2018 Communit Y Repor T
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2018 COMMUNITY REPORT WOUB COMMUNITY REPORT - 2018 Letter from Mark Brewer, General Manager WOUB Public Media has been compiling “local content” reports for a number of years, and every year we look back with a smile at how many of you have welcomed us into your communities – and how you trust us to help share your stories with others. From history projects, to high school sports, to great local music – your willingness to embrace the staff and students of WOUB Public Media and the trust you place in us to work together reminds us how fortunate we all are to be a part of the local community. For those of you who have chosen to support us financially, thank-you just doesn’t capture our gratitude. Our hope is that as you page through and explore some of the activities that WOUB Public Media was a part of this past year, you will realize what an important part you had in making it all possible. But we’re not done! As we move into the next year, we look forward to new ways we can work together, new ways to share stories, and new ways for WOUB Public Media to remain a valued service to each and every one of you. Thanks again for 2018. Let’s look forward – together! 2 WOUB COMMUNITY REPORT - 2018 OUB Public Media, an administrative unit of and administrative missions, through public radio, Wthe Scripps College of Communication at Ohio public television, online and related technologies. University, provides public broadcast services, Through these activities, WOUB extends the student professional development, and non- intellectual resources of the University to its broader broadcast educational services in support of the community and bolsters the University’s service goals of the University and the College. The resources mission in the Appalachian region. of WOUB support public service, teaching, research Local Value 2018 Key Services Local Impact WOUB continues to be a valuable In 2018, WOUB Public Media WOUB Public Media local services part of the southeastern Ohio and provided these vital local impact the southeastern Ohio and western West Virginia area. Local services: Seventy-five hours of western West Virginia area on a news continues as a mainstay both local television news, sports daily basis. In April 2018, WOUB-TV on the FM radio network, television and documentary broadcast began offering six unique television broadcasts, and AM station. In production and 510 clips of digital programming streams per addition, news has expanded its video content shared online and transmitter (for 12 total broadcast reach by utilizing Facebook live via social media. The launch of streams), broadcasting 144 hours and other social media platforms “The Kindness Podcast,” author of content per day to an area not all as appropriate. New podcasts and Nicole Phillips interviews various served by traditional commercial audio projects tell the stories of our kindness “experts, advocates, and television. Social media and digital local area while maintaining local people with incredible kindness platforms have allowed for direct content via traditional broadcast stories;” giving WOUB six nationally conversations with listeners and – and at the same time – allowing distributed podcasts. Production viewers as it relates to content. local stories and content to be of the radio series “Perfect Regional partnerships allow for available to a national audience. Harmony,” explores the role of content creation and local voices to WOUB continues to extend the music with family and friends. be heard while showcasing expertise of Ohio University to the Continued partnerships (Ohio the news, arts, and the culture local community and beyond. Valley ReSource, Nelsonville Music of the region. Festival, Barbara Geralds Institute for Storytelling and Social Impact, etc.) create content for and about the region. 3 WOUB COMMUNITY REPORT - 2018 PODCAST/RADIO NETWORK WOUB Public Media’s nationally distributed podcasts are building a new national audience for WOUB and our podcast sponsors. WOUB has created podcasts on a variety of topics featuring national, international, and locl guests. • The OUtlet podcast is produced by students working at WOUB, with the concept “where campus meets community.” • In addition to being distributed through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Stitcher, WOUB podcasts are featured through National Public Radio on its NPR One mobile app and through its popular and prestigious NPR Podcast Directory. – npr.org/podcasts/ • The popularity of our podcast network is shown through our steady upward growth. The numbers cited below represent only a sample because they do not reflect all ways that people listen to our podcasts, such as on our website and through other platforms. The available data illustrates how our listenership continues rapidly growing In FY 2018, through the selected channels, we had 121,180 visits and 2,286,343 page views, for an average of 322 visitors per day through our regular distributor. From January 1– June 31, 2018, in these selected channels, the number of “hits” increased 127%; our page views were up 144%; and our visitors up 188%. 