess Heteroflexible Homosexual Lesbian Open 18% Skipped Pansexual Queer Same Sapiosexual Skoliosexual

25 2.1 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity

Religiosity & Activity

Non-Religious 39% Religious Religious 29% Not Religious 1% Spiritual/Humanist 32% Skipped

Occasionally Regularly Attends Attends 53% Does Not Attend 24% Occasionally Attends 19% Regularly Attends Does Not Attend 5% Skipped

26 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity 2.1

Religious Affiliation

Catholic Christian

Unitarian

Jewish Other

13% Christian 11% Catholic 9% Jewish 5% Unitarian 2% Other Asatru Pantheist Buddhist Pastafarian Christian Scientist Quaker Hindu Self-Realization Fellowship Jainist Taoist Mormon Wiccan Muslim Zen Pagan Zoroastrian

27 2.1 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity

Political Leaning

57% Left 1% Right Blue Conservative Bleeding Heart GOP Democrat Republican Labor RINO Left Leaning Liberal 19% Center Anti-Trump Center Independent Moderate None Not Afiliated Unenrolled

6% Far Left 0.4% Far Right Bernie Sanders Libertarian Communist Green 17% Skipped Pirate Progressive Radical Socialist Social Democrat Social/Civil Libertarian

28 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity 2.1

Political Activity

1% Elected Oficials

3% Organizers

25% Attend Politcal Meetings

46% Demonsrate

53% Commnicate to Reps.

80% Vote Local

96% Vote

29 2.1 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Personal Identity

Disability 8% of our audience is disabled

Mental Ailment

Mobility

Visual

Learning Auditory

3% Ailment 2% Mental 2% Mobility Autoimmune Disease Alcoholism Arthritis Brain Injury Anxiety Back Pain Cancer Bipolar Limited Mobility Chronic Illness/Pain Depression Physical Disability COPD Mental Illness Diabetes PTSD Epilepsy/Seizures 1% Auditory Heart Disease/Stroke Hearing Impairment/Loss Leukemia 1% Learning Deafness Lupus ADD Tinnitus Lyme Disease ADHD Multiple Sclerosis Asperger’s 1% Visual Autism Spectrum Muscular Dystrophy Blindness Dyslexia Parkinson’s Myopia Speech Post Polio Visual Impairment/Loss Spinal Stenosis`

30 31 2.2 Domestic & Private Life

Our exploration continues with homes, how long they’ve been the information our audience living in the area and if they plan shared about their domestic to stay, we get to know more lives. By examining their status about one of the main places as partners and parents, the they spend their time. location and ownership of their

p. 33 Time Living in Boston Area p. 34 Home Location p. 38 Relationship & Parental Status p. 39 Living Situation

32 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Domestic & Private Life 2.2

Time Living in Boston Area Slightly more than half our audience has been living in Boston for 25+ years, and 41% of them plan to stay for another quarter century.

89% 87% 86% 79% 72% 71% 68% 67% 57% 52%

41%

...Before 1993 2007 2013 2017 2021 2027 2041 Beyond...

9% Not Living in Boston Area

6% Never Lived in Boston Area

33 2.2 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Domestic & Private Life

Home Location

34 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Domestic & Private Life 2.2

Total Respondents

By State By Country None None 1-10 1 11-50 2-24 51-500 25+ 501+

35 2.2 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Domestic & Private Life

Home Location

Total Respondents By ZIP Code None 1 2-4 5-9 10-24 25-49 50+

36 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Domestic & Private Life 2.2

37 2.2 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Domestic & Private Life

Relationship & Parental Status

25% Single 73% Partnered Annulled Cohabitating Divorced Engaged Divorcing In Relationship Separated Long Distance Single Married Widowed Polyarmous

40% Without Kids 33% With Adult Kids

20% With Minor Kids 5% With Minor & Adult Kids

38 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Domestic & Private Life 2.2

Living Situation

Renter

Live-In Guest

Owner

72% Owner 4% Live-In Guest 22% Renter 1% Skipped

Notable Other Statuses Co-owning/co-renting with non-partner (friend/family member) Living with partner Living in company housing Living in dormitory housing Living in retirement community Living in shelter Live-in caretaker Homeless Owning in one location and renting in another

39 2.3 Work & Public Life

Our overview concludes members of the workforce, with a look at the varying we learn about their role in foundations upon which our society. Finally, by examining audience members build their their responsibility, income public lives. By exploring the levels and workplace locations, educational history of our we discover more about the respondents and their families, destinations of our audience what assistance they’ve received, member’s morning commutes. and their current statuses as

p. 41 Education p. 42 Inheritance & Assistance p. 43 Household Income p. 44 Societal Role & Work Responsibility p. 45 Work Sector p. 46 Work Location

40 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Work & Public Life 2.3

Education

19% Reachers Respondents who are the first in their family to achieve this level of education

1% 1% 16% 31% 42% 18%

Middle/ Associate’s Bachelor’s Master’s Doctoral Skipped High School Some College Professional Vocational GED

41 2.3 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Work & Public Life

Inheritance & Assistance

21% Inherited 8% Received Wealth Public Assistance

2% Inherited Wealth & Received Public Assistance

42 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Work & Public Life 2.3

Household Income The wealthiest 4% of our audience makes 40 times the household income of our lowest 4%. To get a sense of that gap... imagine making four times as much money next year as you make now, then imagine earning only 1/10th of your current salary.

1% 3% 7% 23% 32% 14% 4% 17% <$10,000 $10,000- $25,000- $50,000- $100,000- $200,000- $400,000+ Skipped $24,999 $49,999 $99,999 $199,999 $399,999

43 2.3 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Work & Public Life

Societal Role & Work Responsibility

73% Worker 19% Retired Retired 5% Student Worker 2% Unemployed

Student 1% Domestic Worker

28% Boss Director Manager Executive Supervisor 26% Established Associate Boss Senior Entrepreneur Starting Out 14% Freelancer Freelancer Self-Employed

Freelancer 8% Starting Out Established Assistant Junior Entry Level Trainee Intern 5% Entrepreneur Employer 44 Owner AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Work & Public Life 2.3

Work Sector

17% Education & Learning

12% Medical & Healthcare

11% Science & Technology

8% Public & Social Service

5% Products & Services

5% Media, Arts & Entertainment

5% Government & Law

4% Engineering & Construction

4% Finance & Management

2% Communications & Marketing

45 2.3 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Work & Public Life

Work Location

Total Respondents By ZIP Code None 1 2-4 5-9 10-24 25-49 50+

46 AUDIENCE OVERVIEW Work & Public Life 2.3

47 3.0 Engagement with WBUR

To better understand the people are compelled to Talk to us, and who make up our audience, we culminates in their pledge of continue by exploring how they Support to the station. We also experience WBUR. The Let’s Talk examine the key triggers that Survey featured 10 questions cause our audience members to about our audience’s relationship end their journey by Exiting the with the station itself, including funnel. three with long-answer responses that generated hundreds of pages It is important to note that of free text. Our team utilized public radio organizations do a combination of both the not currently share a standard quantitative approach required practice for quantifying audience for the Audience Overview, as engagement. During the creation well as qualitative textual analysis of WBUR’s Dynamic Growth techniques, to unpack the way Dashboard, BizLab led station our audience relates to us. personnel in the definition and classification of key metrics This section mixes charts representing the health of the and graphs with narrative organization. Among the most descriptions in order to provide significant classes of metrics a clear picture of the ways in identified was the audience which people experience WBUR. engagement funnel, which gives We present those experiences us a framework to quantify and by tracing the journey an track the progress of our audience audience member takes through members as they deepen their the engagement funnel. That commitment to our organization. journey begins when a person first becomes Aware of WBUR, continues as they Consume regularly, deepens when they

48 ENGAGEMENT 3.0

A clear understanding of all of increases the likelihood that we the milestones in the journey will be able to serve that person a person takes, from initial well and ultimately earn their discovery through to becoming a support. sustaining member, dramatically

WBUR’s Engagement Funnel has Four Tiers

Awareness

Consumption

Talk

Support Exit

p. 50 Awareness Knowing that WBUR exists. p. 64 Consumption Regularly listening to, reading stories from or attending events held by WBUR. p. 74 Talk Reaching out to WBUR via phone, mail, social media, etc. p. 80 Support Volunteering time, donating money, buying products or generating revenue for WBUR. p. 92 Exit Leaving any tier of the funnel.

49 3.1 Awareness

When we refer to our “audience” aware of the existence of, our we are speaking about people station, we are still able to who regularly consume our learn about the ways in which content, call in to our shows and awareness begins. By listening volunteer their time. Before a to the stories our respondents person does any of those things, have shared about how they they must first discover our discovered WBUR, we are able to station. While it is true that our reconstruct the varied, yet well- audience survey by definition traveled, paths which listeners was not intended to reach take from being vaguely aware people who did not regularly of WBUR to becoming a regular tune in to, but were only merely consumer.

p. 51 Discovery Paths p. 51 Born & Raised on Public Radio p. 52 NPR Afiliates & Syndicated Programs p. 53 Curious Flipping & Scrolling p. 54 Word of Mouth Recommendations p. 56 Conversion Triggers p. 56 Personal Changes & Life Events p. 58 GeoChanges p. 62 National & World Events p. 63 Quality Journalism & Captivating Programs

50 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Discovery Paths 3.1

Discovery Paths

Asking our survey respondents the time a person’s awareness to describe the moment in leads to regular consumption, which their awareness of WBUR they must surely know our call began yielded a rainbow of sign, URL or frequency in order detailed recollections that to intentionally tune in. Prior ultimately fell into four main to that moment though, they categories. Before we explore might conflate our station with these major paths of discovery, another public radio affiliate or it is important to take a moment only have a general awareness to recognize that brand of NPR. Regardless of whether a recognition and awareness person knows specifically about are not the same thing. In our station, or if they are only telling the tales of their earliest familiar with public radio in memories of WBUR, many general, we can trace the ways in respondents cite the moment which a fuzzy awareness comes they became aware of National into focus. Public Radio in general, rather than our station specifically. By

Born & Raised on Public Radio Many of our respondents report their childhood. Regardless of that they grew up listening which NPR affiliate they first to WBUR or another NPR encountered, our audience affiliate. With more than half members cite fond memories our respondents born outside of listening with one or both of of Massachusetts and 6% of their parents. Sometimes they them with roots beyond the recall the sound of WBUR in borders of the United States, not specific locations like the family everyone had the opportunity kitchen. In other instances to be exposed to our station in they reminisce about listening 51 3.1 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Discovery Paths

from the back seat of their identity, with one person going parents’ car. Interestingly our so far as to say that WBUR is “in respondents often speak of my DNA”. “growing up on” or “growing up with” NPR as if it were a nutritious staple or a life % Born in a state other companion. Those who were 51 than MA. born and raised listening to public radio describe their 6% Born outside of the U.S. strong affinity for our station as a deep rooted part of their

“NPR was the background music of my childhood. Car Talk still produces palpable memories of my dad.”

NPR Afiliates & Syndicated Programs Of the more than half of our WBUR has two main drivers. respondents who were not born First, folks who are regular in Massachusetts, most of them consumers of the NPR affiliate report moving to the Boston in their home state often seek area as adults. Unsurprisingly, out a Boston-based public radio many of our current audience station because they are looking members stated that they were for local coverage. avid public radio followers in the city or town where they previously lived. For those who 6% of our audience has never still live outside of the Boston, lived in the Boston area. their specific awareness of 52 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Discovery Paths 3.1

Alternatively, several reporting that they have never respondents report first lived in the Boston area, learning about WBUR through syndication has proven to be a our syndicated programming. significant source of awareness. For the 6% of our audience

“I first discovered WBUR through Here & Now on my NPR station (WUOM, Ann Arbor). When I don’t like WUOM’s programming during the work day, I switch to WBUR. Boston news interests me because I run the marathon each year and my daughter is at MIT.”

Curious Flipping & Scrolling For the folks who do find were specifically looking for themselves in our signal range, talk radio, or when referring another key driver of awareness to a moment of discovery in is a general state of curiosity. the far past, they might have Sometimes our respondents, been searching for a genre of whether out of boredom or a music we once offered. This desire to find something new, active seeking on the analog were motivated to simply “flip dial is mirrored in a digital the radio dial”. When finding world that extends far beyond themselves in this open state the reach of our transmitters. of mind, some of our audience Several respondents report members report stumbling finding WBUR online after they upon our station in an almost decided to download an NPR- accidental fashion. Others related app or “start listening 53 3.1 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Discovery Paths

to podcasts”. Whether flipping, scrolling or clicking, a prime % of our audience works cause of awareness is a curious 40 in Education, Healthcare audience member with access and STEM. to one of the many different technological platforms that we use to distribute our content.

Word of Mouth Recommendation Even if a person was not exposed explicitly recommended that to NPR in their childhood, if they check out our station. they never sought it out on These recommendations their own or stumbled upon sometimes come up naturally in it by chance, they still might conversation, as one respondent know someone who did recounted, “I was missing an have an experience like that. intellectual community and my Consequently, the final major friend mentioned she got her driver of an audience member’s fix from WBUR”. Other times awareness of WBUR is a word of the advice takes on the form of a mouth recommendation. prescription, especially when,

“A college professor required my class to listen to public radio for an hour a day and keep a journal. I got into the habit of listening and never stopped!”

Many of our respondents report as many of our respondents that a friend, romantic partner, recalled, issued by high school family member or colleague teachers and college professors. 54 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Discovery Paths 3.1

Indeed, many of our audience up child who is interning in members first encountered the newsroom, is a powerful NPR as a part of their formal source of awareness. Finally, education. A significant number repeated direct experience to of those people drew attention WBUR is the last notable path to to their status as a Boston discovery. Many respondents are University alum, citing it as the exposed to our programming at reason they first heard of our work, and overwhelmingly those station. Similarly, a surprising workplace environments tend number of respondents said to be laboratories. Alongside they had learned about WBUR the home, classrooms and labs from a current or former make up the most important employee. Direct connection, sites in which word of mouth whether through a shared recommendations are taking parent institution or a grown- place.

“My parents always listened when I was younger so I would hear it with them in the car. When I was studying for the GRE’s, an acquaintance told me to start listening to NPR, as it would give me a lot of information useful for my masters degree in international relations. I got hooked.”

