2006 REPORT TO LISTENERS NCPR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: North Country Public Radio informs, enriches, and connects the communities of our region… on air, online , in your community. credibility purpose fairness respect diverse perspectives shared questions unitycommu From the mind…a commitment to lifelong 91.3 Alexandria Bay learning, fairness, accuracy, honesty, substance, 89.5 Canton credibility, purpose, and respect for the listener. From the craft…a love of unique human voices, voices that are conversational, authentic, intimate; an attention to the details of music, sound elements, language, pace. NCPR staff share core values– these values inspire and shape our work. From the heart and spirit…idealism, humor, civility and a belief in civil discourse, generosity, inspiration about public life and culture, and the power to seek and find solutions. seek solutions shared responsibility find solutions 2006 Report to Listeners 2 Station Manager FROM ELLEN ROCCO adio is magic. Even Einstein Smith, Sandy Demarest, June Peoples, Kelly thought so. He explained Trombley, or any of the other NCPR staff. The voices radio by drawing a map of magic-makers. This report to you is about the creativity the U.S. with the head of a work our people do every day of every year, cat in California and the tail thanks to your support and encouragement. conversation in New York, unconnected by a body in the middle. This Some people have said it will be a miracle if Rgap he called the magic of radio. In 2006, we succeed in creating a $2 million permanent the magic of radio—and the internet, as fund for the Adirondack News Bureau, and shared stories well—is alive and well at NCPR. Consider the another fund for our new media and innovation number of awards and recognitions our news projects. I don’t agree. I think we'll succeed generosity team has once again because so many of you garnered, or the station’s believe in public media, 90.1 Keene inclusion in two highly so many of you under- people coveted national projects stand that now, more (“sense of place” than ever, this station is research, and NPR’s new essential to the well- unity journalism fellowships). being of our community, and that it takes very Here’s a bit of magic: real cash to fuel the picture a tiny room some- work. As FY 06 came to a where in Saranac Lake, close, a small group of 91.3 Blue Mountain Lake with a small table, a bit friends stepped forward unique human of electronic equipment to challenge others to integrity and Brian Mann. That’s contribute generously to honest the Adirondack News Bureau. Talk about our permanent fund, matching gifts and thriftiness, dedication, talent, drive—talk pledges of $5,000 or more received by June about NCPR magic. And I haven’t even 2007. This under-taking is just beginning as direct mentioned Radio Bob or Martha Foley, Jackie we close out the fiscal year; we'll keep you accessible Sauter, Dale Hobson or Todd Moe, or Susan posted in the coming year about our progress. As always, thank you for making NCPR as good as it is. Thank you for caring about our work. It is an honor to serve you. A pleasure and an honor. lifelong learning imagination JULY2005 AUGUST2005 SEPTEMBER2005 We sign on the air in Keene NCPR signs on in Cape Assistant News Director David Disability Matters debuts Valley at 96.3 FM and in Vincent at 93.9 FM and Sommerstein’s story Soldiers a second full week of St. Huberts at 101.7 FM. Carthage at 102.3 FM. Learn to Be Media Savvy airs. programming about living This story goes on to win a with disabilities in a rural American Routes host Nick Operations Manager Shelly PRNDI award. environment. Visit ncpr.org Spitzer visits the North Pike’s department is always for the complete archive of Country and gives a talk at a hub of activity. Since going NCPR is media sponsor for the this multiple-award-winning Old Forge Hardware, hosted online in 2002 more than Capitol Steps, at the Clayton series produced by NCPR. by Linda and Sarah Cohen. 18,000 events have been added Opera House. to NCPR’s Community Second Sunday Classics, Calendar. We sign on the air in Jay at hosted by Paul Connett and 102.1 FM. airing on the second Sunday Shelly Pike of each month, debuts on NCPR, bringing the popular local host back to our airwaves. AWARDS 2005-06 First Place 2005-06 Second Place 2006 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award Public Radio News Directors Inc. Public Radio News Directors Inc. Radio and Television News Directors Series Series Association David Sommerstein NCPR News Team Feature Reporting Raise Your Voice: Teen Diaries Disability Matters: Challenges Every Day Brian Mann American Tragedy at the Met 2005-06 First Place 2006 Harold K. Hochschild Award Public Radio News Directors