457SEO: Stories, information, and observations about our regional Southeastern Ohio communities are shared and explored on an in-depth and personal level. Author’s Chair: To supplement WOUB’s involvement with the PBS Great American Read project, WOUB produced a series of interviews with local and national authors. The series was designed to bolster and highlight regional literary works and authors by featuring area writers and stories featuring Appalachia. Sports Beat: A one-hour live radio sports program produced by students for WOUB-AM and on demand at woub.org/listen. Guests include: OU athletes, coaches, call-ins, OU alumni and media members on a wide range of local topics and teams. Students also produce SportsBeat Bits — an offshoot podcast of the main radio program. All audio assets are posted to SoundCloud offering 20 - one-hour episodes and 500+ minutes of podcasting. 4 WOUB COMMUNITY REPORT - 2018 PODCAST/RADIO NETWORK (CONT) The Kindness Podcast: Host Nicole Phillips is a champion for using kindness to overcome all of life’s difficulties, including her own battle with breast cancer. She spreads the message of the healing power of kindness through her public speaking and this podcast, where she invites guests to share their kindness stories. Jazzed About Work: Jazzed About Work features lively, informal conversations about everything it takes to create a resilient and rewarding career. Host Beverly Jones interviews professionals who share their expertise related to the workplace. Her guests go beyond the research as they talk about their interesting and often surprising professionals paths. Live From Fur Peace Ranch: Host Jorma Kaukonen introduces each program’s featured artist in a series of concerts recorded at the Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp in Meigs County, Ohio. An eclectic blend of performances includes blues, folk, Americana, rock, bluegrass, and jazz. Ohio Today Radio: Ohio Today, in collaboration with WOUB Public Media, has a partnership in creating audio stories for “Ohio Today Radio”. In 2018, WOUB co-produced six podcasts that featured stories from current Ohio University students and alumni. Spectrum: Spectrum features conversations with an eclectic group of fascinating people, some famous and some not, but they all have captivating stories. Spectrum, hosted by veteran journalist Tom Hodson, addresses a wide range of relevant topics through gripping stories of individuals. Teaching Matters: Hosted by Scott Titsworth, Dean of the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University, Teaching Matters is an audio series exploring the unique needs of students. In the 15 episodes of 2018, topics ranged from empowering educators, new technology, and a series recorded in Ecuador on place based problem solving. 5 WOUB COMMUNITY REPORT - 2018 PODCAST/RADIO NETWORK (CONT) Ohio Bobcats Athletics: WOUB airs Ohio Football and Men’s Basketball on four transmitters (Ironton, Chillicothe, Zanesville, and Cambridge) as well as all conference Women’s Basketball and Ohio University Baseball games on our AM station. Conversations from Studio B: Athens’ talk program. Community volunteers bring their unique views to WOUB with lively discussion on local topics. In 2018, 16 hosts recorded over 75 unique half hour programs. Perfect Harmony: Music can magically connect family members with each other and with their heritage. It also can bind friends together over decades. To understand this dynamic, WOUB visited 10 area families and groups to explore the origins of music in their lives and the role it plays. We talked with parents and children, spouses, and long-time friends. What we discovered was “Perfect Harmony”. Shakespeare, Monologues and Sonnets: This is a new WOUB audio drama project directed by Karen M. Chan. Learning through listening and reading text, we invite actors to join us by submitting a Shakespeare monologue and/or sonnet or other sonnets to WOUB. Our aim is to create a community of great actors and provide expressive outlets for local performers. In 2018, we recorded 18 monologues and sonnets by five different performers with plans of doing many more in 2019. 6 WOUB COMMUNITY REPORT - 2018 LOCALLY HOSTED MUSIC PROGRAMS WOUB presents music from a variety of genres through account for 24 hours of locally-produced music-driven the week on several different programs. These series programming each week on the FM network. D28+5: On Sunday afternoons, from 1–5 p.m., a rotating group of staff and community volunteers present bluegrass on D28 + 5. The program’s name is a nod to the D28 Martin guitar combined with a five-string banjo to form the foundation of bluegrass. The program hosts are Pete Hart, Rusty Smith, Todd Sams, Ivan and Deanna Tribe, and Ray and Beth Vining. Pete is a long-time bluegrass musician, and a well-known mandolin maker. Todd Sams is also a musician and luthier.