55 3.1 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers

Conversion Triggers

Knowing that WBUR exists is the key drivers for repeat a prerequisite for becoming consumers fall into four main a regular consumer, but categories. While an audience awareness alone does not a member’s road to discovery compel a person to tune in. might predispose them more When we asked our survey towards one conversion trigger respondents to describe how than another, it is important to they discovered WBUR, many remember that every journey of them went on, unprompted, through the engagement funnel to speak about their journey is unique. Nonetheless, we can further into the engagement continue to fill in the picture of funnel. After detailing their path our audience by understanding to awareness they explained the four main reasons they what caused them to convert become consumers. to regular consumption, and

“I got an Amazon Echo for Christmas, and when trying it out, I asked to hear the news. NPR came on, and I’ve been tuning in every day since.”

Personal Changes & Life Events Many of our respondents audience members often consider being a public radio report their conversion to follower to be a symbol of regular consumption being edification. Accordingly, our driven by a decision to better 56 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers 3.1

themselves. That decision was changes often caused our sometimes the result of a soft audience members to adopt a campaign of peer pressure new habit. For some people, from friends or colleagues who WBUR has been a companion began with a word of mouth during difficult times, and for recommendation. others it has been an old friend

“My parents listened to NPR, and I discovered WBUR while I spent a LOT of time alone, recovering from cancer, while living in Boston at 21 years old.”

Alternatively, and surprisingly, they were able to reconnect many of our respondents with using a new technology. reported that their conversion Regardless of the precise took place in their teens as a sort motivation, respondents who of coming of age. Sometimes converted for personal reasons they linked that moment with tend to express their affinity for getting a driver’s license and our station in strong emotional pursuing personal freedom, and terms. other times they described it as a conscious decision to embrace a family tradition. In other cases significant life events, both exciting and difficult, were the cause for conversion. Losing loved ones, breaking up with romantic partners, graduating college, starting a new job and other similarly noteworthy

57 3.1 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers

GeoChanges Another major trigger for cases their new job brought conversion is rooted in the them into signal range, and for changes that people make other people it was the mere in their geographic patterns. fact of having to commute by Especially when our audience car that sealed their conversion. members report being avid NPR Finally, a surprising number of listeners, they often convert to respondents reported seeking WBUR after moving to the area. out WBUR content after a family In several cases our respondents member moved to Boston in reported that they began order to keep abreast of what following WBUR in preparation was happening in their new for their move, easing it into local area. When a person their media diet as they weaned makes a geographic change, it off their local NPR affiliate. can trigger them, and the people Other audience members they love, to begin regularly became regular consumers consuming WBUR. instead because their workplace or commute changed. In some “When I moved here in 1988, I looked for something to replace my beloved KCRW.”

58 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers 3.1

“I started listening on the radio in my car while delivering chicken wings after I graduated college. Those were tough times.”

“Lived in Boston for many years and listened to WBUR since it began broadcasting BBC. Moved back to Pittsburgh after my husband died and found WBUR online. I feel connected to a thread of sanity here in the Rust Belt.”

59 3.1 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers

“I always listened to MPR in my car when I lived in Minnesota and spent a lot of time driving. When I moved to Boston, I missed public radio (but not driving). Then I discovered I could listen to the live stream of WBUR on my tablet in my kitchen while cooking and getting ready for work in the morning. I love it.”

60 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers 3.1

“I was in Boston on September 11, 2001, waiting to fly to Tokyo. I listened to BBC on WBUR as the most reliable source of information at a traumatic time. I kept listening when I later moved to Boston. And after subsequently moving to Albuquerque, I continued to listen to WBUR via the internet.”

61 3.1 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers

National & World Events A sizable portion of our NPR and WBUR that is often audience points to a significant communicated along with word event that took place on the of mouth recommendations national or world stage as the that serves as the foundation for catalyst for their conversion. many of our audience member’s Our respondents cite several conversion. Our ability to major moments in history provide comprehensive, including the Gulf War, 9/11, the unbiased coverage represents London Bombing, the Marathon an important factor in the Bombing and the 2016 successful conversion of those Presidential Election. Whether who tune in during a time of gripped with fear, or just crisis. inspired to better understand what’s happening in the world, these extraordinary events often send people in search of a “During the economic trusted voice. It is the balanced, recession WBUR intellectual reputation of helped to explain everything to me.”

62 ENGAGEMENT Awareness / Conversion Triggers 3.1

Quality Journalism & Captivating Programs For our respondents who and Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! happened upon WBUR by Sometimes it takes a specific chance, or for those who were kind of programming to draw repeatedly exposed at work, a casual listener in deeper, but one of the main reasons they for other people it is the nature choose to continue listening on of our coverage in general which a regular basis is the caliber of keeps them interested. Whether content we produce. In some due to the overall quality of our cases, our audience members shows, or the unique character cite the high quality of our of a particular program, the final journalism describing it as major trigger for conversion “news with substance” and relies on the core product we “calm, rational, even-handed produce, our content itself. reporting”. Other respondents named specific programs or hosts that captivated their attention. The most frequently cited passion-inducing shows “Fresh of the boat in and talent include Car Talk, Christopher Lydon, Con Salsa 2000, was looking with José Massó, Dear Sugar, for news radio and a On Point with Tom Ashbrook friend was shocked I had not heard about NPR/WBUR. From the moment I listened to Tom Ashbrook, and later everything else, I was hooked for life.”

63 3.2 Consumption

Once a person begins to The Let’s Talk Audience Survey regularly consume WBUR’s presented respondents with 7 content they enter the second short-answer questions about level of the engagement their consumption habits. funnel and can officially be These questions focused on how considered a member of our our audience consumes our on- audience. It is important to note air and online content. We did that our station has defined not explicitly ask about the ways consumption to be the practice in which they consume our in- of regularly listening to, reading person offerings like talks and stories from or attending events panels. Nonetheless, many of held by WBUR.

p. 66 Time Since Conversion p. 67 Listening vs. Reading p. 68 Means of Access p. 70 Program Following p. 72 Time of Day & Week p. 73 Frequency & Duration

64 ENGAGEMENT Consumption 3.2

our respondents spontaneously prefer listening or reading, what offered a variety of comments devices and technologies they about WBUR’s events. Though use, the times when they tune in this section focuses on the or visit, how long they stay, and ways in which our respondents what they consume while they’re consume our audio, written and with us. visual content, we encourage the curious reader to revisit the original survey results as there is ample data to perform a follow-up analysis that would shed further light on how our audience consumes our events. For now, we explore how long our respondents have been consuming our terrestrial and digital content, whether they

65 3.2 ENGAGEMENT Consumption

Time Since Conversion Four out of five audience members began listening to WBUR in the last decade, and one in five have been with us for over 25 years.

100% 99%

96%

80%

57%

21%

...Before 1993 2007 2013 2017

66 ENGAGEMENT Consumption 3.2

Listening vs. Reading

20% Only Listen 61% Mostly Listen

13% Equally Listen & Read

5% Mostly Read 1% Only Read

67 3.2 ENGAGEMENT Consumption

Means of Access

95% Synchronously 91% Terrestrially

14% Terrestrial-Only Respondents who exclusively use analog technology to consume our content

85% Car Radio

56% Home Radio

8% Ofice/Work Radio

6% Portable Radio

68 ENGAGEMENT Consumption 3.2

9% Digital-Only Respondents who exclusively use digital technology to consume our content

86% Digitally

Smart Phone 46%

WBUR.org 43%

Computer 41%

Live Stream 32%

Podcast 30%

WBUR App 23%

Facebook 21% NPR One App 13% Notable Other Means Amazon Alexa Sonos Twitter 13% Email/Newsletter Stitcher Instagram Tablet iTunes 5% NPR News App TuneIn Snapchat

69 3.2 ENGAGEMENT Consumption

Program Following

86% All Things Considered

83% Morning Edition

77% On Point

70% WBUR News

67% Here & Now

65% Weekend Edition

49% Radio Boston

36% Only A Game

32% Cognoscenti

24% The Remembrance Project

21% CommonHealth

70 ENGAGEMENT Consumption 3.2

17% Open Source

14% Modern Love

12% The ARTery

11% Kind World

7% Bostonomix

7% Dear Sugar

5% Edify

4% Politicker

4% You’re The Expert

3% Magic Pill

2% Wild Life

71 3.2 ENGAGEMENT Consumption

Time of Day & Week

Single Slotters Respondents who only consume our content during a specific time of day.

88% 57% 61% 23% Morning Afternoon Evening Night

73% 71% Weekdays Weekends

10% Weekdays-Only 8% Weekends-Only Respondents who exclusively Respondents who exclusively consume our content on weekdays consume our content on weekends

72 ENGAGEMENT Consumption 3.2

Frequency & Duration

Daily 47% Several Times a Day Weekly 42% Daily 9% Weekly 2% Monthly/Rarely Several Times a Day

35% 15 Mins to Half Hour 15 Minutes An Hour or Two 28% An Hour or Two to Half Hour 17% Until Story Finishes 16% Keep It On/Open Until Story 3% Just a Few Minutes Finishes Keep It On/Open

73 3.3 Talk

When a regular consumer of our This research study stands content is compelled to reach as an example of how we can out and contact us, they make embrace, rather than fear, the leap from passive listener innovation, and utilize modern and enter the third tier of the means to better engage our engagement funnel as an active audience. Now that most participant. Conducting the Americans consider the internet Let’s Talk Survey was a way to a basic utility and have a invite our audience to speak up, smartphone in their pocket, we and we were overwhelmed by were able to conduct the largest the level to which they did. Not survey done on behalf of WBUR only did we receive a staggering in ten years without relying on 3,662 responses, but many of an external marketing research them were incredibly thoughtful firm. By speaking directly to our and detailed. audience we have proven that

p. 75 Calling Etiquitte p. 76 Good Form p. 77 Bad Manners

74 ENGAGEMENT Talk 3.3

we have the power to facilitate an incredibly rich dialogue with the public without the need for a middleman. The volume of the response to our survey further demonstrates how important it is to communicate our willingness to listen. So in this section, we explore an unexpected topic that emerged from our respondent’s comments, that is, their views on the customs surrounding call-in shows.

Calling Etiquette The Let’s Talk Survey presented in Section 5, apply to did not pose any specific a specific type of engagement. questions concerning on-air Though only a small handful participation, but nonetheless, of respondents related stories our respondents volunteered of phoning in themselves, the a variety of spontaneous comments audience members comments on the topic. made about those who do call Analyzing what they had to in allow us to better understand say about call-in shows and the unique role that callers play. the callers who participate in Our audience sees the callers as them, we distilled a concise extensions of themselves. Like code of conduct that our representatives, callers speak on audience believes all parties behalf of the people, allowing involved ought to follow. This the voices of the audience to on-air etiquette can be seen be heard. That privileged role, as reflection of the way in however, comes with increased which the Standards & Values, scrutiny. As representatives, 75 3.3 ENGAGEMENT Talk / Calling Etiquette

callers must follow the audience’s code of ethics, and likewise our audience “I would like more expects that we treat their debate and discussion representatives according to the on controversial same Standards & Values. issues. It is something Good Form I really appreciate about On Point, Because our audience values hearing from people in their where callers and own words, they often speak guests on opposite positively about the way in sides of an issue are which call-in shows allow talking to each other them “to hear from regular Americans across the country”. in the same space.” They expect that callers focus on either their own first-hand experiences or speak about facts they are qualified to explain, whether as certified experts or rushed. Our respondents enjoy knowledgeable laypeople. In thoughtful dialogue and remind order to assure the quality of the us that it requires both skilled representatives that do speak on referees alongside well-prepared air, our audience expects that we participants. pay special attention to the way we screen and balance callers. Healthy moderation is typified by the presence of a variety of informed perspectives on a given topic, not a battle between polar opposites. Further, our audience appreciates when the callers are given ample time to speak without making them feel

76 ENGAGEMENT Talk / Calling Etiquette 3.3

Bad Manners Our audience expects that to say that some of the male callers positively contribute to a hosts could be “rude and shared dialogue. Respondents condescending” and were are especially critical of people even perceived as “bullying” who are “uninformed”, call in their callers. Our audience to spread “misinformation” expects us to challenge callers or recycle talking points from to provide factual evidence of pundits. Our audience is their opinions, but to do so with particularly unhappy if these calm determination rather than callers slide down the slippery aggression. When other callers slope from an ignorant diatribe misbehave, it is disappointing to a prejudiced tirade that to our audience, but when we borders on hateful speech. violate the shared norms, it is But in most cases, the callers an even graver offense. With who stray from facts just come the incredible power of holding across as “embarrassing” or the mic, comes the great “annoying”. The audience responsibility of knowing how expects their representatives to pass it and when to listen. to add something insightful to the conversation, rather than “ramble and rant”, and they rely on our moderation to facilitate “I find it distressing that discussion. Though to listen to people callers who are not considered being interrupted.” good representatives will still slip through our screening, the audience is particularly critical of our transgressions against civility as well. Several respondents expressed a deep discomfort with the frequent “interrupting” and “cutting off callers”, going so far as

77 3.3 ENGAGEMENT Talk / Calling Etiquette

“I am listening less to call in shows. Occasionally there will be callers who know a lot and that’s great. But I don’t want to spend my time listening to people vent. I want to learn something. That’s why I listen to WBUR.”

78 79 3.4 Support

Though we did not ask our able to learn more about what respondents any direct drives our audience to make that questions about financial financial commitment, joining support for our station, a our cherished supporters in surprising number of people the fourth and final tier of the spoke up about the ways in engagement funnel. Equally which we fund WBUR. Many importantly, we also uncovered of those comments came a series of hopes, fears, from audience members who expectations and suggestions regularly donate their money, from our respondents that volunteer their time or purchase might help guide our future tickets and merchandise. From fundraising efforts. the wealth of feedback we were

p. 81 Donation Catalysts p. 81 Program Passion p. 82 National & World Events p. 82 GeoChanges & Reconnections p. 84 Identity Capstones p. 86 Funding Wishlist p. 86 Financial Independence p. 89 Financial Transparency p. 89 Modern Models for Uncertain Times p. 90 Spotlight on Volunteering

80 ENGAGEMENT Support / Donation Catalysts 3.4

Donation Catalysts

As we noted previously, many In a striking parallel to the of our audience members Conversion Triggers, our offered up detailed accounts audience spoke about four main of their journeys through motivators that inspire their the funnel from awareness donations. to consumption. These respondents often continued to tell the story of how they ultimately went on to support WBUR, either by giving a one-time gift or, more often, by becoming sustainers.

