2016
ANNUAL
LOCAL CONTENT
& SERVICE REPORT
TO OUR COMMUNITY
WKU | PBS | NPR
MISSION LOCAL VALUE LOCAL IMPACT
To enrich our communities by providing WKU PUBLIC BROADCASTING WKU PBS’ local services
distinctive programming and services SERVES CRITICAL ROLES have a lasting impact —
of the highest quality that enhance IN KENTUCKY GLASGOW-BARREN COUNTY
lives, expand perspectives, and CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
connect us to one another. As the only university joint licensee
(WKU PBS & WKU Public Radio) in We collaborated with the Chamber
MISSION SERVICE Kentucky, we proudly serve through Education Committee to support
our television broadcast signal, regional economic development efforts
At the core of our mission is commu- radio broadcast signals, satellite by highlighting local educational
nity service. This past year provided transmissions, and digital content. opportunities. Content from this project
no exception to our outreach. Partner- Our base of operations is in the heart demonstrates how we responded to
ships with the Kelly Autism Program and of WKU’s campus in Bowling Green. the industrial recruitment needs of a
Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Com- changing workforce.
plex were designed to promote autism On the television side we offer three
awareness and provide available service services: WKU PBS 24.1 , WKYU Create 2016 KEY SERVICES
messaging throughout our region. 24.2, WKYU-Wx (live weather radar) 24.3.
These offerings provide a continuous WKU|PBS|NPR
Documentaries drawing attention to source of trusted content consisting
adoption needs and historical signifi- of quality news, educational content, Arts & Culture:
cance of our ‘local’ national park also information, and entertainment. Lost River Sessions
presented valuable information to our
population. These programs are also Our radio services include: WKYU-FM Through an adaptive partnership,
being distributed nationally to showcase 88.9 Bowling Green, WDCL-FM 89.7 Lost River Sessions music series has
Kentucky. Somerset (and translator station expanded across all brands. We now
W277AA-FM, 103.3 Somerset) WKPB-FM offer Lost River Sessions as a television
We revisited the achievements of 89.5 Henderson/Owensboro, WKUE-FM program, radio program, a LIVE radio
Jackie Robinson through an active 90.9 Elizabethtown. program, a digital content series, and a
partnership with our local Tampa Bay LIVE concert series.
minor league team, the Bowling Green WKU Classical, a dedicated classical
Hot Rods. Through this program we music service, was launched in April This growth has served as an economic
actively distributed hundreds of copies 2016. The station can be heard in the enhancement engine for our area and
of the children’s book “Who Was Jackie Bowling Green-Warren County area has provided a valuable growth venue
Robinson?” at the ballpark and after- on 97.5 FM and 88.9 HD-2 and features for musicians, music fans, and South-
school programs. shows such as Performance Today, Central Kentucky area tourism.
Sunday Baroque, Exploring Music, and
We had a groundbreaking partner- Concierto. WKU|PBS
ship with the Warren Regional Juvenile
Detention Center to provide an immer- We have an active digital presence as For the past several years we have
sive workforce development opportunity well: WKU Public Radio Apps, Facebook, broadcast around 150 hours of original
for residents in that program. A copy of Twitter, YouTube and Instagram-WKU content over-the-air. This year is no
this educational development program PBS, WKU Public Radio, Lost River exception. Added value is achieved
is now being proposed in Fresno, Califor- Sessions, HSSN, and Barren River through our non-broadcast services
nia through Valley PBS. Breakdown. including satellite and web-streaming
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PUBLIC BROADCASTING
which provide another 400+ hours WKU Public Radio had extensive cover- Ohio Valley ReSource
annually. These resources are not age of the 2016 elections. We spoke to
limited to our coverage area and voters about the issues most important Through a new partnership launched
frequently send information impacting to them during the Republican caucus in 2016, The Ohio Valley ReSource,
our region throughout the country. and Democratic primary and the general WKU Public Radio brought our listen-
election involving both the presiden- ers news stories and insight from
We continue to provide a national tial race and the Kentucky Senate race. Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.
