The LNI is leveraging public radio skills, talent and resources via the creation of multi-state, regional collaborations called Hubs. These can be organized around a high priority editorial beat, shared regional/geographic concerns, or training and professional development that offers strong regional and national impact. More than 30 proposals were sent in response to the LNI's first "Call for Hubs Proposals." Projects selected for piloting are currently in various stages of development.
Northeast Environmental Reporting Hub: FULLY OPERATIONAL
Based at WNPR in Hartford, CT, and supported by major local funding, this multi-state northeast environmental bureau is giving reporters from New York and the six New England states the opportunity to produce "connect-the-dots" environmental coverage. Working with Managing Editor Nancy Cohen, reporters for this innovative Hub are now designing, producing, editing and sharing stories on compelling and timely issues affecting their communities and their region.
Original Narrative for this Hub >
Recent Stories from this Hub >
Southern Region Editing/Reporting Pilot Project: COMPLETE
This project has brought southern stations together to pilot methods for training and supporting reporters throughout the region. Former NPR editor and producer Dale Willman is the project’s editor/mentor. Willman is working one-on-one with a small group of stations chosen to represent a range of location, market and newsroom size. News Directors at higher capacity southern stations are also volunteering to provide mentoring support to smaller, less resourced newsrooms. The project kicked off with a region-wide "Train the Editor" workshop. Periodic assessment of the news being produced is being done to gauge mentoring impact and effectiveness. A final "lessons learned" workshop will share results and explore options for future collaboration. The project's major station partners are WBHM Birmingham, WKNO Memphis and Georgia Public Broadcasting. More> Southern Region Mentoring Impact/Effectiveness
Original Narrative for this Hub >
Stations Join Southern Region Pilot >
Press Release: Dale Willman hired >
Southern Region Mentoring Impact/Effectiveness >
Final Report: Southern Hub Project >
Regional Plan for the Future >
KNAU Pilot Project: NPR Producer Residency Pilot Program: COMPLETE
This award-winning project was piloted at KNAU in Flagstaff, AZ. The goal was to create a model for an ongoing NPR residency that will encourage and support station production of special, in-depth local coverage. The topic selected for the pilot was “Poverty with a View”, a phrase Flagstaff residents use to describe life in their environmentally attractive but economically challenging intermountain west community. All of the steps involved in the project were fully documented to identify the scope of work, gauge the feasibility of future NPR residencies, and serve as a blueprint for other stations to develop in-depth coverage about and for their communities. Like the NE Environmental Hub, this project was made possible with strong support from a local funder.
Original Narrative for this Pilot >
Poverty with a View >
KNAU Final Report >
Statehouse Reporting Hub Planning Project: COMPLETE
This project explored how to support the work of public radio statehouse reporters around the country. Stations devote considerable airtime to coverage of state and local government, giving the strengthening of this critical beat the potential for high listener impact. To gather information and ideas, WITF in Harrisburg, PA designed and conducted national surveys of reporters, editors and station leaders. The results shaped the agenda for in-person meetings that produced a range of tools and strategies to strengthen editorial capacity, research support and connectivity.
WITF/NPR LNI Statehouse Hub Report (January 30, 2008) >
California Hub Planning Grant: PLAN SUBMITTED/FUNDING SUPPORT PENDING
With support from The California Endowment, the LNI developed a plan for creation of a training/production support Hub in California. In collaboration with California stations and representatives from journalism schools at UC/Berkeley, USC/Annenberg and Mills College, the LNI proposed a new Public Radio Fellowship Program and California Regional Editor System to provide editorial support, training and increased station-to-station communication and coordination.
More >
Minnesota Public Radio Print to Radio Training: FUNDING SUPPORT/PENDING
This project will bring seasoned talent to public radio through an innovative new print-to-radio training workshop. The training will help public radio stations engage the in-depth beat expertise of veteran reporters, and diversify the voices and issues heard on their stations by creating partnerships with ethnic newspapers in their communities. The workshop is seen as a way to encourage and support public radio's efforts to expand local reporting capacity and tap a talent pool that is both deep and increasingly available. MPR's expertise, facilities and Midwest geographic location make it an ideal candidate to serve as a national training center for public radio.
Original Narrative for this Hub >
Northwest Regional Latino Affairs News Project: FUNDING SUPPORT/PENDING
This project will add bilingual reporting and strengthened editorial capacity to the three-state Northwest Public Affairs Network (NPAN), public radio’s most well-established Hub. The project will also provide training support to the network's five regional correspondents as they cover the impact education, employment, labor, and immigration laws have on both an underserved Latino community and the region as a whole. NPAN is governed and supported by stations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and is a model for how large urban stations and smaller rural stations can benefit by crafting equitable cost-sharing arrangements to finance regional spot news and feature reporting.
Original Narrative for this Hub >
