Local that Works is an annual contest that spotlights innovative and replicable content, engagement and revenue initiatives at public radio and TV stations, and nonprofit news organizations in the U.S.
Explore the curated LTW database of 350+ projects. Entries from the 2020 contest will be added to this database this fall.
Tips on using the database: If viewing this on a computer, all projects are listed in the left column. Click on a project name and its longer profile will appear in the right column. If viewing on mobile, clicking on a project name will load the full listing on your screen.
You can filter your results by selecting a tag or multiple tags in the categories drop down menu and clicking on search. IMPORTANT: If you want to change, broaden or narrow the results, make sure to uncheck categories for subsequent searches.
To see previous Local that Works contest winners, finalists and semi-finalists, click on green, purple or orange tags and our judges’ favorite projects will show up in the left column.
Get inspired!
55 results found.
Podcasting 101 / Queen City PodQuest Academy
WFAE 90.7 FM (Charlotte's NPR News Source)As part of its newly-formed Queen City PodQuest Academy program, WFAE offered free “Podcasting 101” classes. Over the course of 10 weeks, students gained an understanding of the fundamentals of podcasting, production skills and marketing tips, and walked away with a resource list for the future. Of the 500 people who attended the classes, 30 went on to attend the Queen City PodQuest Academy for in-depth training and lessons. WFAE believes in the power of podcasting to amplify diverse voices, remove barriers to storytelling, and to build and connect communities. We want to help Charlotte area residents tap into the power of podcasting to tell their own unique stories.
Resettled
VPMResettled is a six-part podcast series that explores the complex resettlement process through the perspectives of refugees. The podcast team included two former journalists from Afghanistan and a poet and social entrepreneur from Iraq who had experienced resettlement themselves and offered valuable insight. Working with local nonprofits, VPM held a series of storytelling workshops in the community, and recorded at booths during international festivals around the state.
Uncuffed
KALWUncuffed is a podcast and radio series made by people incarcerated in California prisons. KALW producers teach them how to record and edit powerful audio stories about life on the inside. Uncuffed seeks to create emotional, human stories to shift the narrative around incarcerated people and change the criminal justice system.
Interactive local government reporting
KUERKUER’s Interactive Local Government Reporting is a multimedia initiative that makes it easy for our audience to find specific answers to questions about their elected leaders, public policies and laws, with the goal that community members feel empowered to participate in the democratic process and vote.
NH Primary 2020
New Hampshire Public Radio - WEVOIn covering the 2020 New Hampshire Primary, New Hampshire Public Radio set out to interrogate every assumption about ithe primary process and our own political journalism Through questions and suggestions, the public set our reporting agenda .As a result, NHPR built new muscle that later made our coverage of COVID-19 pandemic indispensable for our state.
You Know The Place
KBSX - Boise State Public RadioSmall businesses are major drivers of our economy and show higher rates of ownership by women and minorities than their large corporate counterparts. You Know The Place is a podcast that explores the stories and people behind these corner stores, local manufacturers, bodegas, and social clubs in our area and takes a closer look at what they bring to our communities.
¿Qué Pasa, Midwest?
WNIN¿Qué Pasa, Midwest? is a bilingual podcast that tells the stories of Latinx in the Midwest. Funded with support from CPB, the podcast facilitates difficult conversations and explores policy issues, such as immigration and the U.S. Census. WNIN reaches out to educational institutions to host listening parties share these stories with students. ¿Qué Pasa, Midwest?
A Parent’s Guide to Public Schools (2019 Finalist)
Voice of San DiegoA Parent’s Guide to Public Schools is a free “consumer report” tool, distributed to 50,000 families to aid parents in making decisions about their childrens’ education. The Guide, produced in English and Spanish, provides an overview of every local public school’s performance in easy-to-read charts, with answers to basic questions about public school options. VOSD works UC San Diego to analyze the school performance data and with the San Diego Workforce Partnership to cover topics like vocational training. Read Current’s coverage of this project.
Amplifier
WFAE 90.7 FM (Charlotte's NPR News Source)Amplifier is a podcast that shines a light on Charlotte’s local music scene. More than 500 musicians have submitted their songs and shared their experiences. Amplifier launched with 20 episodes in 20 days, and is now a biweekly podcast featuring award-winning jazz singers to emerging pop acts, DIY venue owners to established record producers and beyond. Amplifier was named Charlotte Magazine’s “Best Podcast”, and received a Webby Award for innovation in music/arts podcasting.
Podcasting 101 / Queen City PodQuest Academy
jdeutsch@wfae.org
https://www.wfae.org/queencitypodquest
As a result of the overwhelming interest WFAE received during the 2019 Queen City PodQuest, we were excited to expand podcasting opportunities for the Charlotte area community with the newly-formed Queen City PodQuest Academy.
For those who wanted to turn their ideas into a podcast but weren’t sure where to start, WFAE offered free “Podcasting 101″ classes as part of its newly-formed Queen City PodQuest Academy program. Over the course of 10 weeks (one class per week, all with the same presentation/class materials), ‘Podcasting 101” students gained:
– An understanding of the fundamentals of podcasting
– Tips on how to record, produce, and upload a podcast
– Ideas on how to market the podcast and connect with listeners
– A resource list (with tips, tricks and how-to’s) to help continue podcasting
Approximately 500 students were able to attend our “Podcasting 101” classes, and the students ranged in age (high school to retirees), race/ethnicity, location, and experience. Out of those, 30 of the students then proceeded to the Queen City PodQuest Academy for in-depth lessons on podcast production, marketing, monetization and beyond. Throughout the eight-week PodQuest Academy, students were able to connect with skilled audio professionals, network with local podcasters, and receive expert training to bring their podcast ideas to life.
As a result of the program, some students have reached out to say that their podcast was now being produced (or even released. Through our post-event surveys, we saw the impact of offering this program during quarantine; one of the students shared his gratitude for being inspired to reinvest his time during quarantine to pursue podcasting and to finally be able to share his story.