outlet for showcasing Kentucky and Our state capitol reporter in Frankfort, The reporting included stories on the
our region through digital content Ryland Barton, detailed state races. Our plight of coal miners struggling with
distribution of programming and local newsroom fanned out across our high unemployment rates and persis-
satellite uplinks of local college listening area to cover key legislative tent issues with black lung disease;
athletics. We work to provide relevant races. how immigrant business owners are
content to both public and private faring; how communities are dealing
broadcast networks. Immigration with an ongoing opioid addiction cri-
sis. The OVR also produced stories on
We showcase WKU Athletic programs WKU Public Radio produced news stories how trade deals affect the regional
on a national stage through our in 2016 that involved Bowling Green’s economy.
ongoing affiliation with C-USA and Fox large immigrant community. These
College Sports. Our productions reach included two organizations that gath-
over 40 million cable homes. Online ered winter coats for immigrants who
content distribution is only globally may never have experienced winter and
limited to those with access. arrived in the U.S. with very little in the
Recently, we have been able to way of clothing. Stories also dealt with
distribute more local content on how immigrants are being accepted into
a national basis. Several of our American society. Reporter Lisa Autry
productions are now nationally spoke with a Syrian refugee family hop-
distributed to stations across the ing to reassure Americans that accepting
country. All of our recent documentary more refugees from their home country
productions, sports productions, and was safe.
music productions are accessible
through national distribution channels. Veteran’s Issues
WKU|NPR With two army posts in our coverage
area, WKU Public Radio remained com-
Election Coverage mitted to covering veteran’s issues.
Stories in 2016 included a story about
how veterans are dealing with Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder by attending
dance classes and a WKU program that
aims to put military veterans in college
classrooms. We continued to follow the
progress of a new veteran’s center set to
open soon in Radcliff, Kentucky.
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WKU | PBS | NPR
A WKU-PBS documentary examining the creation
of Mammoth Cave National Park and the unique bonds between the
communities lost and the place they called home.
LOCAL TIES TO NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM CENTENNIAL
Mammoth Cave: A Place Called Home is the poign- Called Home is the story of all public lands – they
ant story of people moved from their homes and belonged to someone else before they belonged to
communities to make way for the creation of the American people. We need to remember that
Mammoth Cave National Park. “In this year of the and appreciate it. It is a sad story, but it has a
NPS Centennial, we wanted to work with WKU PBS happy ending. National parks like Mammoth Cave
to tell the story of how Mammoth Cave National are fascinating places that are preserved and pro-
Park came to be,” said Sarah Craighead, the tected to be discovered and rediscovered by gen-
park’s superintendent. “Mammoth Cave: A Place eration after generation.”
Special thanks to our supporters:
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PUBLIC BROADCASTING
Interviews with pre-park residents and their families
along with archived interviews with former park rangers
tell the tale of loss and restoration that come together in
this powerful documentary.
“This documentary was a year in the making, but it was
generations in the telling, and we appreciate all of the
stories that we were able to share with the creation of
this documentary,” said Cheryl Beckley, producer of
Mammoth Cave: A Place Called Home.
the world’s longest
known cave system,
with more than
400 miles explored.
KENTUCKY ADOPTION & FOSTER CARE NEEDS 5
Fostering an Unconditional Love is
a documentary focused on foster
care and adoption.
Hosted by Wendy Thomas (of
Wendy’s Restaurant fame) from
the Dave Thomas Foundation for
Adoption, the program highlights
the thousands of children in
Kentucky and elsewhere who are
in the foster care system, removed
from their birth parents for abuse
or neglect.
The project examines the plight
of children who do not get adopted before they turn 18 years old. Many will age out of the
system without a family or place to call home. The documentary encourages viewers to
consider becoming foster and/or adoptive parents.
