Community Radio to Community Media:

The Big Picture

If we do not change our direction,we’ll likely end up where we’re headed.

Photo by Ian Britton, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Where is your station headed?

Photo by Wesley Fryer, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.

Setting the stage…

1. Stuff you already know.2. Reagan (and a promise).3. An opportunity.

Stuff you already know

The World is Changing1. Demographics2. Collaboration3. Technology

Changing DemographicsPew:

Blacks and Latinos are more likely to own a mobile phone than whites.

Minority internet users more likely to use digital technologies to keep up with what’s happening in their neighborhoods.

Twitter use on cell phone:• White (non-Hispanic):

7% • Black (non-Hispanic):

17%• Hispanic: 12%

Trend toward Collaboration

Photo by Andrea Wiggins, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Technology

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Promise: the future will not look like the present or the past.

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Reagan

Are you better off than you were four years ago?

Photo by Edalisse Hirst, available under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Setting the stage…

1. Stuff you already know: The World is changing.

2. Reagan: Are you better off than four years ago?

Promise: The future will be different from the past and present.

3. An opportunity: How will you respond?

OpportunityIncrease…

your relevanceand local value

Engage your community.

Connected.MediaEngage.org

Establish common understanding:

What do we mean by…• Engagement• Outreach• Promotion

Outreach

or

Engagement

Community engagement means

working collaborativelyto discover, understand

and addresscommunity needs and

aspirations.

Outreach

or

Engagement

Broadcast and outreach are one-way.

Engagement is two-way.

Engagement taps into networked relationships.

Communities are networked conversations.

Relationships Matter

Photo by Edalisse Hirst, available under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Engagement = understanding community needs and aspirations.

= cultivating authentic relationships with citizens, civic leaders, potential donors.

= authentic relationships built on trust, shared experiences and mutual goals.

Outreach Engagement

• Extension of an organization’s core service (value-added)

• One to many

• Talking to people

• Approaches audience with answers

• Integrated with an organization’s culture, strategy and practices

• Builds a pathway for dialogue

• Listening to people

• Works with the community to identify solutions.

If the focus is on you, your station or what you

do, it’s probably promotion.

(and that’s important, too)

Engaging requiresa completely different

orientation from broadcastingor outreach or promotion.

ANDEngaging informs

all of those activities.

“If you’re truly listening to the community, you’ll learn something you didn’t expect, and you’ll have to rethink your position or approach.”- Mikel Ellcessor, WDET, Detroit

Discuss

Cultivate an Engagement Ethos

Deeply engaged organizations have community interactions

that are authentic, meaningful and responsive to community needs

Turn outward toward your community

Focus on possibilities not problems

Listen actively to seek insight from the diverse voices in your community

Understand your strengths and apply them strategically to address what you learn through listening

Constantly cultivate and sustain relationships in every level of the community

Work closely with others

to develop shared goals

Create shared value for the community

Discuss

To Do List:

1. LISTEN to your community.2. Focus on community outcomes.3. Reflect on & answer three questions:

1. Role: What is our role in this community?

2. Relevance: How is our role relevant to this community today? In 3 years? 5?

3. Return: Will our role be relevant enough to generate a return that sustains it?

What made you successful in the past is not what will make you successful in the future.

Photo by d.billy, available under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Engaged

=

Relevant

=

Sustainable

Thank You.

MediaEngage.org