Program Passion Several of our respondents Marketplace, On the Media and attribute the motivation for Planet Money in addition to the their donation to be a desire to original content WBUR creates. support a particular program.

Dear Sugar and On Point are cited as favorites worthy enough of to earn support in and of themselves. Interestingly, some of our audience members say they donated to our station in order to support programming we carry from NPR affiliates. Respondents specifically mention their desire to support

81 3.4 ENGAGEMENT Support / Donation Catalysts

National & World Events

Just as crises on the global stage motivate our audience members to become regular “Know that we are consumers, so to do these epic all behind you and events catalyze donations. while the “president” Several respondents reported keeps putting you that they had become sustainers due to the results of the down. Know that we recent presidential election. are here for you and Concern about possible cuts support you. Usually to the budgets of public media I just gave during organizations, as well as restrictions on the freedom drives but I am now of the independent press, led a sustaining member some of our respondents to to show solidarity.” make their first donations. The stability we have provided for our audience in the past has helped to engender their support as our organization comes under threat in the present.

GeoChanges & Reconnections For self-professed lifelong members treat as quite natural, supporters of public radio, even expected. When our many of our respondents begin respondents say they have donating to WBUR as a part “always supported public of settling down in Boston radio”, they specifically mean after a recent move. This act by making donations to their of membership transfer is local public radio stations. To something that our audience be a public radio supporter,

82 ENGAGEMENT Support / Donation Catalysts 3.4

then, is to donate locally, and Boston, a surprising number consequently it is not a betrayal of respondents spoke of the to perform a membership ways in which their digital transfer. Interestingly, it is more reconnection with the station unusual for a person to donate caused them to begin donating to a station far from their home. again. With fond memories Several respondents describe of listening to WBUR when cases in which this happens as living here in the past, several a part of a reconnection with audience members report WBUR. While some of our donating thanks to our digital audience members began their distribution. donations after returning to “I heard WBUR’s programming while living in Kansas. I downloaded the NPR app once I moved to Massachusetts so I could listen to both WBUR and my Kansas City news from KCUR. I became a sustaining member of WBUR this year.”

“I have always been a big local NPR supporter. Moving to MA means switching to WBUR.”

83 3.4 ENGAGEMENT Support / Donation Catalysts

Identity Capstones Especially for our audience their current identities as members who believe that “sustaining members”. We see, being a public radio follower is a then, that the completing the symbol of edification, pledging journey to the final level of the financial support to WBUR is engagement funnel is also a goal often considered a signifying for many of our respondents. action. Several respondents Whether Born & Raised on spontaneously reported that NPR, or learning of its existence they rely on our programming later in life by a Word of Mouth even though they are not able to Recommendation, making financially support our station one’s first donation to WBUR at this point in their lives. is one of the most important Others speak proudly of the markers of a true public radio moment they were finally able to follower’s identity. start donating, often affirming

84 ENGAGEMENT Support / Donation Catalysts 3.4

“If I could aford it, I’d donate millions.”

“I hope WBUR makes a great tote bag in 2017 so I can represent my childhood NPR station and support the important work being done.”

“I discovered WBUR back when I was a graduate student in Boston in 1980. I moved away and could not get the station anymore until internet streaming started on smartphones. Now I listen again daily, and contribute to my home station as well as WBUR.”

85 3.4 ENGAGEMENT Support / Funding Wishlist

Funding Wishlist

We asked our respondents what and wishes when it comes to they would like to see from our financial future which we WBUR in 2017. Along with a examine in this subsection. variety of recommendations related to our content and distribution (that we explore in “Public radio is special the Opportunities for Reaction), due to its funding and our audience members also expressed four main wants mission.”

Financial Independence While some respondents “listener supported” funding characterized us as having model. They encourage us “no ads”, others thought we to remain “unaffected by featured too many messages advertisers” and caution us to from our sponsors. But no reject support from sponsors matter which of those camps who do not live up to the an audience member falls into, audience’s Standards & Values. our respondents praise our Several respondents questioned financial independence. They whether we had received believe that our funding model funding from the Koch brothers, demonstrates our integrity and encouraged WBUR to refuse while providing listeners any offer of their support in the with “ad free” content. Our future. Distancing ourselves audience is proud of WBUR’s from “sleazy sponsors” and “independence from corporate large corporations, especially in advertising” and links our the pharmaceutical industry, is reputation for presenting seen as essential to maintaining “unbiased facts” directly to our our integrity.

86 ENGAGEMENT Support / Funding Wishlist 3.4

“I always give and I wish there was an app that provided uninterrupted WBUR to people who have a current membership.”

87 3.4 ENGAGEMENT Support / Funding Wishlist

“I want continued in-depth coverage. Follow the money, straight to your corporate underwriters if necessary.”

“I’d like more retro womens-fit tee shirts. I would love to show of my NPR pride, but NPR does the same thing a lot of companies do. They exclude womens- focused products and then wonder why women do not buy or wear them.”

88 ENGAGEMENT Support / Funding Wishlist 3.4

Financial Transparency Not only does our audience scrutiny. Our audience wants want us to remain financially to know where our money independent, they also call, in comes from and where it no uncertain terms, for us to be goes. Especially given that this more financially transparent. request comes from a group As individuals give up ever more of people who took the time to of their private information reveal many personal details to large organizations, they of their own, it does not seem are beginning to require once unreasonable that they would opaque institutions to expose want us to respond in kind. themselves to a similar level of

“We are constantly asked to provide money, without any regard to whether it is financially possible, and are never provided with results of fundraising or actual budgets and expenses.”

Modern Models for Uncertain Times Several of our respondents share words of encouragement, acknowledge that relinquishing urging us to explore alternative donations from dubious backers business models. They express a might place our organization willingness to help us find a new under further financial strain. way to support ourselves and Indeed, many people express even offer specific suggestions. worry about the security of our Our audience members agree future funding, especially those that we need to modernize our who feel they cannot contribute business model in order to any more than they already do. weather these uncertain times. However, our respondents also 89 3.4 ENGAGEMENT Support / Funding Wishlist

“I would welcome more discussion of efective ways in which individuals can contribute or volunteer, both to help others and to make a political diference.”

Spotlight on Volunteering The final item on our audience’s them to make a real difference. funding wishlist is to see an Interestingly, several of our increased focus on volunteering. respondents explicitly requested Especially for respondents who more first-hand stories from do not have the means to give actual volunteers. In addition to a monetary gift, they would “more advertised volunteering like to know more about how opportunities” they also want to they can donate their time hear from “interesting people to support our station. Our talking about volunteering”. Our audience wants to get involved audience wants to roll up their beyond just answering a phone sleeves to help us and hear tales during a fundraising drive. They from those folks who have had want more hands-on, engaging an impact of their own. ways of volunteering that allow

90 ENGAGEMENT Support / Funding Wishlist 3.4

“I’d like to see more cooperation with WGBH. There’s no need for two NPR radio stations in Boston area. There should be more consolidation at the upper ends. Public radio is non-profit and donations are paying for it. You could increase broadcasting in coordination with WGBH by decreasing upper management expenses.”

91 3.5 Exits

Every audience member begins and we received a wealth of their journey with WBUR by detailed explanations about the first becoming aware of our precise reasons our audience station. That initial moment members exit the engagement of discovery marks a person’s funnel. It should be noted, entrance into our engagement again, that when we speak funnel, after which our audience about our audience members, members can choose to deepen we mean those people who their interaction, or to end their regularly consume our content, experience with us. The Let’s talk to us or support our station. Talk Survey asked respondents Someone who has discovered what makes them leave WBUR WBUR might never convert to

p. 93 Consumption Turn-Ofs p. 94 Reaching Limits p. 96 Focus Changes p. 97 Values Violations p. 100 Polarizing Programming & Stale Sounds p. 103 Conversation Killers p. 103 Missed Connections p. 105 Donation Blockers p. 106 Support Termination

92 ENGAGEMENT Exits 3.5

regular consumption, but they calls or cancel donations. While are unlikely to willfully erase in most cases these exits are their memory of our station. In temporary pauses in activity, actuality, these people either or returns to antecedent tiers remain peripherally aware of of the funnel, sometimes these WBUR, or they have actively departures are permanent. chosen not to engage with us Stemming tides of attrition further, and so it does not make might require changes to the sense to imagine the awareness way we serve the public. But in tier of the engagement funnel order to entice our audience as having a frequently used members to stay, we must first exit route. Instead, we can, and understand why they leave. ought, to attempt to analyze the drivers which compel our audience members to abandon listening sessions, hang up

Consumption Turn-Offs None of the respondents report distributed in a wholly other that they have permanently manner. Even though we did not stopped consuming our gather data about what causes content. Of course, this is to be a person to permanently tune expected as our survey targeted us out, we were able to learn a our audience members who, great deal about the four main by definition, consume our reasons that make our audience content. Reaching people members temporarily reach for who intentionally retreated the dial. to the awareness tier of our engagement funnel would require an entirely different kind of research study, one likely aimed at non- and former-consumers, and thus 93 3.5 ENGAGEMENT Exits / Turn-Ofs

Reaching Limits Often times our audience from their technological members take a break from devices. Relatedly, those who consuming our content listen to our podcasts, read because they’ve reached some our stories online or tune in to kind of limit. For several of listen to particular programs, our respondents who report often report turning away from listening regularly during their WBUR once they come to the commutes, they often tune end of the content they are out from WBUR once they’ve consuming. This motivation reached the edge of our signal is clearly shared by the 17% of range. For others it is the end of respondents reporting that they their commute, and the need to typically tune in “until the story exit the car, that causes them to, finishes”. However, for the 16% sometimes reluctantly, reach for of our respondents who say the dial. they “Keep WBUR On/Open”, the main reason they tune out Several respondents explicitly is a need for sleep. Most switch cited their frequent “driveway us off when their day ends and moments” and explained that they are “out of time”, but some they often remained in their respondents reported regularly car to continue listening, not falling asleep and waking up to only because they were enjoying the sound of WBUR. However, the program, but because they not all of our respondents would have been unable to once have the capacity, or desire, inside their destination. Indeed, to consume our content 24/7. smaller changes in location, In some cases, respondents like moving from room to room report being “overwhelmed” in a home, can limit a person’s saying they “can’t take any more ability to consume our content. news”. Others, instead of citing Whether it’s due to the lack of a a feeling of mental exhaustion, Wi-Fi speaker in the garage, or a simply report that they stop kitchen radio that doesn’t quite consuming our content once pickup our signal, sometimes they’ve had their fill. our audience faces limitations

94 ENGAGEMENT Exits / Turn-Ofs 3.5

“I turn it on when I want to be informed and turn it of when I need a break from being informed.”

“I have to turn it of when I get overwhelmed by this current news cycle. Also sometimes it is not appropriate for my kids to listen to, but you guys are very good about warnings for that issue.”

“I listen when I drive, so sometimes I will park and finish a story but other times I can’t, so I have to stop. I don’t often go back and find the story on my phone to finish it, but I frequently want to, so I may be changing that behavior in the future. I’m not as savvy about doing that, so information on how to would be helpful.”

95 3.5 ENGAGEMENT Exits / Turn-Ofs

Focus Changes Audience members who turn or concentrate more deeply. Our away from WBUR because respondents report requiring they’ve reached their limit often silence, or music, for deep turn towards another source concentration at work, whereas of media. Many respondents a general need for quiet in the cited this need for variety in home was often more closely their media diet as a motivator linked with a desire to read for moving on. Frequently our or rest. Variations in activity audience turns off our news to and changes of focus occur turn on music or live sports. frequently throughout the Respondents tend to turn courses of our audience’s days, towards music, and away from and so it is to be expected that WBUR, when they are looking our respondents report tuning for something less mentally out when they need to buckle taxing or because they are down or just let go. interacting with other people around them. In some cases, parents turn off difficult stories “I like to listen to music. to shield their children, and in others, they merely prefer I don’t like to listen to to consume a different kind of News or Politics all the media when they are with their time. I want to know kids. Folks who are working what’s going on but tend to turn off WBUR when they need to talk with colleagues then move on. I love the podcasts because then I can pick what I want to “My kids enjoy listening listen to.” with me, but sometimes the content is too adult for their ears.”

96 ENGAGEMENT Exits / Turn-Ofs 3.5

“I work from home and listen to WBUR in the background if I don’t have to be on the phone. I mute it/turn it of when I need to be talking to someone or need to crunch numbers or do something that requires a higher level of concentration. Otherwise, I’ll often be listening while simultaneously doing lower level work.”

Values Violations While it is seems unwise to hosts interrupt their guests, attempt to prevent audience talk over the experts, or cut members from temporarily off their callers, they display exiting the funnel because a lack of civility our audience they’ve hit a personal limit, does not tolerate. Similarly, or need to change their focus, when our respondents feel there are other cases in which we are displaying a lack of we might want to reevaluate understanding or empathy to some of our actions that the varied circumstances of the contribute to more sudden public we serve, they also stop departures. The most often consuming our content. To a cited cause of a respondent’s lesser extent, our audience also rapid exit from the engagement tunes out when they perceive funnel is a transgression of our coverage as being too any of the Standards & Values shallow or repetitive, which described in Section 5. Above is most often a problem for all, our audience is quick tune listeners who stick to fixed time us out when we demonstrate windows. Though it might seem a failure to listen. When our not to be a violation of their

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values, many of our audience members reported tuning out when we air the voice of Donald “Donald Trump’s voice Trump. Our respondent’s want makes me lunge for the to hear from people in their of button.” own words, but when it comes to our current president, they overwhelmingly prefer not to be subjected to the sound of his voice. Our audience, in this case, would rather we speak for him.

“I have to confess, as much as I like most of the hosts of the various shows, I sometimes find the interviews incredibly rude and obnoxious with constant interruptions of answers to the questions asked. I also think increasingly the hosts seem to use interviews as opportunities to show of how knowledgeable they are.”

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“I sometimes agree with the criticism that public radio has an unconscious bias toward the afluent “elite.” This is particularly noticeable during the fundraisers, where they make statements like “The $125 you’ll spend on Winston Flowers is the same you’d probably be spending anyway on Valentine’s Day”. Sorry, not so for most people. Or they encourage you to donate some amount which is the “same as you spend on your daily latte”. Again, not so. Things like this rankle, to be honest, because they seem to be pitched to the entitled by the entitled. I do love WBUR this is my only real criticism.”