WKU | PBS | NPR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
“It was a great experience
being able to participate in a WKU PBS installed a television studio and set inside the Juvenile
program with the Warren Regional Detention Facility in Warren County as a pilot project to provide
Juvenile Detention Center workforce development training and educational augmentation
to the residents. During that time period, residents were given a
to help young residents combination of classroom and hands-on instruction with television
develop skills that they equipment.
can use in the work place,”
— Congressman Brett Guthrie — The lessons were designed to echo STEM curriculum requirements
and focused primarily on technology, team-building, and math.
Each participating resident was given 30 hours of instruction over
the course of the two-week period. Professional and student staff
from WKU PBS and Warren Regional Juvenile Detention Center
(WRJDC) educators provided the training.
“When we talk about targeting at-risk populations and making a
difference, we had an opportunity to specifically reach out to a
group that remains largely ignored except through the efforts
of the court system,” said David Brinkley, director of WKU Public
WKU PBS provides
invaluable experience
to youth
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PUBLIC BROADCASTING
Broadcasting. “We wanted to plant seeds in young minds
to help them see the possibilities of engagement and
teamwork. This was a tremendous growth opportunity
for all involved. We greatly appreciate the faith that
the Department of Juvenile Justice placed in us by
understanding the potential high value of this experience.”
One of the WKU students involved, Bowling Green senior
Jordan Upton said, “we were able to interact with the
residents on a professional level and also on a personal
level. Not one of us left unchanged. This project made a
difference, and everyone there knew it.”
At the end of the instructional periods, the residents of the confidence over the course of their training. On show day, I had
facility produced two episodes of the long-running public the unique vantage point of seeing the faces behind the cameras,
affairs program, Outlook with Barbara Deeb. The guests and watched with pride as these young people were empowered
included U.S. Representative Brett Guthrie and Kentucky to make a television program.”
Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary John Tilley.
“Working with WKU PBS to me meant a chance for a better future,”
“It was a great experience being able to participate in a one juvenile resident said. “It meant that there are people out
program with the Warren Regional Juvenile Detention there who don’t know us, but believe we have a greater potential
Center to help young residents develop skills that they can than being here. It meant that people out there want to help us
use in the work place,” Congressman Guthrie said. reach success and have the means to help.”
“I admire the dedication and hard work of all of the staff
who have put together a successful program in providing
workforce development for these young residents.”
Secretary Tilley added, “WKU PBS has provided an
invaluable experience to the youth at Warren Regional. Not
only were the kids incredibly engaged, they showed a high
degree of professionalism and learned important lessons
about the value of hard work and dedication. I applaud
everyone who contributed to this effort.”
Outlook host Barbara Deeb said she “witnessed a palpable
transformation as I watched the WRJDC residents grow in
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WKU | PBS | NPR
WKU PBS IN THE COMMUNITY
— MAKING A DIFFERENCE —
2016
WKU PBS KidsGO!
Young Writers & Illustrators Contest
For the 15th year, WKU PBS hosted the PBS Kids-
Go! Young Writers and Illustrators Contest (for-
merly the Reading Rainbow Contest). Over 200
Kindergarten through third-graders wrote and
illustrated their original stories for submission
in the local/national contest. WKU Public Televi-
sion partners included the Warren County Public
Library, Barnes & Noble, and the Southern Ken-
tucky Book Fest. Pre-contest writer’s workshops
were held at the local Barnes & Noble Booksell-
ers. The library and other partners provide pro-
motion and judges for the contest.
OUTSIDE THE BOOK
As part of a collaborative mission initiative,
WKU Public Television partners each spring
with organizers of the Southern Kentucky Book
Fest to host a series of on-location interviews
with nationally significant and regional authors.
The programs provide a significant community
outreach and have fostered a true collaboration
between literacy advocates and the mission of
public broadcasting.
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PUBLIC BROADCASTING
WKU PBS POOL PARTY
The WKU PBS Pool Party marked its 16th year in 2016. This event has the same mission
every year: Bring families together. Each year at the Russell Sims Aquatic Center,
families enjoy drawings for pool toys every 15 minutes, puppet shows by Kids on the
Block, appearances by various PBS characters, and of course, the water park’s facilities.
