Candid Learning - Collaboration Hub ideastream

Participating Organizations

● ideastream, Cleveland, OH ● ideastream, Cleveland, OH

Please note that all data below was derived from the collaboration's nomination for the Collaboration Prize. None of the submitted data were independently verified for accuracy. Formation

Type of Collaboration: Merger by which governance, programs and administrative functions have been combined but which may or may not have included the integration into a single corporate entity. Geographic Scope: Multi-County Collaboration Focus Area:

● Arts and Culture ● Education ● Public Affairs

Population Served: Other Year Collaboration was Established: 2001 Goals Sought Through Collaboration:

● Expand reach and/or range of services / programs ● Address unmet and/or escalating community need ● Leverage complementary strengths and/or assets

Reasons Prompting Collaboration:

● Advancement of a shared goal ● Response to a community need

Who Initiated Collaboration:

● Executive Director(s) / CEO(s) / President(s) ● Board member(s)

Number of Participating Organizations: 5-7 Nature of Funder Involvement: Funded implementation Were Partners Added or Dropped?: No Consultant Role:

● To conduct financial due dilligence ● To draft the governing agreement or provide other legal advice ● To facilitate negotiations or discussions that led to the formation of the collaboration ● To advise on human resources,benefits,or compensation ideastream is a Cleveland, Ohio nonprofit that applies the power of media to education/culture/citizenship. It includes WVIZ/PBS, WVIZ/PBS Ohio, WVIZ/PBS World, WVIZ/PBS Create, 90.3 WCPN, 90.3 WCPN HD, interactive video distance learning, the Internet and other media. It leverages technical/creative/financial resources through partnerships with other organizations that share interests in education and public service. ideastream’s formation is rooted in 1997 when 90.3 WCPN, an NPR affiliate, and WVIZ/PBS jointly produced a radio/TV series about ‘urban sprawl’ in Northeast Ohio. They garnered unprecedented attention for giving voice to this important community issue. By 1999 their CEOs and boards were in talks to merge.

The talks were not born of need, but rather of efficiency, effectiveness, and compatible visions. The CEOs believed that to be relevant and indispensable to the community public broadcasting had to be repositioned and possibly reinvented as they contemplated the convergence of media in a digital age. Also, both stations needed new facilities. Twenty-two months later, on July 1, 2001, after much confidential discussion among the CEOs and board trustees, the two governing organizations were dissolved. A new model for public service media was born and named ideastream.

Several elements were critical to this outcome and to future success. WVIZ had a $10M budget and WCPN $4M; success was predicated on a merger of equals in terms of staff talent and community regard. The former boards were first combined (66 trustees), later reduced through attrition. Partnership was considered key to connecting the community. Management

Management Structure: One Executive Director / CEO / President

Trust was critical to negotiations and grew throughout the process as the trustees and CEOs focused on achieving a common purpose. Each board trusted and was very protective of its CEO. Ultimately, the CEOs were asked to propose their new roles in the new organization. They met, discussed their strengths and interests, and came to a mutual agreement. The President/CEO role was assumed by the WVIZ CEO, handling the business side, and the WCPN leader became COO, in charge of content/program development.

Many stations are jointly owned and operated, but are typically staffed separately. At ideastream, functions lead, not media. Reporters conduct interviews and gather content to be used across radio, TV, Internet, social media, educational channels, etc. Development staff raises funds regardless of medium. This approach was important to staff integration as well as to an emphasis on content which is delivered wherever, whenever and however the public wants to access it.

An active, multi-year strategic plan guides ideastream. Employee performance goals and measureable outcomes tie directly to plan goals. Challenges

Challenges to Making the Collaboration Work: Coordinating / merging / integrating operations

Perceived risk sometimes interfered with progress in forming the alliance, with some trustees more concerned than others. It was important to assume good faith and share information openly and honestly. The process of building trust was aided by a willingness to listen and explore opportunities, even in the face of incomplete information. It helped that several trustees were social acquaintances and that both CEOs had career experience in radio and TV, an understanding of each organization and of the broadcast industry’s needs.

About nine months prior to ideastream’s birth, the staffs were informed. Combining two very different corporate cultures was planned with the aid of human resource specialists.