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Polarizing Programming & Stale Sounds Even if we have not violated José Massó, The Moth, On the Standards & Values of our Point with Tom Ashbrook The respondents, sometimes people Remembrance Project, Sunday leave WBUR when they are Puzzle, TED Talks and Wait unhappy with our content. The Wait... Don’t Tell Me! While programs which captivate many our respondents expressed of our consumers, and catalyze this mixture of deep-seated their donations, are the very dislike and passionate support same ones which cause other for some of our content, they respondents to tune out. seemed to agree upon their The most frequently dissatisfaction with the Marsh cited of these polarizing Chapel Services. Rather than programs include BBC, Car being angered by the program, Talk, Christopher Lydon, many respondents just feel that Cognoscenti, Con Salsa with it is out of place on a “news

“In truth, my favorite way to spend a Sunday is to clean the house while listening to the news. I respect that people participate in Sunday worship, and that broadcasting that enables many more people to participate, who may not be able to get to church. I just can’t stand hearing it on the radio for some reason. It just bums me out every single Sunday. Somehow that broadcast occurs exactly when I’m in housecleaning mode. But I understand that many people must look forward to it.”

100 ENGAGEMENT Exits / Turn-Ofs 3.5 station” with some even saying times, our audience members it makes them “uncomfortable”. often report switching over to Some respondents speculated WBGH to supplement what that other listeners must surely they perceive as an absence benefit from the programming, of news in their day. Because and indeed a lone respondent our audience members have a in our dataset expressed rich media landscape to draw enthusiasm for the Sunday upon, it is important to reflect service. There is, however, no on the effects that the balance type of programming which and variety of our programming is as universally disliked schedule has on our audience. as our on-air fundraisers, especially those involving the sale of flowers. A full 7% of our respondents elected to tell us “Pledge drives are a that they turn off WBUR during turn-of. I know they fundraisers, including the 2% are necessary but that stressed they tune out after having donated. Interestingly, as a sustainer I find though, our respondents were them very annoying surprisingly sympathetic while and I feel they’ve issuing their complaints. Our gotten much longer audience prides itself on our public funding model, but our recently. I wish there respondents view the pledge was some way for drives as a kind of old-fashioned sustainers to listen form of punishment that they to programs drive- are made to endure regardless of whether they already support free or at least drive- us. Our respondents unhappily reduced. I would up describe these times as “a my monthly pledge week without news” and our for that!” sustainers are left feeling particularly frustrated. It should not be surprising, then, that during our fundraising 101 3.5 ENGAGEMENT Exits / Turn-Ofs 3.5

“Fundraisers make me turn of WBUR because I end up feeling ashamed that I can’t aford to donate. Even though I work two jobs in public education and am in graduate school, I can barely aford rent. Buying roses or golf jackets or a chance to win tickets to Hamilton in New York seems to be aimed at people with more to give and easier lives. It would be great to win tickets but I wouldn’t be approved for time of work so what’s the point? I wish I could donate but last year I waited in line at the food cupboard once a week so I consider shopping in a grocery store to be a privilege. Maybe there should be other ways to donate where you can invest in certain topics. I would find a way to donate specifically for investigative reporting on topics like the front lines of the war on our planet or what the hell we can do to protect trans people of color from being murdered because those seem more important than being able to eat dinner.”

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Conversation Killers

From the rich responses of our audience members, we had the unexpected opportunity to “I tried to contact learn about a major reason why WBUR last week to they drop out of conversation share a great idea I with us. Unfortunately, it is had for fundraising often our own failure to reply that ends the dialogue with our and could not get audience. In extreme cases, through to anyone. these unrequited contacts can I could not even become permanent blockers to identify who I a person’s advancement to the final tier of the funnel. should contact on your website.”

Missed Connections

Audience members regularly to serve the public well. reach out to WBUR in myriad Indeed, several respondents ways: calling in to our shows, frustratedly recounted stories of writing letters of complaint, unanswered correspondence. commenting on our articles, Amusingly, and perhaps not replying to our tweets, and uncommonly, one respondent so on. Every time we fail to recalled a time they tried to call respond, we relinquish an in to a show only to realize they opportunity to strengthen our were listening to a program that relationship and risk eroding had previously aired. our audience member’s trust in our commitment 103 3.5 ENGAGEMENT Exits / Turn-Ofs

“I heard it while in my landlord-friends’ plants while they were on vacation (they left the radio on to deter a break-in). Chris Lydon’s “The Connection” was playing and, not realizing it was an evening replay, I tried to call in. I even remember the topic: the orphan whose acceptance to Harvard was rescinded when it became public that she’d killed her mother!”

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Donation Blockers If we repeatedly fail to respond consciously holding back their to the entreaties of an audience donations in protest. Our failure member, this series of missed to demonstrate that we are connections can lead to a listening is causing some of our build up in frustration that respondents to remain stuck in permanently deters a person the third tier of our engagement from supporting our station. funnel. Several audience members who do not feel that they are being heard report that they are

“There is an entire perspective absent from all of your coverage of education stories. I have written you, several of you, many times over many years about the absence of this perspective, and it makes no diference to you. The ONLY reason that I have not become a dues-paying member of BUR is this issue. I even wrote Kravetz a long while ago, asking for a response to my question about why BUR refuses to cover the issue; he never responded, so I didn’t become a member.”

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Support Termination

Every audience member’s journey through the engagement funnel is “I rescinded my unique, but surprisingly our donation because respondents only reported one the announcer type of reason for withdrawing their support. The same values likened listening violations that cause audience to WBUR without members to turn-off our content donating to stealing are the transgressions which your neighbor’s lead regular donors to abandon That is their pattern and sustainers to newspaper. revoke their pledges. Once a extremely ofensive, person has entered the fourth it would be like tier of the engagement funnel, churches telling unless they move to a new city people they can’t and transfer their allegiance to a different NPR affiliate, they attend if they don’t seem to only terminate their give money at the support of WBUR if believe they door.” have reason to question our integrity.

“I stopped contributing because you run ads for Homeopathic advertisers.”

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“I have been a devoted and enthusiastic listener and supporter for the decades I’ve lived in the Boston area, but my relationship to WBUR has changed radically since the election. I am turning it of more than on now. I cannot listen to the “neutral, objective” coverage of the Trump presidency. I feel you have abandoned us, your listeners, with your business as usual attitude. I will not be contributing money again until and unless there is a serious and significant reappraisal by WBUR of its role and responsibilities in light of the clear and present danger represented by Trump & Co.”

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Analyzing both the audience actually looks like. demographics of our Having achieved a broad respondents as well as the understanding of our audience ways in which they engage with as a whole, we can now deepen WBUR, allowed us to develop that conception by examining a robust picture of what our our respondents in more precise

p. 110 Communities of Practice p. 110 Podcast Listeners p. 112 Readers p. 114 Voices of Youth p. 117 Topics of Interest p. 117 Environment & Climate Change p. 120 Health, Mental Health & Wellness p. 122 Business & Economy p. 124 Education p. 126 Race p. 128 Gender p. 128 The Arts

p. 131 Glocal: Global, Local & (Im)migra(tion) p. 132 Positvity & Kind World p. 134 Sports

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detail. By exploring different Ethnography is the science facets of our audience through of writing about people and a variety of lenses, we are able cultures. Listening to what a to gain additional insight group of people say, attempting into the similar or separate to induce an understanding subpopulations that exist within of what they mean, and then the public we serve. putting that analysis into one’s own words are the fundamental The analysis required for this steps that describe both deep dive into the perspectives rigorous social science as of our respondents was well as excellent journalism. conducted directly members In hindsight, it is perhaps of WBUR’s newsroom. During unsurprising, then, that the our very first team sessions, it members of WBUR’s newsroom became clear that though the were so well able to adapt the BizLab team had the necessary skills they use to make the skill in Human-Centered news for this research study. Participatory Research & Design However, it should still be noted to execute this study, it was that the Principal Investigator the members of the newsroom was nonetheless stunned by who possessed the nuanced acuity of the observations the understandings of their team made in their final written respective domains required pieces. The best ethnographies to interpret the audience’s surprise you at first, yet seem responses. Though our naturally obvious by the end. Principal Investigator assisted Our team collaborated to create the journalists, producers this deep dive in hopes that we and editors in identifying would bring some of our most scientifically-sound areas of the inspiring findings to the surface data for further exploration, for our colleagues around the the findings presented in this station. section are solely the work of individuals from WBUR’s newsroom.

109 4.1 AUDIENCE DEEP DIVE Communities of Practice Communities of Practice Building upon our understanding of their specific understanding of audience experiences. By focusing on engagement, we explore three podcast listeners, readers, and subgroups of our respondents the voices of WBUR’s youth, who share a common behavior we can learn more about what or expression of their identity. these sometimes overlooked Our team was drawn to communities have to say about investigate these populations our service. in order to deepen our

Podcast Listeners By Alison Bruzek, Associate Producer, Radio Boston

Of the more than 3,600 percent of podcast listeners respondents to the Let’s Talk also listen to “Modern Love,” Survey, 1,123 indicated that compared with 14 percent of the podcasts were one of their total listeners and 15 percent favorite sources of media, or of podcast listeners listen to about 31 percent. The following “Dear Sugar” as compared with findings drawn upon that 31 7 percent of total listeners. percent of respondents, which are referred to here as podcast Podcast listeners in WBUR’s listeners, and provide a contrast audience are most likely to to the full pool of survey listen while they’re doing respondents, which are referred chores. Overall, 61 percent to as total listeners. of podcast listeners said they listened while doing chores, Podcast listeners, perhaps compared to 49 percent of total unsurprisingly, also enjoy the listeners. The most impressive podcasts produced by WBUR, difference between podcast including “Modern Love,” listeners and all listeners “Kind World,” “Dear Sugar,” however, indicates that podcast and “Magic Pill.” In total, 26 listeners may like to share

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the experience with others. that a majority of podcast Twenty-seven percent of podcast listeners would be younger listeners said they listened than 54, with most being while with family, compared young adults. However, that to 9 percent of total listeners. doesn’t appear to be the case Podcast listeners were also more for WBUR listeners. This could likely to listen while walking, mean WBUR has successfully while exercising, and while attracted an older audience to commuting. podcasts, through its content, or it could mean it’s missing out In addition, 17 percent of on the opportunity of attracting total listeners indicated that younger listeners. they finish the entire program or story before tuning out. I would like to see WBUR However, 22 percent of podcasts attempt to appeal to podcast listeners indicate a younger audience – not by that they finish a program dumbing down the concepts or or story before moving on. I ideas presented on the radio, was surprised the number of but with younger, more diverse podcast listeners who finish hosts whose lens through a program isn’t higher, given which they view the world is that podcast listening is usually different. I would like to see an on-demand experience and more perspectives represented therefore, you can pause and in WBUR’s podcasts, much restart and finish an episode at like WNYC has introduced “2 any time. Dope Queens” to share the perspective of young African Overall, the demographics Americans in New York City, or of those who are listening to “Nancy” with gay Millennials. podcasts are very similar to total listeners. Most are white, My critique was also seen in middle-aged, and have an the 0.8% of total listeners who advanced degree. I had thought, voluntarily indicated they based on the Edison Research wanted to see more podcasts Podcast Consumer 2016 study, from WBUR in 2017. One

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listener said that there is a need of. A single listener who asked for the station to better appeal for podcasts that “are not just “to a more diverse audience, radio broadcasts.” and a younger audience.” The listeners cited stations like I also agree with that listener WNYC or companies like Gimlet that podcasts as a medium are when it comes to podcast different than the radio and production studios they admire. therefore the types of audio and creative experiments brought to They also asked for more bear can be things that would “great stories” and local issues never be heard on broadcast. discussed by “experts” and I’d like to see them treated as cited WBUR’s award-winning a separate media type to be podcasts, “The Finish Line” and created for, rather than the “Car Talk” as exemplary podcast place where we put content that types that they’d like to see more doesn’t fit on our airwaves.

Readers By Abby Conway, Digital Producer & Editor

While a few of the members of say they get news from WBUR WBUR’s audience who identify only by reading articles, and a themselves as readers -- those further 5% indicated they mostly who consume our content only read articles but sometimes by reading, mostly by reading listen. 13% of our audience said or equally by listening and they spend an equal amount of reading -- said that they first time reading and listening, but heard of us via podcasts like more than 80% of respondents Modern Love or Dear Sugar, the said they mostly listen and majority indicated that they first sometimes read or only listen. discovered WBUR via the radio. But even among the 6% who A very small portion of our spend more reading than audience, 1% of respondents, listening, most say they found

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WBUR via the radio or used as well. Some also indicated words like “radio” and “listen” being overwhelmed by their to describe how they discovered options online. One indicated a us. A lot of them indicated desire for an evening newsletter that no matter where they summarizing the important live they always look for the stories of the day so they didn’t local NPR station, or that they have to “read 100 stories in 100 grew listening or “have always places.” listened.” While more than half of the respondents in this Listening is a convenience -- group provided an answer to something people indicated how they discovered us, only they often do while doing ten individuals indicated they something else: cooking, found us online, via social driving, working. But many media, email, or through friends indicated that they do spend sending them links to stories time reading some news online. Even among those, many websites -- mostly newspaper indicated listening was a part of sites. Respondents’ answers their journey to our website. to how they discovered WBUR suggest a high level of loyalty to In responses to what makes NPR and to public radio (though people turn off WBUR or leave not necessarily WBUR). But 80 the website, some people who percent of those loyal listeners indicated they mostly read said don’t frequent the website to the current political climate read news, even though they’re makes it harder to listen. Some reading news elsewhere. These indicated feeling overwhelmed findings might lead us to ask by the news these days. They how do we encourage more prefer to read so they can pick of our listeners to adopt the and choose which subjects they practice of reading our news as consume. Others indicated they well? stop reading/listening when they feel the stories/programs are “blatantly one-sided” and they assume the audience is

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“I grew up in the metrowest area listening to WBUR with my dad. When I lived in Somerville in the mid-Aughts, I listened to On Point every day. I moved to New Haven in 2009 and then to Western Mass in 2011. I reconnected with WBUR by subscribing to the Modern Love Podcasts and then seeing story after story referenced in Politico’s Massachusetts Playbook. When I read some of the stories, I realized that there was a daily newsletter and I subscribed immediately. I also began following WBUR on Instagram and I love the stories and reporting! I really enjoyed the dispatches from the women’s march and from the Patriots Victory Parade yesterday.”