The first 300 children in the park received goodie bags that included a beach ball,
pencils, erasers, candy, coloring sheets, and other small toys. This is coordinated as
an opportunity for children and families to spend one last outdoor weekend together
before the school year begins.
WKU STUDENT IMPACT
Presently, we employee 26 WKU students from
various majors and backgrounds and provide them a
much needed source of practical experience through
participation in every level of our operations. In
addition to paid employment, facility access for
learning and practice is provided. As a benefit of
employment we provide online access to 8,500
courses in business, software, technology, and the
creative arts. We are proud to focus resources on
creating the next generation of responsible media
managers.
ADOPTATHON
Each year WKU PBS partners with the Bowling Green/
Warren County Humane Society as a media spon-
sor. The goal is to provide a training opportunity to
WKU students while also helping find forever homes
for pets. WKU School of Journalism and Broadcasting
students work with several local media outlets to pro-
duce content designed to enhance the adoption event.
This event serves our region and helps our students
gain valuable skills in real-time problem solving.
2016 ENGAGEMENTS
Lost River Sessions LIVE! (monthly live concert series); Engagement Events at SKyPAC: Celtic Woman, Mannheim Steamroller;
SOKY Bookfest & Children’s Day activities; Mammoth Cave: A Place Called Home - Community Screenings (Cave City, Edmonson
County, Bowling Green); Lost River Sessions presented the Kentucky Acoustic Music Festival; Jarl Mohn, President of National
Public Radio, address to Bowling Green Area Chamber Breakfast; WKU NPR at The SOKY Marketplace; WKU PBS 16th Annual Pool
Party; Summit Awards – Volunteer Recognition for TV & Radio; Hot Rods Baseball and PBS Kids!: Jackie Robinson Day; PBS Sundays
at the Ballpark (11 total events – Curious George and SuperWhy! Characters); Halloween Festival at Hot Rods.
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WKU | PBS | NPR
+ +CULTURE ARTS
+INTERESTING PEOPLE
=K EN T UCK Y
M A I N S T R E E T.
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PUBLIC BROADCASTING
MainStreet WKU PBS ENRICHES LIVES
Our Emmy Award winning series MainStreet has just
completed 27 continuous years of storytelling. This
program has been a cornerstone of information and
education about the unique attractions, businesses, and
people of the Commonwealth. This year, the producers
have covered the Commonwealth for stories about the
beauty and creativity of the people of Kentucky while
discovering how the history and nature of our state make
us unique. Program segments have also been shared,
through a cooperative agreement with Kentucky Farm
Bureau’s “Bluegrass and Backroads” which is distributed
nationally and internationally.
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WKU | PBS | NPR
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PUBLIC BROADCASTING
LOST RIVER SESSIONS
Our most recent multiple Emmy award winning addition to the family, Lost River Sessions, features
regional musical artists in local arts venues performing live to small audiences. This is an ongoing
effort featuring the finest Americana, Folk, and Bluegrass music in Kentucky! It was a tremendous
honor for us to win Emmy awards in the first and second seasons of production. This series is being
distributed nationally to showcase our region to the rest of the nation.
MULTIPLE EMMY AWARD WINNING SERIES
DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY
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WKU | PBS | NPR
COOKING 80/20
We are excited to begin another season of a nationally distributed program within the
studios of WKU PBS. Hosted by Robin Shea, this series is designed to help struggling
families live the 80/20 lifestyle. What is the 80/20 Lifestyle? Robin shares with us how
to make “clean” healthy lifestyle choices 80% of the time while always saving 20% for
your favorite guilt free indulgence.
