ANNUAL LOCAL CONTENT& SERVICE REPORT 20 TO OUR COMMUNITY 20 WKU | PBS | NPR WKU PUBLIC BROADCASTING TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Mission & Value 4 Message from The Director 5 OVERVIEW Broadcast Media OfferingsPBS 6 Broadcast Media OfferingsNPR 7 ACTIVITY COVID-19 Community Impact 8 Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network 9 Lost River Sessions 10 NETA & Emmy Awards 12 Student Impact 14 Alana Watson Making a Difference 16 Regional Excellence WKU Public Radio 18 Community Partnerships 20 The 2020 Annual Local Content & Service Report to Our Community is a publication of WKU Public Broadcasting. All text and photo content is property of WKU Public Broadcasting and Western Kentucky University and may not be reproduced without permission. Editor: Caitlin Greenwell; Design/Layout: Caitlin Greenwell; Contributors: Darius Barati, Molly Swietek, Kevin Willis; Photography: Darius Barati, Jordan Basham, Cheryl Beckley, Colin Jackson, Bryan Lemon, Clinton Lewis, Becca Schimmel, Alana Watson; Printing: Gerald Printing 2 3 WKU | PBS | NPR MISSION To enrich our communities by providing distinctive programming and services WKU PUBLIC BROADCASTING of the highest quality that enhance lives, expand perspectives and connect us to one another. MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR LOCAL VALUE David S. Brinkley WKU Public Broadcasting serves critical roles in Kentucky. As the only university joint licensee (WKU PBS and WKU Public Radio) in the Commonwealth, we proudly serve through our television broadcast signal, radio broadcast signals, satellite transmissions and digital content. Our base of operations is in the heart of WKU's campus in Bowling Green. WKU Public Broadcasting provides public service broadcasting to the community, professional training for students and creates and distributes media content that serves WKU and the citizens of Kentucky. 2020 has been a challenging year for our nation and our community. We We are responsible for the operation of WKU Public Radio, WKU PBS, The are in the midst of a global pandemic and a racial and cultural awakening, Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network, WWHR-FM student radio, content for the all while feeling distanced from our loved ones and support systems. Kentucky Public Radio Network and content for the Ohio Valley ReSource collaborative. Through it all, we have learned the importance of adaptations and change. Community is at the heart of everything we do at WKU Public Additionally, we provide video production services for the campus constituency Broadcasting—it centers us as we live through these uncertain times. and outside organizations. In addition to our professional staff, we employ many WKU students part-time, allowing them to gain valuable real-world This year’s Annual Local Content & Service Report highlights how we experience. worked toward our long-standing goals while also adapting to the current needs of our community members. We are proud that during the pandemic our team continued to deliver quality content to our viewers and listeners while also balancing a new workplace dynamic and a disrupted everyday life. I'm exceptionally proud of our organization. Despite obstacles, WKU Public Broadcasting pushed even harder to share the stories of our community. In the pages that follow, I invite you to learn more about our work and our partners over the course of a challenging year, and our plans to emerge from 2020 stronger than ever. DAVID S. BRINKLEY Director, WKU Public Broadcasting 4 5 WKU | PBS | NPR BROADCAST MEDIA SERVICE OFFERINGS These offerings provide a continuous source of trusted content From the highest caliber national, international and local journalism to consisting of quality news, educational content, reliable information world-class arts and entertainment programs, WKU Public Radio brings and entertainment. listeners a wealth of ideas, information and inspiration every day. WKU | PBS 24.1 WKYU-FM 88.9 BOWLING GREEN WKYU | CREATE 24.2 WDCL-FM 89.7 & 103.3 SOMERSET WKYU-WX | 24.3 (LIVE WEATHER RADAR) WKPB-FM 89.5 HENDERSON/OWENSBORO WKUE-FM 90.9 ELIZABETHTOWN WKU CLASSICAL (88.9 HD-2, 97.5 BOWLING GREEN) HOURS OF LOCALLY BROADCAST 323 ORIGINAL PROGRAMS STORIES FILED BY WKU REPORTERS TO 580 KENTUCKY PUBLIC RADIO NETWORK HOURS OF LOCALLY BROADCAST 265 MUSIC, ARTS AND CULTURAL ORIGINAL PROGRAMS ORIGINAL NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS 200 PROGRAMS HOURS OF LOCALLY BROADCAST PUBLIC AFFAIRS, NEWS AND INFORMATIONAL 58 FEATURE STORIES FILED BY WKU REPORTERS ORIGINAL PROGRAMS 82 TO ENHANCE LOCAL NEWS PROGRAMMING STUDENTS EMPLOYED BY WKU HOURS OF LOCAL NEWS CONTENT 40 PUBLIC BROADCASTING 212 FEATURE STORIES FILED BY LOCAL 20 OHIO VALLEY RESOURCE* REPORTER *The Ohio Valley ReSource reaches a network of more than 6.3 million 6 in three states (Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio). 