Local Content & Services Report
1. Describe your overall goals and approach to address identified community issues, needs, and interests through your station’s vital local services, such as multiplatform long and short-form content, digital and in-person engagement, education services, community information, partnership support, and other activities, and audiences you reached or new audiences you engaged.
KNBA's goal is to provide an active and engaging platform where Alaska Native voices and community interests are shared. The locally produced KNBA Morning Show hosts specific live interview segments for the purpose to promote public services, events and personalities prioritized towards our goals and mission. The live interview segments are also posted onto our website for community access and promotion. KNBA’s annual 3 -day production of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention includes topics focused on social structures, Health and Education, Traditions and Arts. We also offer statewide distribution of our produced Native language modules to serve non-English-speaking listeners. We reach out to stations around the state to assist their needs with engaging programming for a Native Audience.
2. Describe key initiatives and the variety of partners with whom you collaborated, including other public media outlets, community nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions, the business community, teachers and parents, etc. This will illustrate the many ways you’re connected across the community and engaged with other important organizations in the area.
KNBA's goal to be Alaska's Native Voice can be most recognized with our partnerships and collaborations with other media outlets. Our News department’s contributions to the Alaska Public Radio Network have positioned KNBA News as the statewide go to 'News desk' for Native affairs. KNBA engages with local non-profits who also have goals to serve Alaska Native communities. These partnerships assist promotion of services and community outreach. KNBA’s active use of live interviews informs our audience about community activity, services, culture and music... the local non-profits, educational institutions and Artists reach out to KNBA to make connections with the community they most desire. KNBA has a continuing partnership with the Alaska Teen Media Institute providing air time for a once a month, one-hour Teen produced public affairs program. We are the only station in the market with a commitment to provide a regular outlet for long-form, youth produced programming in our community.
3. What impact did your key initiatives and partnerships have in your community? Describe any known measurable impact, such as increased awareness, learning or understanding about particular issues. Describe indicators of success, such as connecting people to needed resources or strengthening conversational ties across diverse neighborhoods. Did a partner see an increase in requests for related resources? Please include direct feedback from a partner(s) or from a person(s) served.
We see an impact on the community through our broadcast of the Alaska Federation of Natives convention. The audience feedback indicates a strong emotional connection and pride as a ‘measurable’ result.
4. Please describe any efforts (e.g. programming, production, engagement activities) you have made to investigate and/or meet the needs of minority and other diverse audiences (including, but not limited to, new immigrants, people for whom English is a second language and illiterate adults) during Fiscal Year 2013, and any plans you have made to meet the needs of these audiences during Fiscal Year 2014. If you regularly broadcast in a language other than English, please note the language broadcast.
KNBA Newscasts, special News series, annual live broadcasts, and regular programming on our weekly schedule all support our efforts to have a minority audience aware that the airwaves include their voices, interests and agendas. In 2015 we plan to continue producing short form features and modules that spotlight Alaska Native artists and culture bearers. Also in 2015 we will begin to feature locally produced music programming hours during our mid-day schedule which will be voice-tracked in several different Alaska Native languages. This will be done through a partnership with Native language classes either at the Alaska Native Heritage Center of the University of Alaska system.
5. Please assess the impact that your CPB funding had on your ability to serve your community. What were you able to do with your grant that you wouldn't be able to do if you didn't receive it?
Being a station with a program schedule where the majority of hours are locally produced is extremely important. We prefer to prioritize our funding towards staffing and operations that can open as many doors as possible for local voices. The impact is that we are able to retain and attract producers with the voices and talents unique to our goals and mission. The funding impacts KNBA’s ability to produce and air programs focused on local interests. We don't need to create a broadcast schedule with the sole purpose of market ranking or audience size.