WKU PUBLIC IMPACT THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS
BROADCASTING
IN THE REGION PUBLIC TELEVISION
370 hrs - LOCALLY BROADCAST ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING
192 hrs - LOCALLY BROADCAST MUSIC, ARTS, & CULTURAL ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING
150 hrs - LOCALLY BROADCAST PUBLIC AFFAIRS, NEWS, & INFORMATIONAL
ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING
PUBLIC RADIO
198 hrs - original news and public affairs programming
212 hrs - locally curated music programming
70 hrs - performances and interviews related to arts & culture
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PUBLIC BROADCASTING
NPR President Jarl
Mohn addresses the
Bowling Green Area
Chamber Breakfast.
Kevin Willis of WKU-
NPR interviews Senator
Mitch McConnell.
15
WKU | PBS | NPR
from our Recognition of our WORK
region
WKU PBS ENJOYS TRIFECTA OF
to the rest of HONORS AT OHIO VALLEY EMMY AWARDS
the world
Darius Barati, a 2007 WKU graduate, was recognized for his work in the craft
16 category of lighting for Lost River Sessions. This was the second consecutive
award for work on Lost River Sessions with James Pearson receiving the honor
for audio last year. “It was a high honor to be recognized for our work with Lost
River Sessions, but it was even more so to be able to represent WKU and the
station, WKU PBS, where I received both my education and my first professional
experience as a student crew member several years ago,” Barati said. “It was
definitely a full circle moment for me.”
Barbara Deeb was recognized with a NATAS Ohio Valley Silver Circle Award. One
of the highest honors given by NATAS, the Ohio Valley Silver Circle recognizes
television professionals who have performed distinguished service within the
television industry for 25 years or more, a significant part of which was done
within the chapter’s region of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia.
Silver and Gold Circle members are honored for more than their longevity —
they are honored for making an enduring contribution to the vitality of the
television industry and for setting standards of achievement we can all hope to
emulate. These honorees also give back to the community as mentors, educa-
tors, and volunteers. There have only been 58 Silver or Gold Circle recipients in
the 52-year history of the Ohio Valley Chapter. Barbara Deeb is the first recipi-
ent from Bowling Green and is only the 10th recipient from Kentucky.
“I am honored and humbled by this recognition,” Deeb said. “When you do what
you love for nearly four decades, to receive an honor like this from my peers,
marks a pinnacle in my career. I am proud to work with the dedicated profes-
sionals at WKU PBS who are committed to furthering the mission of PBS.”
David Brinkley was installed as the president of the NATAS Ohio Valley Chapter.
He is the first chapter president from Bowling Green. “It is with a dedication
and service in mind that I have accepted the responsibilities associated with this
honor,” Brinkley said. “I am very proud to represent WKU and PBS in this role.
We have a great deal to accomplish over the next few years. I hope to be an
active part of it.”
Robbin Taylor, WKU’s vice president of Public Affairs, said: “The recognition of
Barbara Deeb’s service and contributions to the broadcasting profession by
NATAS, an Emmy for Darius Barati’s work on Lost River Sessions, and the elec-
tion of David Brinkley as president of the NATAS Ohio Valley chapter demon-
strate the high caliber, professional talent, and outstanding leadership of our
WKU PBS team. These three individuals are among the hardest working, most
creative, and dedicated professionals in the entire industry, and WKU is for-
tunate to have them. While we are certainly proud of their individual achieve-
ments, these honors reflect the excellence of the entire team at WKU PBS.”
WKU PBS has also provided student production assistance for a number PUBLIC BROADCASTING
of years to the chapter. This year, recent WKU graduate Karen Webb was Barbara Deeb
added to the production crew to enhance the production and lead the
student effort.
WKU PBS Student crew Left to right: Mark Toon, Jessica Gibbs, Darius Barati,
Barbara Deeb, James Pearson, and David Brinkley
WKU’s public Darius Barati
broadcasting service
has been nominated 17
in each of the past
13 years, receiving
the coveted award
19 times
THE OHIO VALLEY RESOURCE THE KENTUCKY
PUBLIC RADIO NETWORK
The Ohio Valley ReSource is a regional
journalism collaborative reporting on Through CPB and station support, KPRN, is
economic and social change in Kentucky, a consortium of public radio stations that
Ohio, and West Virginia. With support from share news content and resources.