Voices of Youth By Amy Gorel, Digital Editor & Producer, ARTery

To secure a future audience, observations were pulled from the trends and interest of young those young audience members. people should be of a particular interest to the station. The While there was not a strong average age of the more than preference, as might be 3,600 WBUR audience members expected, in this age group for who were surveyed is 51 years online listening over car radio old, with a standard deviation listening, or for podcasts over of 16 years. There were 359 radio programs, there were a few people between the age of 19 clear topics of interest that this (the youngest respondent) and demographic says the media is 30, representing 10% of the total overlooking or that they would respondents. The following like to see more coverage of 114 AUDIENCE DEEP DIVE Communities of Practice 4.1

including the environment, “They are talked about, but marginalized groups or diverse rarely do I see them being voices, and “glocal” news. interviewed or discussed in

Many of the open response a way that makes them feel, answers were very broad, natural, real.” and listed groups of people that could be described Another respondent wrote “the as “underrepresented” or media often goes for the ‘easy “minority” groups like LGBTQ, win/headline’ when taking people of color, low-income aim at bigotry or hate speech,” people, prisoners, the elderly, citing an example of criticizing the young, and people who live a citizen’s behavior instead in rural areas. This age group of reporting on institutional seems interested in hearing systems of racism or public from people different from servant’s actions. themselves and learning what they don’t know. A respondent Respondents in this age bracket who indicated we are missing also seemed particularly more broad perspectives wrote: interested in the environment and climate change coverage, “I like hearing viewpoints though weren’t very specific in of people who I generally what coverage they were looking for. A few answers showed disagree with so I can a slant toward the idea that understand where they are humanity is not doing enough coming from.” to protect the environment, with phrases like “environmental They also seem interested in justice” and questions about genuine, nuanced coverage of what they could do to help. other groups, as expressed by this respondent regarding the In terms of what the media white, rural voters in the 2016 is overlooking, a number of election: respondents indicated they wanted more international

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news, but also better coverage new media isn’t as important of our local communities. For as the content we create and example, one respondent said the stories we tell. However, she would like coverage of areas having this content available beyond Boston, like Lawrence, on alternative platforms is Lowell and Worcester, while likely a given for this audience. many also cited national outlets None of them mentioned like NPR, BBC and New York other platforms in their open Times as their main sources of responses, but for example, news. 6 out of the 11 respondents that used Snapchat were in the Very few of the young 19-30 year old bracket. Young respondents mentioned age- people are interested in serious specific interests, but those news, and interested in hearing that did included issue-based viewpoints outside of their requests. For example, one own -- and unwilling to accept respondent who was 30 years minority underrepresentation old said we should be covering in coverage. more “issues for older adults: retirement, health care, elder abuse.” On the other end of the spectrum, a 29-year-old respondent indicated the media should cover millennial issues like “buying homes and the housing crisis in New England.”

My observation from this data is that the stereotypical ways organizations look at millennials, and younger demographics, does not align with what that demographic is seeking. For younger audiences, podcasts, Snapchat and other

116 AUDIENCE DEEP DIVE Topics of Interest 4.2 Topics of Interest Just as the richness of the we already think of as beats or responses from our audience verticals, while others might not allows us to gain deep insight yet be specific subjects of the into their engagement and station’s focus. Nonetheless, all experiences, so to does it reveal of these topics emerged from a great deal regarding their the response data as matters perspectives and preferences. which are important to our Our audience mentioned a wide audience, and to best serve our variety of topics that interested public, we would be wise to them within their responses. listen what they have to say on Some of these are coverage areas these important subjects.

Environment & Climate Change By Lynn Joliceour & Lisa Mullins, All Things Considered

Our listeners care about science, they’re looking to us to help details, and diversity in the provide that information. voices they hear on our air. That is clear in a wide array of their When it comes to what the survey responses – including media is overlooking, 5% those pertaining to the of respondents specifically environment. Overall, however, mentioned the environment the respondents who point to (using terms such as climate, the environment do so without planet, fracking, oil, pollution, going into detail. They make nature, and animals). When cursory mentions of the general asked what they’d like from topic. This indicates that WBUR in 2017, 2% mentioned our listeners, like most of us coverage of environmental journalists and society at large, issues. have a limited understanding of climate change. But it’s clear Among the answers that they want to have a deeper reference environmental topics, knowledge of the issue and some themes emerge. One 117 4.2 AUDIENCE DEEP DIVE Topics of Interest

is an obvious thirst for more persuasions. That doesn’t mean reporting, done in an in-depth they want to give credence or manner, about the actual wide exposure to climate change science behind environmental deniers. But they would like to degradation. And this coincides hear conversations in which we with a grave concern about look for commonalities, with Trump administration policies one respondent imploring us to that will harm the environment. One respondent stated, “I would “get people from diferent like to see real analysis of the viewpoints together to find impact of TRUMP policies on environment...not the regular common ground to move talking heads, but real long forward...environmentalists piece analysis.” Our audience and climate deniers”. wants to learn what the domino effect of environmental decline And they want to bring together is (not only what it will mean people who come from for the shoreline, the air and different points on the political the water in New England, for spectrum but still support example – but what it means evidence-based policy and now and will mean in the future sound regulation, stating that, for our economy, health, etc.). “More diverse perspectives on Indeed one respondent wrote, climate change would be good. “We need information on the It’s an environmental justice, dollar impact of all the awful public health, economic issue environmental destruction that should have champions taking place.” The survey on both sides of the aisle. We responses indicate that we need need to stop painting this as to break through polarization an environmental issue about on controversial issues by not which people choose whether or telling stories with a binary not to believe”. “pro” or “con” approach. Another common sentiment It is clear our listeners want to – that if the threat to the hear voices of varied political environment isn’t clearly and 118 AUDIENCE DEEP DIVE Topics of Interest 4.2

fully explained/reported now, Other observations from the reporting on it later will be a survey include interest in fruitless endeavor - is reflected the Dakota Access Pipeline by one audience member who story and a feeling among our wrote, “if people aren’t aware audience that we and other of what’s going on with the media did not report this story environment it’s going to be early enough and extensively too late by the time a majority enough. Sixteen respondents realizes it. People need to be mentioned DAPL, with all educated and informed...if we indicating they want to hear cannot drink the water and more about it and believe it was breathe the air what good are and still is underreported. Also, all the jobs and money in the there seems to be interest in world”. Another respondent the program Living on Earth. echoes that desire for: Sixteen respondents mentioned it, with twelve saying they like “Honest, no holds barred the program and/or wish it coverage of environmental were on later in the day. Four commented that they either risks! Not just special don’t like the show and its programs, but inserted in production value or that the daily news! We have got to program makes them anxious. wake up!” One takeaway is that listeners appreciate environmental coverage and want more of it. Given the need for factual It’s worth noting that Living on information to help people form Earth approaches controversial opinions, and given people’s issues mainly with a pro- general curiosity about how environment perspective. things work, we should consider What’s required of WBUR would telling environmental stories be more journalistic. through an educational prism; for example, how, exactly, DOES In this age of widespread sea level rise work? Let’s see and uncertainty and unsettled hear it. nerves, it’s worthwhile to

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note that numerous survey to environmental decay that are respondents asked for positive working and in use. This will stories – including those serve to round out the depth about environmental activism our listeners are seeking. They and effective environmental don’t want to be talked at; they policies at the local and state want to hear about real science level. We should actively and solutions that will broaden explore under-reported climate their knowledge and inform change solutions that are being their own actions related to researched in this region, as environmental protection. well as the inventive remedies Health, Mental Health & Wellness By Martha Bebinger, Reporter Many respondents said WBUR the impact a parent with a is doing a good job of covering mental illness has on a child health care. But nearly 300 or children. The second most respondents, or just under 10 named topic that is too often percent of survey participants, overlooked is disabilities. Here mentioned “health” or health readers and listeners want related topics among those the more about school and work media is overlooking. Some policies, access to buildings, job answers were single words; training programs and a range most were several sentences of learning issues. It’s worth that explained a concern. A few noting that 8% of respondents would have met the word count said they have a disability (for for an Op-Ed. 3% it’s an ailment, 2% mental, 1% learning, 2% mobility, 1% Mental health is the main auditory, 1% visual). Addiction issue that respondents say and the opioid epidemic needs more attention. Interest came in third. Our audience in this topic covers a wide is interested in the science gamut from the science of, of addiction, solutions to the to provider payments, to epidemic and stress faced by recovery staff. 120 AUDIENCE DEEP DIVE Topics of Interest 4.2

In tone, a few comments are quite cynical with claims of corruption, fraud and Health stories manipulation or talk of Big people request Pharma and Big Healthcare. Many of the essay responses fall into five go into great detail about the broad categories: challenges of caring for disabled children, friends who’ve 1 struggled with addiction and Explainers: as in, how do fear about what is ahead for Medicaid block grants work Medicare. The most passionate or why does health care cost so much? comments are about a woman’s 2 right to an abortion. Daily Life: how do people who are blind get through I do not see a unifying health a day or how is the job of a care theme, beyond the nurse changing? common topics. There is a lot 3 of frustration about the state Analysis: are environmental of health care but no real call laws working to protect to action. I was particularly water and air? Tell us more about the psychology of surprised that few people events in the news. mentioned single payer 4 health care or Medicare for Financial Scrutiny: of All. I’m surprised because a hospitals, CEO salaries at all call for single payer coverage health care institutions and is common in comments of the influence of money on about my stories online and drug research. these comments often trigger 5 vigorous conversations. I’m at a Solutions/Hope: many people asked for more loss to explain why this issue got “positive” stories about few mentions, only 6, among the solutions, model programs thousands of responses. and visionaries.

The survey raises a question for

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me about geography. Several like to hear about suicide in health comments mention the morning or about detailed locations outside Boston and medical procedures or health Massachusetts. Our coverage care “rants” that go on too long. is Boston-centric, and that still makes sense to me, but I wonder if it does to our audience. % Live in a state other 8 than MA Finally, I want to mention that for a few people, health care % Live outside of the U.S. stories prompt them to turn 1 off the radio or leave wbur.org. These people said they don’t

Business & Economy By Zeninjor Enwemeka, Reporter, Bostonomix

WBUR’s audience wants stories young people and the middle about how the economy impacts class. the daily lives of regular people. Here’s how one respondent Survey respondents frequently put it: “NPR is great at covering mentioned economic inequality policy, and there are also some and income inequality as good ‘personal story’ pieces. I issues they feel the media is would love to see more of those overlooking. They want to see two things connected in the more business stories that story, particularly how policy is examine these topics. And they impacting people/communities want to see more diversity in (particularly when those people/ our business coverage. They communities are at-risk or want to know how business marginalized, such as the poor, developments and economic people of color, transgender, the changes impact minorities, incarcerated, etc.).” rural areas, low-income people,

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Readers and listeners also want There were also several more diverse voices. One survey references to Trump’s taxes, respondent said, potential conflicts of interest and possible ties to Russia. It’s “those in the Boston area clear part of WBUR’s audience who are not afluent; those is interested in more reporting about this. What’s unclear is falling further down the how this fits into our coverage. economic ladder who are Perhaps this is directed more so working; those who can at NPR. no longer aford to live in Not surprisingly, WBUR the metro area; minority survey respondents said they perspectives” value in-depth reporting and analysis. They’re also looking are overlooked in the media. for different perspectives. That desire for diversity can Aside from WBUR and NPR, also extend to location, with our audience consumes The some respondents saying WBUR Economist, The Wall Street needs to cover more businesses Journal, the New York Times, and communities outside Rt. Boston Globe and BBC. These 128. outlets were cited the most, though others were mentioned WBUR’s audience is also too. concerned about “dark money” and how money influences What’s interesting in this different institutions – survey is that there weren’t a particularly government. They lot of references to tech – really want us to “follow the money” only a handful of respondents so to speak into how different mentioned tech specifically. industries and institutions are There were also a few funded and regulated. Maybe references to finance and small there are some data projects or businesses as areas not getting FOIA driven stories to do in this a lot of coverage. The overall area. impression from this survey

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is that our audience wants to the challenges, failures and know what major developments successes. in the business world and the economy mean for them. As we move forward with They want stories about how our biz, tech and innovation people are handling all of these coverage – BostonomiX – we things – income inequality, should continue to keep all of childcare and housing costs, these things in mind. etc. And they want to hear about

Education By Max Larkin, Reporter, EDify

WBUR’s audience would like expressed general concern to hear and read more about about schooling. education. More than 130 respondents, about 4%, listed There is no consensus about schools and learning as issues what’s driving that perceived they miss in our coverage as it is. decline: some attributed it to an impoverished curriculum, Of those respondents, a little lowered standards, leaders less than half described the putting profit above “public world of education as facing education,” and “high-stakes problems. However, these more testing.” Both the “political critical respondents represent right” and teachers’ unions a majority of those who shared came in for blame in individual a definite assessment. Many of answers. The consequences, them, 18 people to be precise, they suggest, could include generically described American “mass ignorance,” fake news, education — especially public unfilled jobs, and a teacher elementary and secondary shortage. schools — as “in decline,” “broken,” or “terrible,” or Concerned respondents

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tended to link educational But many respondents pointedly shortcomings to broader resisted “crisis” narratives, economic, cultural, and political too, suggesting or assuming problems. They may disagree that the conversation tends about causes and effects, but to focus too much on failure. together they assume that what Out of 15 such entries, several people learn and are taught expressed an interest in while young serves as a vital “successes” at public school, determinant of the shape of “how hard teachers work,” American life. It should be innovations, and “positive noted that they talk less about things” going on. Others had a lifelong learning as a social distinct but related critique: that institution, though many teacher and student voices are see public radio as an ideally habitually “overlooked” in the “educational” medium. media, leading to an inaccurate picture of the state of American Almost as many listeners schooling. expressed a specific concern; the rising cost of education — Working in education was especially college — led the way clearly a powerful variable in with 16 mentions. “Crushing” these decisions. Many of those student debt was cited a who complained of general problem both by millennials as crisis worked in schools or well as by one older respondent, ed-related businesses, though and others expressed interest some worked in ed-tech, a in cost drivers as well as how industry that has tried to people cope. Many expressed disrupt the standard model. interest in learning more about Most listeners who wanted how the American education more focus on the daily work system confronts inequality and successes themselves (especially when it comes to race worked in schools as teachers and poverty), with 11 mentions, and administrators — this and mental health/special may come as no surprise. But education, found in 8 responses. an even greater proportion,

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nearly all, of the respondents concerned with mental health, % of our audience poverty, and racism worked in 17 work in Education. schools, suggesting that these may be “hidden” problems, best observed on the job. Race By Zeninjor Enwemeka, Reporter, Bostonomix

WBUR readers and listeners American. 17% did not identify really want more diversity in their race/ethnicity. our news coverage. They want more diverse voices on our air Overall, WBUR’s audience and more stories about diverse wants nuanced and in-depth groups of people. coverage of minorities and racial issues. And they want “Racial coverage still too minorities to be covered in a shallow,” one survey respondent variety of ways -- not just when said. something bad happens or when there’s a story about a “The diverse representation so-called “minority issue.” ebbs and flows at WBUR One person really captured a lot of the sentiment by saying but is mostly lacking,” WBUR stories often “rest on the assumption that everyone said another. As we think about listening is comfortably white our audience’s responses, and middle class.” This person it’s important the note the also said “WBUR and NPR do demographic makeup of a pretty good job of covering our survey respondents. 75% African Americans as the focus identified as white, 4% as of a story. What you don’t do multiracial, 2% Asian, 2% is to consider and include the Latinx, 1% black, 1% Middle perspectives and realities of Eastern, and less than 1% Native Blacks and other people of

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color, working class and poor “More diverse talent on air and people in other topics you stories by and about people of cover.” color,” a respondent said.