In the wake of 9-11 and the recent recession, ideastream leadership remains strongly committed to financial stability. Expenses are closely monitored. Staff attrition and salary freezes are implemented as necessary. In ’09 an 8% staff reduction, pared operating expenses, new efficiencies, and restructuring of remaining personnel minimized disruptions to ideastream’s strong service history. Impact Internal Efficiencies and Effectiveness:

● Fund development - Successful capital campaign ● Greater ability for each partner to focus on core competency - Greater ability to allocate resources to areas of need ● Colocation or shared space - Co-location or shared space

Community Impact:

● Increased collaboration with / among other community organizations (beyond the scope of the original collaboration) ● Stronger / more effective "voice"

In 2001 ideastream began on-going community engagement, The Listening Project, to determine the region’s challenges and assets, and the role of public media. The nearly 10,000 responses that year overwhelmingly insisted that public media had a vital role in helping to inform the public. ideastream uses this research and other input to help determine content priorities and connect citizens to information that will help them make good personal and community decisions. Content delivery over multiple media outlets more effectively reaches more people. Over time ideastream has become known as a convener of dialogue, a valued partner, and a source of information important to the region.

Once established, ideastream formed a new partnership - with PlayhouseSquare, the 2nd largest performing arts center outside New York City - to refurbish and renovate a downtown building for relocation. Their joint need for education workshop space, studios, meeting space, and offices meshed well, and a successful joint capital campaign raised nearly $30M. ideastream and PlayhouseSquare co-own and jointly use Idea Center, where 3000-4000 citizens each month engage with ideastream for arts education, state-of-the-art technology and ideas.

Formal and informal partnerships with ideastream grew almost immediately. It manages the Northern Ohio Technology Association, providing broadband interactive distance learning connecting primary and secondary education; The Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau, producing reports from the State Capitol seen and heard across the state; Ohio Government Telecommunication presenting legislative and state supreme court activities; and collaborates with Cleveland Classical Radio to preserve classical music in NE Ohio. ideastream is a founder and subscriber to OneCommunity, providing ultra broadband networking services to nonprofits. Dozens of agencies partner for outreach.

In 2010, ideastream programs and services are utilized by nearly 3 million people a month in NE Ohio. Since 2000, revenue has grown 52%, and assets 158%. Model

“’…Cleveland may be the model for what other stations should be doing,” says David Liroff, a widely recognized visionary of public media. “And they are not alone in this. They have just focused more clearly as a locus and catalyst and convener of civic discussion…such a departure from the traditional expectations of what the traditional public television and public radio model should be.’”

Several things set ideastream apart as a new model for public broadcasting: extensive, on-going community engagement and feedback, content produced for multiple media purposes, community partnerships to leverage resources, a commitment to help strengthen their communities.

“…when you talk with those who have worked with ideastream they will tell you, again and again, that together, the two stations are doing much more than they could ever have done separately to serve their communities.”

(Quotes: “ideastream: The New Public Media” by M.J. Zuckerman, Carnegie Reporter, Spring ‘08, pg. 4) Efficiencies Achieved Economic Opportunities The creation of ideastream was about the ability to increase service to the community over the ability to save dollars, although efficiencies were considered and implemented where it made sense. Cross-promotion and cross-marketing on both stations, new public service contracts, and increased prominence in the region led to increased revenue over time.

By co-locating what had originally been three non-profit organizations (WVIZ/PBS, 90.3 WCPN and PlayhouseSquare Arts Education) now jointly creating and using space at Idea Center, funders saved millions of dollars. The unique creation of a combined “black box” theatre/ broadcast studio alone resulted in a $6 million savings.

Idea Center is an economic driver for Cleveland, contributing 500 workers located in Idea Center.

Operating Efficiencies Organizing by function provides staffing efficiencies across distribution mechanisms. For example, 1 Senior Director of Content and 1 Senior Director of Technology now manage 4 TV channels, 2 radio channels, 2 educational channels, and Internet. Staff transitions provided opportunities for other staff efficiencies over time.

At Idea Center, ideastream pays only occupancy costs (e.g. utilities, janitorial, etc.), saving an estimated $1.2 million/yr, based on current market rates.

Increased Program Delivery ideastream strives to deliver program content in multiple ways to appeal to the largest and most diverse audience. Program delivery has increased due to digital technology and to the availability of a larger staff to work across all media.

Examples of programs and community feedback are found as part of the answer to G2: Multiple Media and Community Response.

Measuring Results ideastream is guided by an active/detailed strategic plan with goals are broken down into dozens of metrics with staff responsibility assigned, a valuable measurement tool.

Another strong measurement instrument is the annual Listening Project. By going directly to area citizens, ideastream learns about priorities from the people who have a real stake in shaping the region’s future: Assets – arts/culture, people/communities, location, recreation and weather, & environment/quality of life. Challenges - economy, education, crime/drugs, politics, urban sprawl, people, racial issues.