7 WKU | PBS | NPR COVID-19 HILLTOPPER SPORTS COMMUNITY IMPACT SATELLITE NETWORK GOING VIRTUAL Many social gatherings and events found ways to still take place, albeit virtually. The Lost River Sessions team was awarded their 2020 Ohio Valley Emmy for Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Program from the comforts of their own homes. While not the typical black-tie affair, the team was able to gather via video conferencing to celebrate their 100 achievement. MILLION PEOPLE PROGRAMMED TO LOCALLY, REGIONALLY & NATIONALLY 7 LIVE HILLTOPPER BASKETBALL TELECASTS WORKING FROM HOME NEW SAFETY MEASURES HOLD, PLEASE 6 Even in the midst of a global pandemic, Live event brodcast production perhaps Many live events, including Lost River LIVE LADY TOPPER the WKU Public Broadcasting team was saw the greatest changes due to COVID-19. Sessions LIVE! performances, were put on BASKETBALL TELECASTS committed to providing programming and Safety measures, including social pause. The Lost River Sessions team has entertainment to its loyal community. The distancing, facial coverings and protective implemented adaptions in its hiatus, in team took social distancing requirements barriers, were put into place and enforced one instance livestreaming a concert from in stride, shifting to a work-from-home to ensure the wellbeing of all those in WKU's campus to a national audience. environment when necessary. attendance and working. 2 LIVE WKU FOOTBALL TELECASTS 8 9 WKU | PBS | NPR LOST RIVER SESSIONS SAVING YOU THE BEST SEAT Lost River Sessions is the Emmy award-winning television, concert and radio series launched by WKU PBS and WKU Public Radio out of Bowling Green, Ky. While the pandemic changed many plans for the program over the course of 2020, the Lost River Sessions team was able to develop safety protocols that allowed them to resume work remotely. In 2021, the eagerly-anticipated fourth season of Lost River Sessions will be released to local, regional and national viewers. TELEVISION + RADIO + Photo top: The Josephines record LIVE CONCERTS + their Lost River Sessions performance from the LIVE RADIO + DIGITAL = Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in LOCAL CONTENT Owensboro, Ky. Our work didn't look WITH NATIONAL REACH Photo right: the same as before, Kyshona performs at but we were able Lost River Sessions LIVE! to adapt and push Lost River Sessions explores the music scene from the roots on Feb. 27, 2020, at the up by featuring musical talents in the folk, bluegrass and Capitol Arts Center in Bowling Green, Ky. This forward as a team. Americana genres performing intimate live sets in various would be the last LIVE! And I feel it's only iconic venues across South Central Kentucky. performance to take place before COVID-19 made us stronger and restrictions were enforced. more focused on our Photo bottom right: goals as a program. AVAILABLE IN MORE THAN 30 STATES Will Kimbrough performs at Lost River Sessions PROGRAMMED TO OVER 100 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE! on Jan. 24, 2020, at the Capitol Arts Center in DARIUS BARATI Bowling Green. Producer, Lost River Sessions WEEKLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON BROADCASTS 10 WKU | PBS | NPR NATIONAL & REGIONAL PEER RECOGNITION Despite the struggles faced both locally and globally, there were many celebratory moments for WKU Public Broadcasting in 2020. To see Hannah Photo right: The Lost River Sessions team was recognized by the National and Jordon Neil Purcell, Darius Barati and Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) at their Cheryl Beckley attend the NETA finish their Awards ceremony on January 26, 2019 conference and awards ceremony for the first time. 2020, in Washington, D.C. The Lost education River Sessions team brought home The convention, which typically takes place annually in and enter the the award for Outstanding Arts and Washington, D.C., allowed Lost River Sessions team members Entertainment Content. the opportunity to travel in January 2020 to share their work workforce directly with colleagues from other public broadcasting with an Emmy Photo bottom: affiliates from across the country. already in hand Following the 2020 Ohio Valley Later in the year, Lost River Sessions and coverage from ROMP is one of the Emmy win for Outstanding Arts were both recognized with nominations at the 2020 Ohio Valley and Entertainment Program, Darius Barati gives an outdoor, Emmy Awards ceremony. best honors I socially distanced presentation to can have as a Gatton Academy students on WKU's WKU's Public Broadcasting service has been nominated for campus. a regional Emmy in each of the past 16 years, receiving the producer. illustrious award 28 times. DARIUS BARATI Producer, Lost River Sessions 2019 NETA AWARDS NOMINATION Arts and Entertainment - Content: Lost River Sessions* Darius Barati ('07), Jordon Crabbe ('19),