Inc. Highlighting NCPR’s contribution to the 2006 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award Soft Feature region’s culture and quality of life Radio and Television News Directors David Sommerstein Association Soldiers Learn to be Media Savvy 2005-06 Award for Creative Excellence News Series Public Radio Program Directors Association Disability Matters 2005-06 First Place Fundraising Public Radio News Directors Inc. North Country Essentials Continuing Coverage Brian Mann 2005-06 Award for Creative Excellence Michaela's Diary Public Radio Program Directors Association News 2005-06 Second Place Close to Homeless Series Public Radio News Directors Inc. News/Public Affairs 2006 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award 93.5 Lake George NCPR News Team Radio and Television News Directors All Before Five Association broadband Hard News Feature 2005-06 Second Place Gregory Warner Public Radio News Directors Inc. Alex’s Story: Inclusion with Autism Use of Sound broad 91.7 Long Lake, David Sommerstein Lake Placid, Boonville Face Off in Potsdam webcast streaming expanding feedback direct access OCTOBER2005 Readers & Writers on the Air begins its 11th season on the NCPR is honored with two The Beat Authority, hosted air this year with a northern national awards from the by David Sommerstein, debuts borderlands theme and a kick- Public Radio Program on Fridays at 3:00 pm. Our off program featuring Howard Director’s organization: one assistant news director dons a Frank Mosher. for our series on rural poverty different hat once a week to and housing issues, Close to bring listeners the latest dance NCPR’s fall membership drive Homeless, and another for and groove music from around is a team effort generating North Country Essentials, an the world. $270,548 ($10,548 over goal). on air campaign which used THANK YOU!!!! the voices of North Country The Folk Show, hosted by residents to create a sense of Mike Alzo, moves to a new place and purpose in NCPR’s timeslot: Fridays at 8:00 pm. fundraising. top photo: Meg Hawley Martha Foley and lower photo: June Peoples Susan Sweeney Smith 2006 Report to Listeners 4 AT NCPR ONLINE, Web Manager WE DELIVER FROM DALE HOBSON In 2005 we hen Alaska’s Ted launched NCPR reportersengineers Stevens, chair of the announcers Podcasts, where US Senate committee selected programs that oversees the are made available online world, tried for automatic down- to explain how the load to iPods, mp3 internet works, he music players, and said: “And again, the Internet is not some- W other computer thing you just dump something on. It’s not devices. So far our a big truck. It’s a series of tubes.” Most lineup includes people said “Whaaaa?” but to us at NCPR Natural Selections, All Before Five, Four Seasons it made perfect sense. A website can easily of Gardening Conversations, Readers & Writers become a randomized truckload of stuff, on the Air, and our monthly poetry feature contributors hauled away, never to be found again. That’s Giving Voice. why we have turned our attention toward pushing most of what we produce back down In our unique Books by Email program— the great tubes of the internet into your delivering new books by regional authors as team inbox, your website, your iPod—maybe some weekly email serials—we published new books day into your robodog’s implant. So, in addi- by two of the nation’s foremost poets, David tion to drawing visitors to ncpr.org, we have Budbill’s collection, While We've Still Got Feet, made most of its truckload of stuff available and Hayden Carruth’s selected and new for delivery via podcast, email, and other 89.1 Lyons Falls poems, Toward the Distant Islands. For the subscription vehicles. broadcast winter holidays, we serialized Paul Willcott’s novella The Franklin Manor Bell. dcast And our email news offerings expanded with involvement credibility four new topical headline publications, giving honesty subscribers the week’s highlights in the arts, 88.1 Lowville politics, the environment, and the economy. talking hearing listening listeners voices imaginationstories linking connecting NOVEMBER2005 DECEMBER2005 JANUARY2006 All Before Five, debuts on We improve our signal in Adirondack Bureau Chief, We sign on the air in Clayton weekdays at 4:45 pm, giving Keene by moving to a new Brian Mann’s story American at 100.3 FM. listeners an afternoon update frequency at 90.1 FM. Tragedy at the Met airs and on the day’s regional news. A goes on to win a regional North Country Reads, a few months later the program Author Jennifer Donnelly, Edward R. Murrow award. community reading project, will win a PRNDI award. A Northern Light, and guest debuts with talks and host Barbara Wheeler from Jackie Sauter and Martha Foley gatherings across the St.