Local Content and Service Report About Us Vision To be the most valued catalyst for an informed and engaged community. Mission To expand minds and possibilities with trusted information and quality entertainment. Houston Public Media’s coverage spans 19 counties and reaches a combined weekly audience of 1.5 million people. Houston Public Media delivers fair, accurate and impartial reporting to listeners and viewers in the Greater Houston area and beyond. We feature curriculum-based chil- dren’s programming and in-depth news coverage with a diverse range of perspectives on topics and issues important to our local communities, state, and nation. Houston Public Media fosters an understanding of the importance of early childhood education and resources in our classrooms and an appreciation of the arts, creates meaningful dialogue, and encourages informed decision making through our multi-platform content. Houston Public Media Foundation Board Executive Director of Houston Public Media Foundation, Lisa Trapani Shumate Executive Committee Directors Stephen Schwarz, Chair Janet Clark Barrett Sides, President George Connelly, Ex-Officio Leslie Flynne, Secretary Sheila Enriquez Sharon Birkman, Treasurer Aggie Foster Ron Rand, Past Chair Lynn Mathre M.A. Shute Kim Sterling Houston Public Media Leadership Associate Vice President & General Manager, Lisa Trapani Shumate Directors Josh Adams, Executive Director of Operations Frank Castro, Director of Engineering Operations Vicky Charleston, Director of Creative Services Dave Fehling, Director of News & Public Affairs Millie Adan-Garza, Director of Sales, Underwriting and Corporate Sponsorships Almarie Hopkins, Assistant Director of Business Operations Courtney Lamm, Chief Development Officer Aurora Losada, Director of Digital Operations Mary Ann Marucci, Senior Director of Advancement Phillip McMillan, Director of Membership and Corporate Support Jim Pivero, Director of Radio Operations Capella Tucker, Director of Content 2017 was a monumental year for Greater Houston and Houston Public Media was there telling the story. We hosted Super Bowl LI, overcame Hurricane Harvey, the nation’s worst rainstorm and flooding event, and witnessed the Houston Astros clinch their first World Series title in franchise history. This past year was also monumental for Houston Public Media. We kicked off the year by revealing our station’s three-year strategic plan with special guest PBS CEO Paula Kerger, Houston Public Media Foundation Board of Directors, education leaders, and 300 members and guests. We launched a new 24/7 PBS KIDS Channel on TV 8.3, Comcast Channel 324 and on a live digital stream. During Super Bowl LI and Hurricane Harvey, we fortified our role as a public safety leader as we helped support Houston area first responders and emergency officials with vital communications assets through datacasting technology. In advance of the long anticipated PBS 18-hour documentary, The Vietnam War, Houston Public Media welcomed PBS legends Ken Burns and Lynn Novick to Houston to preview the series with veterans, students and station members. We traveled to Vietnam to capture local ties then and now. Thanks to your support, Houston Public Media remains at the forefront, working around-the- clock to ensure that multi-platform news, educational, and arts programming is accessible to all. With appreciation and gratitude, Lisa Trapani Shumate General Manager Thanks to your investment in Houston Public Media, we are making significant progress toward supporting our capital needs and creating the highest quality, most trusted local content. As part of our strategic plan, we launched a $10 million Innovation and Sustainability Fund and are laying the groundwork for a $10 million Community Impact and Engagement Fund. We con- tinue to set the stage for our station to invest in the latest technology, have a greater reach and gain significant savings. This year, we further engaged station donors and volunteers through newly created affinity councils that create experiences around our pillars: education, news & information, and arts & culture. We launched a Now is the Time themed campaign with billboards across the Greater Houston area, calling listeners and viewers to act now. As part of this multi-media campaign, we engaged a diverse group of community leaders from across Greater Houston to share their personal connections to Houston Public Media. Your belief in our mission and generosity make it all possible, allowing Houston Public Media to play a transforming role in our community. We are grateful for your unwavering support and another successful year. Sincerely, Stephen Schwarz Houston Public Media Foundation Board Chair Trusted National Content PBS Houston Public Media is Greater Houston’s source for additional television channel, making it easy for PBS programming. PBS and its member stations are children to watch their favorite series during America’s largest classroom and the nation’s largest after-school hours and on the weekends. PBS and space for learning, creative