Emergency broadcasting is routine, but a pandemic is a challenge! Though we’re equipped to broadcast in emergencies, pandemics are something you think about and pray they never happen to you. Our first task was to keep bringing public media into homes via radio and digital formats, and we set up a 3-Stage protocol to protect our national and local delivery systems. The goal was to leave no Wyomingite without public media. We moved our staff to remote locations, sterilized our facility for those who couldn’t leave, and hunkered down. This affected on-air hosts, content producers, reporters, donor/underwriter/membership departments with security systems that can’t be shared, business operations, and a host of supportive functions all integral to operating a statewide network with national and local programming. Perhaps the most intricate area is engineering for our multiple state sites and digital production. You can read about this in an article published by Radio World. It’s a testament to our incredible team. It’s also a tribute to all our donors over the years, state legislatures, and UW, who helped build a system that reaches 570,000+ souls in the 3rd largest geographic area in the US. WPM truly connects Wyoming!

National coverage of Press Briefings has been an issue in the press as of late. A number of you have asked about WPM’s policy in covering the White House COVID-19 Press Briefings, as well as Governor Gordon’s Press Briefings. In general, the White House Press Briefings are available online every day they are offered to us. You can find them at wyomingpublicmedia.org, about halfway down the homepage. WPM runs the full hearings including the reporter questions. There are no edits and no commentary provided by us. WPM carries Governor Gordon’s Press Briefings usually at 7 p.m. the day they are scheduled by the Governor’s office. We are indebted to Wyoming PBS for providing us with the audio, and making it possible to reach over 90 percent of the state via radio. You can also find the April 3 Briefing online at the Wyo PBS site.

Like many stations throughout the nation, WPM’s Spring Fund Drive was impacted by COVID- 19. General managers engaged in a national discussion about this disruption. Large urban stations with strong emergency funds could more easily forego a drive, while small and rural stations usually are not as well resourced and hence fiscally impacted by the loss of one fund drive. For the most part, these stations are engaging in scaled down fundraising, with the possibility of scheduling a full drive when the time is right. WPM is following this pattern. You’ll hear some live reads and some pre-recorded messages from our staff, coupled with comments from Wyomingites and national program hosts. There will be no program interruptions – we need to devote all programming time to news and information. If you normally pledge at this time, you can make your pledge online at wyomingpublicmedia.org. We know that not all donors were equally impacted, and fully understand that you may need to sit this one out. On the other hand, if you’re able to increase your donation to help bridge the gap, your generosity at this time of national impact will be greatly valued. We appreciate your patience – these are indeed interesting times!

In national news, on Friday afternoon, March 27, the House of Representatives passed and President Trump signed into law the CARES Act, a $2 trillion economic recovery package. The legislation includes $75 million for the Corporation for (CPB) for fiscal stabilization grants to public media entities “to maintain programming and services and preserve small and rural stations threatened by declines in non-Federal revenues.” Many thanks to CPB and our colleagues and stations across the public broadcasting system for their efforts to support passage of this relief package.

NPR hired Michael Smith as NPR’s new Chief Marketing Officer. Michael is a proven leader in the media industry, who brings more than 30 years of achievement in entertainment brand marketing, content, digital, and revenue generating brand extensions to NPR. This is a critical position, since it impacts public broadcasting listenership and builds younger audience while retaining long-time loyal listeners. Though both groups overlap in their use of technology, there are differences in listening habits and content expectations. How NPR embraces generational diversity is critical to national radio, and these issues interlock with local radio systems such as WPM. Though we are licensed by UW and part of the university fabric, our marketing and outreach strategies closely align with NPR as well as other syndicators such as , among others. WPM rides for several brands, and must, to reach the universal audience public radio is mandated to serve. Having strong national directions is a big help.

I encourage you to take a look at our COVID-19 webpage. The content is impressive. Our reporters have been reflecting Wyoming’s experience during a pandemic that will make history. Anna Rader, WPM’s digital manager, curates this page for the many WPM users who follow WPM online. Looking over the content, we are awed by the incredible feats of humanity we see in the stories and features, and humbled by the fact that we can cover this history and bring it into your hearts. Julie Drizin, editor of Current, our industry publication best defined our role at this time: “COVID-19 is the test of the emergency broadcast system. Public media is passing that test.” In many respects, journalists are the public’s first responders.

I leave you with a comment from John Lansing, NPR CEO:

“One thing I do know for sure. We will get through this together. We will not only be there at the other end, we will get there knowing we made it easier for people to find their way, to do the right thing, and therefore to save lives. It is our highest calling as a journalistic organization. And you are meeting it every day.”

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments at [email protected].

Take care, stay safe, and thank you!

Christina Kuzmych

WPM General Manager