The Our Town documentary series is an ambitious local programming project for WOUB and has been a major success beyond the airing of the documentaries on WOUB television. Our Town has served as a liaison with rural communities within the station’s large regional coverage area. The series was created as a way for WOUB to connect with the communities we serve in a yearlong project. Our Town showcases each town, its history and heritage and provides a vehicle for education, tourism and entertainment. The Our Town project not only involves the community and promotes interaction with the station, it also serves as a collaborative project amongst station staff and volunteers. In addition to providing community outreach, the project generates revenue with corporate underwriting sponsorships, and it provides incentive for pledge donations and future revenue from selling copies of the DVD after the pledge period.
The Our Town documentaries dig deep into the roots and heritage of the town’s founders and tell the story of each community’s resources, culture, economic development and uniqueness. The films are meant to tell the untold stories and uncover little-known facts about its growth and colorful characters who have added something special or important.
How we did it:
WOUB has a small production staff with limited resources, and the project was produced by our electric media editor/videographer, radio announcer, audio engineer and several local musicians. Evan Shaw conducted the research and interviews, wrote the script and shot and edited the film. He sought the help from historical societies, libraries, authors and local historians. The project also involves collaborating with local officials, chamber of commerce and museums. Virtually every aspect of the local community is involved including local newspaper, magazines, radio stations, public schools and the city mayor. Along with community involvement, the project is a collaborative effort with the WOUB staff including the graphics, membership, corporate support, radio and digital departments. WOUB graphic designer creates the logo, DVD cover, screening invitation and program. Announcements advertising the free screening are aired on WOUB Radio. A special “Our Town” webpage is created to host a film trailer sneak peek plus information about the screening and sponsors. The station receives free publicity about the project in local newspapers and local magazines, prior to the screening and reviews after the screening. Corporate sponsorship packages are priced from $500 to $5,000.