Survey respondents were also There was also mention of very specific about the groups working class whites, often they want to hear and read more in reference to politics and about. They mentioned Native the desire to hear from Americans, black Americans, these voters. Though some Asians, Latinos, working class expressed concern about too minorities, young minorities much intense focus on this and women of color. Our demographic post-election. audience also wants us to It’s worth noting that survey reach diverse communities in respondents are interested in different neighborhoods as well other types of diversity as well – as outside of Rt. 128. “Get out including class, age and sexual of downtown and Cambridge orientation. There was also and head into Dorchester, mention of hearing more from Roxbury, and more,” one survey people with disabilities. respondent said. The takeaway here is clear: And respondents want to see WBUR’s audience wants more diversity reflected in the people coverage of diverse groups – on our air – including experts, particularly minorities. And they commentators, hosts and want to hear from these groups reporters. Several respondents in various of ways. Our audience said they want to hear more turns to WBUR to learn about from non-white experts and their community and the world analysts. “There are a lot of around them. They want depth smart, informed folks who do and perspective -- and diverse good work on all issue areas who voices are key to giving that to aren’t white dudes. I’d like to them. hear more of their voices,” one person said. Others mentioned diversifying WBUR’s staff.

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Gender By Elizabeth Gillis, Social Media Producer

WBUR listeners of all genders preference, our audience wants and sexual preferences are to hear stories about gender interested in hearing about and sexuality and are aware of issues that relate to gender and how we are talking about these sexuality. While many topics issues. fall on this wide spectrum, 3% of respondents think the In talking about topics having mainstream media overlooks to do with gender and sexuality, topics such as gender, women, respondents often also wanted sexuality, sexism, misogyny, to hear about intersectionality sexual assault, rape, abortion, - and specifically race, sexual birth control, LGBT issues and preference and transitioning - intersectionality. Native and indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, 63% of our respondents were politics, marches, the 2016 women while 27% were men. election, youth and young While 3% of respondents are people, and immigration. These trans-aware, another 0.4% respondents were likely to identify as non-binary and mention the voices they heard in 9% identify as LGBTQIA. In the mainstream media and on other words, regardless of WBUR both as hosts, “experts,” their own gender and sexual guests and subjects.

The Arts By Louise Kennedy, Senior Producer, Arts Engagement

A significant portion of our coverage say only that: “more audience would like to see arts,” with no specification of more coverage of the arts. what “the arts” means to them. Interestingly, however, most of those who ask for more arts Among those who do get more

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specific, a few topics frequently Our audience members who recur: the local music scene are interested in the arts seek (typically folk, rock and other information on this topic from a popular forms), classical music, wide range of sources -- though theater, books and authors primarily in print, more than (especially non-fiction), visual from other radio stations or arts, and the intersection of from TV (except PBS, which arts and education. Funding for many mention as a source). the arts and, more generally, Several note their fondness questions of arts policy also for nonfiction books and for interest our audience -- not documentary films on Netflix surprisingly, given their strong and Amazon Prime. They cite interest in politics overall. magazines -- The New Yorker, the Atlantic, the New York The local, personal focus is Review of Books, the Economist worth exploring more deeply. -- and newspapers, from the People say they want to know Globe to The New York Times what local artists are doing, to the Guardian (quite a few are what local arts events they Anglophiles). They also love can attend, and how national books. trends in policy and funding affect the local arts scene. Despite this deep interest in Several people specifically reading, however, they say sought to learn more about art they are more likely to “only produced by Native American listen” or “mostly listen” than artists, and many expressed an to read our website, perhaps interest in learning more about because they’re slightly older the arts of underrepresented than the audience overall. And communities. More broadly, a surprisingly low portion of the the many respondents asking people who express an interest for more “positive stories” of in the arts, about 12%, also say “people doing good in their they follow The ARTery. communities” also find that arts stories can satisfy this need.

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As for what they’d like more of: Arts lovers turn to WBUR to Our arts lovers love storytelling. satisfy their curiosity, to find They also value wit and humor, out about quirky or unusual especially when combined with arts stories they haven’t seen deep thought. They seek out elsewhere, and to savor an global perspectives; they love intelligent, in-depth, witty take seeing connections between on the stories they do already local arts stories and worldwide know. They don’t want celebrity issues. And many of them want gossip or shallow entertainment more music: both coverage of stories, but they do want to be music stories and actual music, entertained as well as informed. perhaps because many say they As one explained when asked first discovered us when we what sources they follow: were still airing music. They’d like more live events, especially “It’s basically NPR and ones like the Moth, book clubs, and poetry and music events. music. Because they are fun, Several said they wished we’d do make me think, and bring a weekend arts program. me joy.”

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Glocal: Global, Local & (Im)migra(tion) By Shannon Dooling, Reporter

Our listeners are living in in our seemingly monolithic the same politically charged, blue state. It’s up to us to make tumultuous and confusing the connections between the world that we are as journalists. Berkshires and Worcester We’re here to help them and Boston and all of the tiny understand it all. towns in between. According to the responses, this definitely When it comes to global could be a search for varying topics, there’s a keen interest political views but it doesn’t in the global economy and the have to be political. It could be impact it’s having on our local a ‘day in the life’ look at a long- communities. Learning about time small business owner in global politics and news stories Western Mass. or a feature on around the world is important a South Shore teacher. There’s to WBUR listeners. Feeling a definite desire for stories connected to what’s going on a about interesting people doing world away while being rooted interesting things – all across in how it may impact them in the state, not just here in Massachusetts is a common Boston. theme among the survey respondents. Our listeners are also looking for a more diverse collection And speaking of Massachusetts, of voices. That means hearing we need to get out and cover from (and learning from) more more of it. Our listeners and people of color, people from digital users want to know varied economic and lifestyle what’s going on beyond the backgrounds, more LGBTQ Greater Boston bubble, but not coverage and stories about at the expense of deep dives into immigrants and refugees. It hyperlocal Boston communities. seems the interest around We’re reminded that there diversity comes from wanting to is a diversity of thoughts, hear not only from people with perspectives and experiences whom you agree but also people 131 4.2 AUDIENCE DEEP DIVE Topics of Interest

with whom you may disagree falsehoods and would likely – or people whom you simply help make connections among don’t yet know. We owe it to the communities we serve as a our listeners and users to reach public radio outlet. beyond our collection of go-to analysts and commentators to And when it comes to the advance conversations in new identity of these communities, directions. WBUR’s reach is indeed global. There are 40 nations To elaborate on immigration, represented in our listener there’s a sense that we survey, spanning from Ireland should continue sharing to Israel. As a global leader personal stories of individual in education, medicine and immigrants that reflect technology, the state we cover larger policy decisions. At is home to a vibrant and diverse the same time there is a population that is thirsty for noticeable desire for analysis information and analysis. as well: crime rates among Leveraging this built-in diversity immigrants, contributions can surely help us expand to the economy, use of public on the variety of voices and benefits. Couching some of perspectives we include in our the personal stories within the coverage, telling the stories of context of hard data would be our entire city and state. useful in dispelling myths and

Positivity & Kind World By Erika Lantz, iLab Associate Producer

A desire for “positive stories” interest stories as an attribute of and a hunger for “hard news” WBUR that makes them tune in. are not incompatible. In fact, a number of listeners cite 64 respondents wrote that they the juxtaposition of fact -rich feel that media outlets tend to reporting with uplifting human overlook positive or uplifting

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news, and 48 asked to see more overloaded with repetitive positive news from WBUR. stories and soundbites -- but Listeners also commented that it just continues,” wrote one they feel overwhelmed by the listener. Respondents prefer “doom and gloom” of news in-depth reporting over media. 16 mentioned their repetitive coverage that is frustration with the negativity exhausting but feels shallow. of news media, which some perceive as a tactic, even a Not everyone felt that human purposeful one, to evoke anger interest or positive stories were and fear in listeners. worth the airtime, of course. 6 mentioned that things like The appetite for “positive” “touchy- feely human interest stories arises partly from stories” or “fluff pieces” made fatigue. When asked what them change the dial. But others makes them turn off WBUR or referred to the same human leave WBUR.org, 10 people cited interest stories as sources of depressing news or negativity: connection and inspiration, “When I need to listen to music or deeper reflections of the to balance out the negative “rich tapestry of life.” They things going on in the world,” seek stories of kindness and wrote one respondent. “I feel so goodness that enrich their lives. unhappy and found the stories just fed that unhappiness,” 21 listeners wanted to hear wrote another. A few mentioned about more successes and leaving WBUR to take a “break.” solutions. They expressed a “I don’t think I could stand it desire for “success stories of if it were only hard news all the young people, especially non- time,” one explained. white;” “realistic positive stories about public education,” “local The repetition of the same bad success stories,” “success news over and over again also stories about women” or contributes to fatigue. “I was “regular people,” success stories looking forward to the election that “inspire and motivate.” The cycle being over to stop being word “collaboration” also came

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up often, especially in requests a passing glance from time to for stories that show politicians time.” who cooperate, or people who disagree with each other Human interest stories and working together. hard news aren’t incompatible. The same listeners who want The request for solution- investigations, in -depth reporting seems connected to a reporting, and facts also crave genuine eagerness to participate features that explore what it in affecting positive change, and means to be human: 45 times, wanting examples for how to do respondents asked for both that. “I most appreciate stories in the same breath. “Keep that help compassionate people up the fact checking!” wrote know the best places to put a listener, for example, who their time, money, passion... to then also asked for “uplifting” make the world a better place,” and “heartwarming” stories, one respondent said. “I want to explaining, “We need to hear make a positive difference in about goodness.” If WBUR is the world.” Such learning comes able to provide that “break” from consistent coverage: “We from draining, negative news, need to learn from one another it may be able to keep listeners and we need to hear and read tuned in who would otherwise these things every day --not just seek respite -- or inspiration -- elsewhere.

Sports By Shira Springer, Reporter, Sports & Society

While some survey respondents, issue with how listeners define 19 in total, wanted less sports or understand what sports coverage, others, 16 individuals, coverage is or can be at WBUR. asked for more. But what does We’re not offering sports talk the divide tell us? At the most radio-style coverage or focusing basic level, there seems to be an on game stories, though a few

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“Because of our current political and social environment, deal with stories on conflict resolution, the maintenance of a vibrant democracy, the compelling need for sympathy and empathy and not just hate and isolation. Focus on stories that not only discuss problems (social, economic, or political), but also on success stories addressing those same problems.”

“In this current era of angst and disharmony, I would like to read and hear more about people and processes that are positive and efective. I feel that there is too much focus on anger and discord and all things concerning. Let’s hear more about successful educational programs for young children and ways that individual homeowners can create meaningful green spaces in their own backyards and towns where citizens are discovering ways to embrace cultural and ethnic diferences. We need to learn from one another and we need to hear and read these things every day --not just a passing glance from time to time.”

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comments led me to believe When asked what issues or that some respondents defined perspectives were overlooked sports coverage in strictly a in stories, one respondent game analysis context. While wrote, “international sports,” the relatively low number of another, “Special Olympics from sports-related responses makes the athletes’ perspective,” and strong conclusions difficult, I another still, “Locally, you’d think there’s a need to make think sports teams only exist in clear that WBUR wants to be Boston rarely are other cities/ innovative with its “sports and teams spoken of positively or society” coverage and go well with interesting stories.” When beyond the game. asked what else they’d like to see from WBUR, one listener So, if we understand WBUR’s responded “more coverage of “sports and society” mission as the Bruins, Patriots, and area going beyond the game, then college hockey like the Beanpot what do listeners want to hear please.” Another wrote, from that perspective? My best guess from the comments is “Love local stories that are they’d be open to a wide variety not just sports teams or of topics, a mix of amateur and pro, serious and fun and even headlines, finding out about investigative, local stories with folks and organizations national or international tie- that usually don’t get the ins, pieces that explore new spotlight.” innovations in sports tech or sports medicine. Anything And I took that to hold true at the intersection of sports for “folks and organizations” and society seems fair game, that would fall into sports including coverage that takes coverage, as well as “folks and listeners behind the scenes and, organizations” that would fit as a handful of respondents into other coverage categories. suggested, goes beyond local teams.