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, In the past, the primary mission had been
seven public media outlets across the to share a statehouse reporter. In an
three states have partnered to form the expanded mission opportunity, stations
ReSource in order to strengthen news cov- have collaborated on content and facil-
erage of the area’s most important issues. ity interconnection, leading to a regular
newscast distributed across Kentucky,
The ReSource team of eight journalists coordinated engineering efforts, and an
uses radio, data, and video to craft stories advanced approach to development.
that promote understanding, empathy,
and engagement. We will tell the human PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
stories behind the region’s economy, MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS
energy, environment, food, health, and
infrastructure. Our work recognizes that We are continuing to explore enhanced
dramatic changes to the region’s traditional partnerships with regional public and pri-
economic base are intertwined with social vate media groups. Regional organizations
and cultural challenges. By analyzing including Indiana University public media,
these challenges and focusing on creative Southern Illinois University public televi-
responses, the ReSource aims to help sion, Louisville Public Media, WHAS-TV
communities rethink their use of resources (Louisville), WTVQ-TV (Lexington), WLEX-TV
in a shifting economy. (Lexington), WBKO-TV (Bowling Green), and
Kentucky Educational Television have all
benefited from readily available facilities
and equipment when needed to enhance
their content flow.
18
we are COMMIT ted Senator Rand Paul PUBLIC BROADCASTING
appears on CNN’s
TO qualit y JOURNALISM State of the Union 2016 • 2017
U.S. STUDENT TOP PRODUCER
and our community from WKU PBS
studios. 19
NATIONAL MEDIA DISTRIBUTION
Emil Moffatt,
We have enhanced production capabilities that make us a Radio Volunteer
regional content distribution hub for national networks. We Jane Barthelme,
have provided content and production services in the interest
of promoting Kentucky initiatives and individuals to several WKU President
national networks including: Fox News, Fox College Sports, Gary Ransdell.
ESPN, ABC News, CNN, CBS News, the Discovery Channel,
National Geographic, NBC Universal, and PBS. David Brinkley,
Television Volunteer
PARTNERSHIPS WITH AREA SCHOOLS
Vickie Carson,
Showcasing the achievements of students from the counties WKU President
in our coverage area has always been a priority to us. We will Gary Ransdell.
continue to offer enhanced production services to many area
schools proud of their student successes. Dozens of hours Haddy Badjie,
of Kentucky high school athletic events are enhanced by our Charles M. Anderson
production facilities as well as multiple graduation and award Public Broadcasting
ceremonies. Fellowship recipient.
VOLUNTEERS Ryan Vennell,
recipient of the
Our volunteers are an essential part in helping us maintain and 2015-2016 Fulbright
build community relationships and we are proud that they are
recognized for their outstanding contributions to us. Scholarship.
SCHOLARSHIP
Focus is placed on students achieving the highest levels
of success. The Charles M. Anderson Public Broadcasting
Fellowship gives an annual recipient the opportunity to apply
skills in the workforce. The 2016 recipient was Haddy Badjie
from The Gambia.
Fulbright Student
We are very proud to recognize our first Fulbright recipient,
Ryan Vennell, a former four year student employee of WKU PBS.
Ryan is studying for a master’s degree in filmmaking at Royal
Holloway, University of London. After several years working
in live sports production at WKU PBS and major television
networks, he is using this opportunity to transition to a career
producing and directing documentaries.
WKU PUBLIC BROADCASTING IN THE
PRESENT AND INTO THE FUTURE
As a public media organization, we are committed to
engaging and serving our audience, contributing to
our communities, and positively impacting life in our
Commonwealth by connecting people to each other
and to the world. We are here to help by serving our
communities and telling the stories that matter. Our
best work happens for you and because of you.
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11034 | Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101-1034 | 800.599.2424
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