By the Numbers One measure of ideastream’s impact is use of programs and services. Some recent annual stats: • 2.8 million people/mo. utilize ideastream programs/services in NE Ohio • 400+ technology workshops conducted for 6300+ teachers • Nearly 19,000 students participated in ideastream-originated distance learning programs • 186 math & science workshops touched 4700 teachers • 20,000-60,000 people saw each of the 7 ideastream-produced health documentaries on WVIZ/PBS • As many as 400,000 people a month saw televised health information messages produced by ideastream

Broadened Collaboration Builds Effectiveness and Efficiencies in Content and Service As word spread of the intended merger and its plans for co-location and multiple media programming, other organizations voiced their interest and joined with ideastream such as three K-12 educational organizations. Cleveland Classical Radio, WCLV, is relocating to ideastream facilities this year, completely sharing technology, studios, & all common space. ideastream expects to continue to refine itself, seeking efficiencies to lower operating costs while using partnerships and content investments to provide expanded services in all media. Evolution The evolution of ideastream is multifaceted. Over 9 years it has become leaner, more agile, more efficient, and created more impact and importance in the community as evidenced by funding, industry recognition, and community feedback. A foundation program officer recently commented that ideastream is seen in a role similar to foundations – that of a convener – to facilitate discussions and ideas that help move the community ahead.

Examples of convening: Ohio Governor’s Town Meeting on Education; Science Summit (of K-12 educators); Acting White, Acting Black: The Search for Racial Identity (a interactive, hour long town hall meeting broadcast live with an audience of black and white students). Less formally, ideastream often convenes representatives of local groups that share a common affinity, and is astounded to learn that they are meeting for the 1st time. The community benefits from the resulting collaborative content. ideastream makes its impact through community engagement, partnership and the use of multiple media and operates by listening, asking questions, creating an environment that respects all, setting ideastream as a neutral ground and central address, and having a daily conversation with the audience.

Community Engagement ideastream actively seeks community engagement through The Listening Project; a governing board of trustees; meetings of community, education, and project advisory boards; partner feedback; Facebook, Twitter, emails & phone calls from audience members.

A snapshot of one actual day at Idea Center illustrates ideastream’s community engagement: • 90.3 WCPN: local/national news and in-depth reports during NPR’s Morning Edition. Included is a special report on Cleveland’s outer ring suburbs’ stress over vacant foreclosed houses. Produced as part of ideastream’s week-long “The Foreclosure Crisis” series. • On 90.3’s daily call-in show, The Sound of Ideas®, a housing judge, a Cleveland councilman, a community development professional and an ideastream reporter join the discussion about solutions for low property values and plans to cut city services. • At mid-morning, Cleveland 6th grade students gather to show off their math abilities in the championship round of ideastream’s “What’s Your Math Problem?,” televised mathematics competitions to improve student motivation and proficiency scores, as well as teacher skills and effectiveness in the classroom. • Around Noon, 90.3 WCPN’s live, daily arts program, sings the praises of winners of the annual Great Lakes Theater Festival/ideastream Bardstock FM Festival of student songwriting. Since entries from middle and high school students were inspired by Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, a Miller scholar joins the discussion. • Teachers learn how to operate and integrate technology into the classroom in two professional development workshops: “A Digital Camera for You” and “Can You See What I See? A GPS Workshop.” • Architects and arts patrons attend an evening reception and lecture, “The New Face of Architecture” presented the Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art in the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre, featuring world-class architects. Video-taped by ideastream for the museum. • The Smith Television Studio is ready for WVIZ/PBS’s 9 p.m. broadcast of “Depression: Out of the Shadows,” a PBS documentary. Local mental health professionals offer advice during live, in-studio station breaks, hosted by ideastream reporters. Volunteers from area mental health agencies are on site, taking 365 calls requesting advice and resources. Mental health agencies in all NE Ohio counties distribute local resource information to callers.

Partnerships Formal and informal partnerships are crucial to the success of ideastream. Richard Somerset-Ward, public media expert and senior fellow at the Benton Foundation says of ideastream and its partnerships: “They are becoming much more than just community broadcasters, they are becoming community enablers. And they are doing that by forming partnerships with community institutions.” (Zuckerman, M.J., Carnegie Reporter, Spring 2008, “ideastream and Public Media”, pg. 11.)