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Perhaps the most intriguing sports.” responses came when That tells me there’s an appetite listeners were asked about for quality sports coverage on their favorite sources of the radio and, potentially, a media. I was surprised to see much, much larger audience sports talk radio and sports tv out there ripe for introducing stations mentioned by several to WBUR and bringing into the respondents. For example, fold. It also tells me that the one said, “Sports radio—fun, potential sports audience wants distraction, esp 98.5.” There something more in-depth and were also a few listeners more intelligent than what they who discovered WBUR after hearing on sports talk radio, becoming bored or fed up with perhaps something that gives sports talk radio. Describing them context or more insight how they found WBUR, one into the players and games they wrote, “Got tired of listening like to watch when they turn to sports talk radio” and off WBUR. Maybe the same another responded, “Channel desire for more in-depth, more surfing after becoming bored intelligent goes for sports tv with sports radio.” And a watchers, too. third responded, “Couldn’t handle the political bent of Taking an agile approach to Dennis and Callahan’s show developing our sports and back when I used to listen to society coverage means we sports radio more often.” Also, should be experimenting it’s worth noting that some to determine which stories listeners turn off WBUR because connect with listeners and they are turning into sports which don’t. Our challenge is programming. One respondent to figure out how the station stops listening to WBUR can create sports coverage that when “it’s baseball season appeals to NPR listeners; our and games take precedence opportunity is to pioneer new over everything.” Another ways of sports storytelling that respondent turned off WBUR become must-listen radio. because of a “desire for music or

137 5.0 Standards & Values

We began this research study emerge, but rather seem to have with the goal of understanding exploded out of the expansive what our audience actually long-answer responses we looks like. Our intent was received from our audience. to paint a robust picture of These ten principles take the their demographics, reveal form of guiding directives that the ways they relate to us and the audience clamors for us to deeply examine a variety of uphold. Uniting all ten of these the subgroups within our maxims is a single mandate, audience. We hoped that by an overarching objective that demonstrating our sincere our audience believes is of the desire to listen to their utmost importance now and personal stories and unique for our future. We first explore viewpoints, we would elicit a that singular mission, and then wealth of useful data to pore detail the principles by which over. Not only were we able to our audience believes we all thoroughly answer our original must operate in order to achieve research question, but we also that goal. gained some truly unexpected insights. The overwhelming volume of our audience’s responses provided us with the opportunity to develop an accurate conception of the core beliefs which unite our listeners and readers into a cohesive collective.

In this final section of our report, we present the ten key principles which did not merely

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Bridge the Divide

“Connecting otherwise “Developing divided communities conversations and through shared projects that can storytelling.” bridge the divide in this country.”

Though it may seem obvious who hold opposing viewpoints that people across our country on challenging issues. Only by are feeling divided, our research talking, and really listening, to team was struck by the hopeful one another, do they believe we resolve of our audience who can unite ourselves and usher in clearly believe that this wound a new age of prosperity powered can, and must, be mended. by a diverse population working Above all else, our audience together. Our audience looks to shares the conviction that we us to help them create a space must build bridges to unite our for common ground, where families, neighborhoods, towns, we can mediate the dialogue cities and states across the necessary to create a new shared nation. Our audience believes understanding on which they that WBUR, a public media can build our future. In order organization, ought to play a to achieve this noble goal, our key role in helping to facilitate audience has outlined ten that process, by bringing people standards and values which we together in shared conversation. must abide by ourselves and Our listeners and readers are uphold on behalf of the public. eager to hear from diverse These simple maxims serve as a perspectives so that they can clear guide which we can follow better understand and begin as we concentrate our efforts to to truly empathize with folks bridge the divide. 139 5.0 STANDARDS & VALUES

1 Explain the Mechanics Our audience wants us to explain the inner workings of complex things. They long for highly specific, practical examples that spare no detail. Our listeners implore us to be scientifically accurate about every STEM subject we cover, but also to bring that same level of acuity to both legal matters and journalism itself. Our audience wants us to explain the rules of the natural and social world, including how the free press itself is meant to function in our democracy.

2 Give Us the Big Picture & the Long Game As a compliment to the focused explication of the intricate details of complex systems, our audience wants to understand the broader contexts in which a story takes place. They want us to report on the ways in which the past connects to the present so that we might uncover systemic effects that have rippled through time. Not only does our public require a historical context for our coverage, but they want us to explore the future consequences of possible decisions up for debate in the present.

3 Investigate, Go Deep In some cases, internal mechanics, technical details, big pictures and long games are not sufficient to explain what is really going on with a story. When that is the case, our audience urges us to dig deeper and investigate behind the scenes. They rely on us, as journalists, to go where they, as listeners, cannot. Our audience is counting on us to find the hidden truth.

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4 Report on Actions It is important for our audience that we report on people’s deeds, and not just their words. They want us to bring our investigative skills to bear and look behind the veneer of mere language to uncover a speaker’s true intention. To do this, our audience insists we focus on being concrete in our conversations and ask questions about observable events, like what a person did, and not intangible vagaries, like what a person might have been thinking or hoping.

5 Uphold Standards of Accountability There is a very real perception that truth itself is in jeopardy, and accordingly our audience beseeches us to hold the line. They want a clear understanding of who is culpable, or in control, of a given situation. Our audience implores us to call a spade a spade, a lie a lie, and to speak truth to power. It is our duty to make clear who should be held accountable, to not let them escape their responsibility or pass the buck.

6 Check Your Elite POV Our audience warns us to be vigilant about accidentally talking, or reporting, from an ivory tower. They encourage us to stay defamiliarized and question our own norms. Our listener’s reminds us to step outside of ourselves from time to time and imagine being in their shoes. While they do not want us to be ashamed of our privilege, they do believe it is essential that we keep it in check. With the great power to broadcast the stories of the public, comes the great responsibility to remember whom it is we are meant to serve. 141 5.0 STANDARDS & VALUES

7 Shine Light on Inequality Redirecting that same enlightened clarity with which we examine ourselves, our audience entreats us to cast a beam of contemplation across the furthest reaches of our communities. They call on us to shine a light on the disproportionate effects that certain decisions, policies and events have on select parts of the population. Our audience maintains that the ways in which particular struggles affect some of us more than others should be at the very center of our discussions on those matters.

8 Let Us Hear People in Their Own Words While it is important to report on the actions, rather than only the words, of those in power, our audience nonetheless wants to hear directly from people representing different points of view. They are especially interested in hearing from the actual experts on a particular STEM topic in a story, rather than the same generalists over and over. Our audience exhorts us to pass the mic to people we haven’t heard from to demonstrate the diversity and nuance in the public’s perspective. They caution us to be careful whose words we choose to repeat and offer that an increase in the multiplicity of voices we air should act as an effective inoculation against broadcast echolalia.

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9 Strive for Balance in Representation and Visibility for All Pressing for diversity, our audience urges us to pay close attention to maintaining a representational balance on all levels. We ought to strive for inclusivity not just throughout a day’s coverage, or an hour’s, but within the stories themselves and the angle of our reporting. Our audience specifically asked to hear more about: rural and small-town Massachusetts residents; middle-Americans; conservatives; women and girls; elderly people; young folks; black people; latinx folks; native americans; aboriginal peoples; asians; muslims; LGBTQIA*s; military members, veterans and their families; prison inmates and guards; people with disabilities. In other words, our audience would like to see themselves reflected throughout our coverage.

10 Show Us Possible Paths Forward Most surprising for our newsroom research team was the direct request from our audience that we include in our reporting more information about how listeners and readers can respond to a story. They ask, in no uncertain terms, that we explain in deeper detail the possible actions, reactions and next steps to a situation a person can take. Our audience does not want directives or commands, rather, they want a comprehensive explanation about how other people are responding through action. By reporting on who is taking up what mantle for which cause, our audience believes we can play a vital role by helping them make informed choices while shaping their own plans for how to best react.

143 6.0 Opportunities for Reaction

In order to paint a robust picture innovation that are grounded of what our audience actually by our real-world observations. looks like, we asked thoughtful The wealth of knowledge that questions about their identities, this book contains is intended needs and opinions. By truly to serve as a foundation that listening to their responses we can inform the decisions we can draw inspiration for how implement as an organization. we might better serve them. We Our mission at WBUR is to serve employed a Human-Centered and engage the community methodology for our research, through a dynamic exchange of not only to learn more about ideas, and while our research our audience, but also with the team began this new dialogue express intention of discovering with our audience, it will be up promising paths for future to the station as a whole to work

p. 145 Innovation Framework p. 148 Opportunity Classes p. 150 Follow-Up Research p. 152 High-Impact, Small Changes p. 154 Clear Next Steps p. 155 Unexpected Avenues p. 157 Big Swings

144 OPPORTUNITIES FOR REACTION 6.0

together to decide how to react share that feeling. Not only as to what we’ve heard. individuals, but also together as As you have been reading this a group, we must decide how to book, you may have found make sense of our observations yourself suddenly inspired with and choose how we will react ideas for actions you could with our next steps. take. Journalists may have been prompted to think about a new Just as the rigorous angle on their coverage, while methodology we employed for our membership team might our study allowed us to come have felt moved to try a new to a consensus-based answer sort of campaign. Absorbing a to our research question, so rich ethnography and detailed too does that same adherence demographics can be exciting to rigor enable us to take and energizing, but it might a methodical approach to also feel overwhelming or even innovation. In this final section paralyzing. With all this new we explain the transition from knowledge washing over you, Human-Centered Research to it can sometimes be difficult to Human-Centered Design, and regain your bearings, or, even if provide a simple framework you weren’t surprised by a single which we can use to make this thing you read here, you might leap. find that your colleagues don’t

Innovation Framework Taking a structured approach informed strain of bravery. to creativity allows us to reduce Rather than always erring on the risk and increase the likelihood side of caution, and choosing of success. Being rigorous and the least risky option, successful strategic does not, however, pioneers thoroughly investigate imply that we should be timid the underpinnings of their ideas or unadventurous. Meaningful and sometimes make the fully- innovation comes from a well- informed decision to choose

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a less secure path. Taking a more uncertain, the outcome calculated risk only makes sense becomes. when you have first weighed the cost of failure against the Once we have understood the potential rewards. risk inherent in an experiment, we can weigh it against the Any idea which we put into potential reward, that is, the action will require that we results which we are aiming expend resources and utilize for. The biggest payoffs are our personnel, regardless sometimes, but not always or of whether the experiment only, the rewards for taking big ultimately fails or succeeds. chances. There are times, then, Some ideas come at a much that we might be inclined to higher cost of implementation attempt to implement a high- than others, and so those which cost, low-certainty model, if the require more of our money and potential outcome is especially time are inherently more risky desirable. But how do we know as we will have more at stake. when that time comes? How do Risk, however, is not tied to cost we decide what experiments to alone, but also to our confidence place our bets on? level that an experiment will have the outcome we intend. No two ideas will have perfectly Innovators evaluate how certain equal potential risks and they are that their hypothesized rewards, but that does not expectations will actually mean it is impossible to weigh come to pass, and that level the relative merits of different of certainty depends on their plans. When attempting to confidence in the data they have innovate, rather than going collected to support their idea. all-in on a single bet, it is The more reasons you can show wise to build up a portfolio to indicate you’ve got a good of experiments. Doing this idea, the more likely it is actually well can both distribute good. Conversely, the fewer risk and create potential for data points you have to support complementary support and your model, the more risky, the relationships, not dependencies

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Use This Framework to Compare Ideas

A Experiment Model What is your idea and how would it work? What are all the major moving parts of the system and how do they interact?

B Supporting Data What observations inspired this experiment? What data gives you confidence that this is a good idea?

C Hypothesized Efects What results are you trying to achieve? What observable change defines successful completion of this experiment?

or blurred boundaries, between potential of our ideas, we must experiments. In the same way first put them into a suitable we were able to create and format for comparison. debate well-formed research questions within our team, A well-formed opportunity for we are also able to define a reaction has three essential well-formed opportunity for components: an Experiment reaction, so that we can conduct Model, backed by Supporting a concrete discussion with Data, intended to produce a our colleagues around the series of Hypothesized Effects. station. In order to evaluate the

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By writing down our ideas in of moving from a general the same three-part format, concept to a concrete proposal we begin to create a standard is the work of transitioning for comparison which allows from research to design. Like us to take a more strategic most transitions, this process is approach to our practice of not instantaneous. Innovation innovation. Using this simple begins with an individual having framework, thinking through an inspired idea, but for that the same six questions, gives idea to be implemented it must us a way to formalize any idea, first be articulated as a clear eliminate confusion and bring course of action that several clarity to discussions about our people can take as a group. uncharted future. This exercise

Opportunity Classes

Throughout the course of some cases, we were directly our research, our team was inspired by comments from continually inspired, suggesting respondents regarding very potential ideas to one another. concrete, yet sometimes Though we focused the majority surprising, services or products of our group session time on they would like us to provide analyzing the data, we kept a in the future. However, many running record of all the ideas of the interesting avenues our for innovation as they occurred team proposed came from using to us. Once our analysis was this newfound understanding complete, we met for a final of our audience to strengthen brainstorming session in which an existing concept that might we shared and built upon the not be entirely new, or evolve nascent opportunities that an older idea by giving it a we had identified during the fresh twist. While the research course of our research. In team members from WBUR’s

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newsroom drew from their Experiment Model, Supporting experiences as journalists, Data and Hypothesized Effects, BizLab’s Executive Director but also it’s Opportunity Class. was able to incorporate her By scoping our innovation in knowledge of successful this way we can better balance innovation from across, and the types of risks we are taking outside, the public media across our experimental industry, to our opportunity portfolio. brainstorming process. Explicating all of the avenues for Sharing, discussing and innovation our team identified compiling all of these potential is beyond the scope of this book, opportunities for reaction to but we will briefly present fifteen our audience research allowed of the ideas which we feel best us to begin to map out the exemplify the five opportunity space of possibilities ahead. classes which emerged from Using the same ethnographic our immersion in this research. techniques we employed to Rather than acting as models of analyze the responses from well-formed opportunities for our audience, the BizLab team reaction, the ideas we present studied the wealth of ideas below are meant to illustrate the generated by our research key characteristics of each type group and found that the of opportunity. Understanding opportunities we identified fall how our experiments can target into five main categories. This different types of strategic typology further strengthens innovation will be essential our Innovation Framework as we begin to transition from by allowing us to place our Human-Centered Research to ideas into one of five distinct Human-Centered Design. classes that represent a specific type of risk/reward balance. A truly well-formed opportunity for reaction, then, should be defined not only by it’s

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1 Follow-Up Research In the process of answering too many unknowns for us to be one research question, it is not able to define any kind of system unusual for some newfound or prototype, and so we found knowledge to spur on a deeper ourselves seeking concrete level of inquiry. From such a answers to how certain aspects broad and expansive study, one of an experimental model might distinct class of opportunity function. comes from the formulation of follow-up research projects. Rather than prompting further open-ended and generalistic questions, our team was inspired by our research with several ideas that ultimately had

Small Business Underwriting One such model that occurred a way to offer underwriting to our team was an exploration services to more local, small of how we might offer businesses in the Boston area. more small businesses the However, in order to effectively opportunity to underwrite our define an experiment to explore station. 5% of our audience this sort of business model, it are entrepreneurs themselves became clear that we would and 28% are in charge of need to first engage with the their workplace’s decision- existing marketplace to see making. This demographic what the demand for accessible understanding of our audience, underwriting really is amongst coupled with their desire that small-business owners and we maintain our “independence create a survey of what, if any, from corporate advertising,” competing options they have provide strong signals that available. it would be worth exploring 150 OPPORTUNITIES FOR REACTION Opportunity Classes 6.1

Recycling Partnership Given our audience’s strong Like the idea of Small Business interest in the environment, Underwriting, a Recycling volunteering and alternative Partnership would also require methods of fundraising, it further market research to occurred to us that there might gauge both demand as well be an interesting opportunity as possible mechanics to for a new way to raise money understand the potential costs from and for the public. and benefits of such a model. Bringing up the work done by FundingFactory, which helps support non-profits through recycling, we discussed the possibility of mounting a similar effort for our station.