thinking and the arts. Houston Public Media continue to work together to support learning outcomes for all students. PBS shares innovative resources, such as PBS LearningMedia, with today’s educators, helping connect teachers from across the country. PBS Given that 54% of all children nationwide do not have the opportunity to attend preschool, providing access is a critical element of our public LearningMedia offers more than 100,000 digital service mission. resources to pre-kindergarten through 12th grade “ Paula Kerger teachers and creates a trusted destination for teach- PBS President and CEO ers to find and share educational content. Beginning ” in early 2018, PBS LearningMedia will offer access to In addition to offering unparalleled access to trusted, state standards for the first time, mapping classroom educational media content, PBS is home to exciting resources with state standards. new drama, science, arts and documentary programs. This year, PBS launched a new TV channel dedicated This fall, the long-awaited debut of Ken Burns and to children’s programming. The new PBS KIDS 24/7 Lynn Novick’s The Vietnam War aired on PBS stations channel, the first-ever national channel of its kind, across the nation. From Masterpiece’s Victoria to a allows local stations, like Houston Public Media, to deep dive into outer space to Broadway lineups, this broadcast PBS KIDS shows 24 hours a day on an fall season offered viewers an array of programming. NPR Houston Public Media is Greater Houston’s source for NPR programming. NPR is one of the nation’s most trusted news organizations and a leading inno- vator for storytelling and quality journalism. NPR understands the power of public broadcasting and, for more than 45 years, has set the standard for providing breaking news, background analysis and commentary through 17 international bureaus, 17 national news desk and nearly 1,100 member stations. Joshua Johnson, Host of 1A NPR is committed to increasing collaboration efforts This summer, NPR and Houston Public Media pro- with local stations across the country by leveraging vided students from the University of Houston and national programming and content and aligning surrounding universities the opportunity to partic- audience interests between NPR and its members. ipate in an exclusive week-long journalism training This new era of collaboration on both the journalism program through NPR’s Next Generation Radio Project. and fundraising fronts has partnership at the center This fall, Houston Public Media welcomed NPR talk of the system as a whole: digital, news, fundraising, show legend Diane Rehm and 1A’s Joshua Johnson and diversity. to Houston for an exclusive meet and greet with Houston Public Media Foundation Board of Directors This past year alone, News 88.7 reporters were heard and affinity council members. These behind-the- across the nation on nearly 130 newscasts and news scenes experiences and initiatives are part of our programs, like Morning Edition, All Things Considered, local-national partnership efforts. Here & Now, and 1A, sharing coverage of Houston and Texas with NPR’s broadcast audience. 4 | Trusted National Content Mission Focus Education Writers Contest Nearly 500 local area children experienced the art Thirty-one children, in grades kindergarten through of writing their own book as part of Houston Public third grade, were recognized as finalists at a special Media’s annual PBS KIDS Writers Contest. This year event held at The Children’s Museum of Houston. marked more than two decades of this literary compe- The students were joined by their families and tition in our communities which helps foster a love of teachers as well as guest speaker Deborah Mouton, learning and creative writing. Houston’s Poet Laureate, who inspired them to con- tinue to tell stories. Spelling Bee Houston Public Media is home to the largest qualify- ing spelling bee in the nation. This year, 56 spellers, ranging in age from eight to 15 and in grades third through eighth, representing 1,151 schools in Texas competed in nine rounds to advance to the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee. It’s a lot of hard work. So, the main thing, I Shourav Dasari, an eighth grader from Conroe ISD, think, is that you develop a good work ethic emerged as the champion of the 2017 Houston Public “ that you can use anywhere in your life. Media Spelling Bee with Raksheet Kota, an eighth Raksheet Kota grader from Katy ISD, as the runner-up. The two Houston Public Media Spelling Bee ” Houston area students went on to place in the top five Runner-up at the 90th Scripps National Bee. This was 14-year-old Dasari’s fifth time at Scripps; Houston Public Media learned competitive spelling he has attended twice to compete and three times is a family affair and year-round effort for Dasari and to support his older sister competing. A 14-year- Kota, who both have siblings that share their passion old first-timer, Kota attributed his personal growth for spelling. to the competition, on and off the stage.