Along with formal on-going partners PlayhouseSquare and the WCLV Foundation, a third is OneCommunity. ideastream is a founding partner of this non-profit organization that acquired donated, unused fiber optic cable to expand broadband connections beyond the City of Cleveland, allowing the broadband distribution of content created by universities, foundations and other non-profits. OneCommunity’s HealthNet operational center relocates to ideastream facilities at Idea Center this year, connecting more than 100 leading health institutions across more than 20 Ohio counties, enabling telemedicine for the region, driving better health care and ultimately, helping to save lives. ideastream’s more informally aligned partners assist with topical expertise or community outreach. Recent partners: Cleveland’s Plain Dealer, The City Club of Cleveland, The Cleveland Orchestra, United Way, PlayhouseSquare, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, eight area hospitals or hospital systems, county health departments and regional chapters of health associations, 165 NE Ohio school districts.

Multiple Media The philosophy and implementation of program content is to “create once, play everywhere” – content made in many ways to be used whenever, wherever and however the audience wants it. Delivery goes far beyond radio/TV/Internet to include social media, email, distance learning, online courses, online/on-demand, classroom curriculum, workshops, print, commercial TV, online streaming, YouTube, and community events. ideastream produces nearly 1700 hours of local radio/TV programming each year plus broadcasts the highest quality content acquired from PBS, NPR, PRI & others. Beyond regular series, ideastream’s recent multiple media productions (many with classroom curriculum) include: Facing the Mortgage Crisis series, Help Wanted series, BackStage With® series (major performing artist interviews – for national distribution), Cleveland Orchestra in Performance (for national television distribution and international DVD distribution), The Return of the Cuyahoga (nationally distributed TV documentary), Stokes: An American Dream (nationally distributed TV documentary), and are only a few of dozens.

Awards are another mark of achievement and success. Since ‘01 ideastream has received 400+ awards for program excellence & innovation (as many as 57 a year) from regional, national and international organizations/agencies. Categories include: Outstanding News Operation, Documentary, Program of the Year, and media coverage of Arts/Cultural Affairs, Economy, Health/Science, Minority Issues, Education, Mental Health, Government, and Environment.

Community Comment Response to the Heath Initiative is an example of individuals speaking louder than awards or statistics: All the thanks belongs to WVIZ and WCPN for your ongoing efforts to provide education regarding mental illness to your viewers and listeners. People listen…and that's how we can break down the stigma that surrounds mental illness. In addition to awareness, you provide the resources needed so that people can take the next step. -Ellen Riehm, NAMI Greater Cleveland

Thanks for such an impactful show about diabetes! I never realized (it was) forever…I always thought of it as a temporary thing. I was rated “at risk” for developing diabetes…I’m definitely motivated to take action NOW before any more damage is done…Thanks for the push! - a WVIZ/PBS viewer via email

A close friend has depression and I didn’t realize it until hearing some things on the show. After some gentle prodding from me, he is now seeing a counselor and hopefully facing his issues. - Listener response to The Sound of Ideas® on 90.3 WCPN

Some student remarks upon viewing ideastream’s Heart Stories in their school health class: It really makes you think about how your body works and what does happen and what can happen and what you can prevent. - Courtney, 13

It made me know that heart attacks are more serious than I thought they were. - Guy, 13

Jonathan Sack, M.D., Director, Colon and Rectal Surgery at UCLA, regarding “Confronting Colon Cancer”: I was quite impressed with the accuracy of the information…I would like to request permission to post a link to this content within the UCLA Colorectal Surgery website…and I look forward to future projects from your group.

Joseph E. Willis, MD, Director of Clinical Pathology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center (Cleveland): The colon cancer piece was excellent. You intelligently mixed the various components – all into a coherent, logical, easy to follow program…I have no doubt that this will get some people thinking about getting screened – which is a very good thing.

Your television show on heart disease saved my life. While watching your program I was struck by how many symptoms I had for heart disease and I told my husband, ‘this is what’s wrong with me.’…I saw my doctor…I failed a stress test and on the 14th of May, instead of leaving on my trip, I had a quintuple bypass. Now I feel better than I have in years.” - Terri, Jackson Township, Ohio

Other examples of reactions and impact from Listening Project participants: My primary source of news is locally; I feel more informed because of ideastream.

I’ve been inspired to donate financially to causes (hunger programs) due to programs I have heard on ideastream.

And a partner response to ideastream’s mortgage foreclosure series: I believe that what you have done this past six months is public broadcasting at its finest, bringing the community together to find solutions to our mutual needs…With your help we were able to reach those homeowners who other wise might not have known where to turn. - Stephen C. Wertheim, Director, United Way First Call for Help

Collaborating to Make a Difference ideastream is a collaboration that has spawned many other collaborations of many types. Its mission to “strengthen our communities” will continue to encourage even more collaboration, to become the indispensible information source for residents, leading to good decision-making in their own lives and for the region. Copyright ©2021 Candid. All Rights Reserved.