CSA for Journalism Because our audience expressed the opportunity to buy a share a desire to directly support of journalism in advance, we certain types of journalism, wondered what expectations or specific sorts of stories, they would have about the our newsroom team was content they would receive. inspired to propose a twist on To create an experimental the Community-Supported CSA for Journalism, then, we Agriculture movement that would first want to convene is growing in popularity. In a group of respondents who this instance, we were unsure expressed direct interest in this precisely of how such a model sort of model and engage in a ought to work. In a traditional Participatory Design exercise to CSA you aren’t able to choose better understand their needs. the vegetables you receive, but if we were to offer our audience

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2 High-Impact, Small Changes Throughout our research we observations that can spur on came across several subtle shifts in our perspective. opportunities that would By staying defamiliarized we seem to require a relatively were able to see evidence in small effort on our part for our research of how stepping a potentially big impact. outside of our regular patterns, This class of opportunity just a little bit, could potentially is characterized by what make a world of difference. are sometimes surprising

Women-Focused Perks 63% of our audience identifies donors, would like to be offered as female. Though WBUR is far t-shirts that fit their bodies. It from unique in the way that we may seem impossible to imagine tacitly assume the male gender a public radio station that to be the default, we do so at a provides more perks designed very real financial cost. Many for women than men, but it of our respondents expressed seems more mathematically a displeasure that we, like the challenging to rationalize why rest of society, fail to serve their maintaining the status quo is a needs specifically with respect wise financial choice when only to the gendered swag we offer. 27% of our audience identifies as Balance in coverage aside, our male. listeners, and especially our

Family-Friendly Repacks Many of our respondents of minors, and it struck our reported having to turn away team that there was an easy from WBUR when needing to opportunity to repackage some tend to their young children. of our existing content in a 20% of our audience are parents family-friendly way. Several

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of our respondents praised of finding, and streamlining the the way we make sure to warn ability to access, family-friendly parents when stories are not programming could lay the appropriate for little ears, foundation for a new G-rated and others mentioned how subscription service geared particular programs are shared towards adults and children favorites that their children also who listen together. enjoy. Simplifying the process

Fundraising Sensitivity & Donor Fast-lane From the detailed commentary emotional pain for many of on our fundraising efforts, our listeners. On the other our audience surfaced two end of the spectrum, 2% of interesting opportunities our audience reported tuning relating to small changes in our out during fundraisers even on-air pledge drives. With 7% of though they already donated. people reporting that they tune The repeated requests for giving out during these times, many of can be especially frustrating to them indicated that the main those who have already pledged reason they do so is out of a their support. Though it might sense of guilt, embarrassment be a large technical project, a or shame. We often begin fundraising-free digital channel our entreaties with phrases for those who have already like “When you buy flowers given, feels like a small change for Valentine’s Day...” which to our audience who can’t completely excludes the 25% of fathom why we haven’t done it our audience who is single and already. further assumes that those who are partnered can afford the luxury of floral arrangements. Simply replacing “when” with “if” in our promotion would alleviate a source of unnecessary

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3 Clear Next Steps While some of the opportunities models necessitates significant we discussed would not require discussion and planning. Often, a great deal of resources from these opportunities have been the station, others would clearly discussed in some capacity by require a more significant various individuals around the investment on our part. station, but through our research These ideas would demand we were able to see more clearly interdepartmental coordination what might be required to and so naturally designing an implement them. experiment to test these business

Laboratory Membership Because several of our our listeners spend their entire respondents mentioned day listening to the radio with becoming aware, and their colleagues. Creating a eventually converting to membership package offering regular consumption, of for corporations, hospitals and WBUR while working in a research institutions could be laboratory, it seemed like a an incredibly effective way to clear area where we might easily expand both our consumer and expand our service. With 23% supporter base with a single of our audience working in effort. Healthcare or STEM, many of

Jefersonian Dinners Our audience was very numerous requests for “public straightforward in their events to bring listeners and request that we facilitate community members together community conversations that for more interactive dialogues, will bridge the current divide discussions, and debates, but in in our country. We received a forum designed to emphasize

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the respectful and civilized during an in-person event sharing of ideas and questions.” appears to be an obvious way Offering a series of roundtables to generate further support for or Jeffersonian dinners where the station by serving a pressing audience members can benefit need of our public. from our moderation skills

Afordable Storytelling Events Given that 17% of our audience ability to purchase tickets to The is under the age of 35, and 34% Moth is not always within their of the households which they present reach. By creating a pay- contribute to earn less than what-you-can-afford storytelling $100,000 a year, it was apparent event series, or offering tours to our team that offering and talks in public spaces and more affordable storytelling business favored by our younger events would be a wise move. listeners, we could introduce a For our listeners who aspire new way for us to connect with, to one day be able to support and be supported by, our public. us sustaining members, the

4 Unexpected Avenues Where some opportunities we upon our core competencies, uncovered seemed to be clear but challenge us to apply them next steps along a path we have in less familiar scenarios. These already been following, other opportunities may take us out of ideas popped up in a more our comfort zone, thus requiring surprising manner, offering we tread a bit more carefully, but themselves as unexpected nonetheless, they appear to be avenues we might want to travel. promising directions for future Often times these ideas draw exploration.

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College Membership Our research team was struck their formative years, it seems by the number of respondents clear we are currently missing who reported converting to the opportunity to effectively NPR and WBUR during their capture the attention of the teen and early college years. current generation. By creating 5% of our audience is currently a bespoke membership offering enrolled as students, but only and working directly with a quarter of those listeners, Boston-area colleges, we could about 1% of our audience, are rededicate ourselves towards what we would consider typical serving our audience throughout college-aged folks. With so the entire arc of their lifetimes many of our older listeners by inviting younger listeners into having reported developing a our community more explicitly. lifetime habit of listening in

Marathon Welcome Pack From our respondents who We have a unique opportunity do not live locally, we were to create a tailored experience surprised to learn that many for both the runners and their of them consume our coverage family and friends who come because they regularly run to cheer them on. By crafting a the Boston Marathon. Major specific product for marathon sporting events draw large traffic, we can leverage our deep crowds to the area, and often knowledge of the local area to those folks who attend are connect newcomers to the towns interested in learning more through which the race runs. about the place they are visiting.

Behind the Scenes Tours Our audience expressed a strong financial accountability, our desire for more transparency team saw indications that the from WBUR. Beyond just public would like to see more of

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the behind the scenes work that Me Anythings). The interest goes into creating the news. We our audience has in learning were inspired to propose several more about how we work is a means of opening ourselves fantastic opportunity to engage up to the audience including our listeners and readers more story-specific panel discussions; deeply and earn their trust by a seminar series teaching our revealing our inner workings to journalistic techniques; weekly the people whose support we how-it’s-made blog posts; seek. online Q&As or AMAs (Ask

5 Big Swings Finally, our team was inspired with a capital ‘I’. While it is to propose several radical new important to recognize that if directions which we might think you attempt to swing for the about taking with our business. fences every time, you might end These bold ideas are grounded up dislocating your shoulder, in a deep understanding of our it is also true that you rarely hit audience’s inclinations, but a home run on your first try. It nonetheless represent large is impossible to revolutionize leaps from our present mode the way in which public radio of operation. This opportunity is funded overnight, but we class represents those big ideas have come up with several ideas that are often what we think that might be the first sparks to of as revolutionary shifts, the ignite major change. firsts of their kind, innovation

Volunteer Power WBUR’s audience is highly sleeves, build bridges and lift motivated to affect the change up our community. Many of they want to see in our world. our respondents implored us They are eager to roll up their to broaden the scope of our 157 6.1 OPPORTUNITIES FOR REACTION Opportunity Classes

volunteer programs. A means we might task them with to support our station with moderating large new areas of hands-on work, rather than our online forums and through money alone, is especially community-run events. Perhaps important for our listeners who even more radically we might may not have extra cash, but consider moving to an entirely can happily give their time. We volunteer-based transcription have a unique opportunity to service, to eliminate a large create an entirely new way of internal cost while bringing our supporting our station precisely public closer to the heart of our because our public is eager to organization. It is clear from do so. Leveraging hundreds of our research the public wants to our listeners to raise funding by support us more deeply, more campaigning door-to-door in directly, but it is up to us to our local communities would propose and promote a new way be one way to harness the power for them to pitch in. of our volunteers. Similarly

Multi-Station Membership Though it may seem our respondents report that counterintuitive at first, working they donate to both WBUR and together with organizations WGBH. Often they recounted that we see as rivals, might the ways in which the on-air actually be advantageous to fundraising from one station all of the parties involved. drives them over to the other. Taking a nod from the ways in While the Boston Globe may which ski resorts in Vermont have recently come to the are themselves beginning unsubstantiated conclusion to follow an older Alpine that the very fact that two NPR business model, we might affiliates continue to broadcast work with our “competitors” in the same area is proof like WGBH to offer a multi- positive that the market wants station membership. Many of this configuration, our detailed

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research points to a different embracing the reality that our underlying reality. Rather than audience refuses to be divided, being supported by two warring we free ourselves to explore factions, we share a large the previously taboo notion of number of our supporters with working with our “rivals”. It is WGBH. Our listeners do not not unreasonable to think the see us as opposing alternatives the future of public radio rests and many of our respondents on our ability to facilitate ever pointed out the absurdity greater collaboration in the of the way in which their tax region we serve. dollars were ultimately used to fund internal competition. By

Kickstarter for Community Causes Within our research, we also extension of our public service. found inspiration to build upon Using our philanthropic skills another form of cooperation. to raise money not only for our Because our audience is eager own organization, but also for not only to find new ways of community-supported efforts supporting our station, but across our coverage area, also to help their fellow citizens would place us in a unique in need and strengthen their position among public media local communities, we might organizations. We might just be consider exploring new models able to get more for ourselves by of peer-funding. As a broadcast first working to give back. entity we have the great ability to motivate and mobilize large groups of people. By embracing that role more fully, we can imagine creating a platform to raise money for important community causes. Providing a forum for that essential coordination could be a logical 159 7.0 Conclusion

Our research study began with Our research team opened a the simple act of asking, what dialogue with the public, but does our audience actually look it is clear from the volume of like? By taking the time to truly our audience’s response that listen, we learned a great deal it will take many of us to keep more than we ever expected listening, reflecting on, and about our audience’s identities, reacting to everything they have habits, opinions, needs and to say. values. Now that we have heard what our audience has to say, Though we have reached the we must reflect on the broad end of this report, we hope that range of opportunities for how readers will be inspired to start we might react and choose new conversations, both with our next steps accordingly. their colleagues at WBUR as well However, before we tackle as the audience members they the opportunities for shaping serve. Now that we have gained our future, we must fulfill the a shared understanding of our obligations of our present. public, we can begin to think critically about how we ought to We asked our survey react to this knowledge. As we respondents if they would be formulate plans and put them willing to come to the station into action, we must always to talk more with us, and remember to center ourselves 29% of our respondents, over in the human experience, one thousand people, said marvel at its diversity and seek they would like to come in to meaningful motivations for the continue this conversation. It is risks we decide to take. essential, then, that we let our audience know how carefully we listened to what they had to say and invite them to keep talking.

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Appendix

161 APPENDIX

Let’s Talk Audience Survey Questions WBUR’s newsroom wants to know what makes our audience unique. Whether you tune in daily or you’ve come across an article in your Facebook feed, we want to know more about you. All the questions are optional. This survey goes to the heart of your identity and experiences because we want to know how we can serve you better. However, if any question feels too personal, you can move on to the next one.

The whole survey should take 5-10 minutes to complete.

1. When did you start getting news from WBUR and/or wbur.org? 2. Which statement best describes how you get news from WBUR and/or wbur.org? 3. How do you access WBUR and/or wbur.org? Check all that apply. 4. Which WBUR programs or sections do you follow? Check all that apply. 5. When do you turn on WBUR and/or visit wbur.org? Check all that apply. 6. How often do you tune in to WBUR and/or check wbur.org? 7. How long do you usually listen to WBUR and/or browse wbur.org for at a time? 8. Where are you when listening to WBUR and/or reading wbur.org? Check all that apply. 9. Where do you live? (ZIP Code or Town/City) 10. How long have you lived in the Boston area? 11. How long do you plan to stay in the Boston area? 12. How would you describe your current living situation? 13. How would you define your current relationship status? 14. Are you a parent or guardian? 15. Are you currently a student? 16. Have you retired? 17. What sector/industry/field do you work in? 18. What level of responsibility best applies to your job title? 19. Where is your primary place of work located? (ZIP Code or Town/City) 20. What was your total household income last year? 21. Have you inherited wealth or assets?

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22. Have you received public assistance? 23. What is the highest level of school you have completed or degree you have earned? 24. Have others in your family achieved this level of education? 25. What is your political afiliation, if any? 26. In what ways are you politically active? Check all that apply. 27. What is your religious afiliation, if any? 28. Do you attend religious services? 29. What is your racial/ethnic/cultural identity? 30. What country/countries are you a citizen of? 31. Where were you born? (Town/City/State/Province/Country) 32. How old are you? 33. What is your gender identity? 34. What is your sexual orientation? 35. Do you have a disability or impairment, and if so how would you define it? 36. What issues/topics and whose stories/perspectives do the media keep overlooking? 37. What are your favorite sources of media, and what makes them special? 38. How did you discover WBUR and/or wbur.org? 39. What makes you turn of WBUR or leave wbur.org? 40. What would you like to see from WBUR in 2017?

We will be hosting a series of community interviews, for which we’ll invite survey respondents to share their experiences directly with members of our newsroom. If you’re interested in participating please leave your email address so we can get in touch. Thanks!

41. Interested to come by and talk? Share your email address. 42. What’s an example of a story you’d like to tell us?

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