KUOW Seattle Increasing Local News Coverage

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Seattle NPR station KUOW is relaunching Morning Edition and All Things Considered with new voices and a new structure designed to bring listeners more local coverage, in-depth interviews, and reports based on listener questions. As of Tuesday, KUOW’s Kim Malcolm takes the helm as the afternoon news host during All Things Considered. On August 13, KUOW welcomes journalist Angela King as the local news host for Morning Edition.

“At a time when local news rooms across our country are shrinking staff and reducing coverage, we are investing in our local content and programming teams to continue to earn the trust of our loyal audience,” said Jennifer Strachan, KUOW Chief Content Officer. During the past 24 months, KUOW has added five new positions to its content teams.

In addition to the investments in programming, KUOW is launching its first-ever brand awareness campaign to bring attention to the role public radio plays in the community. The campaign—which centers on the theme “It starts with listening”—celebrates listener curiosity and features questions listeners have sent KUOW, along with the stories KUOW produced in response. Examples include, “Is Washington’s Vote by Mail System Safe from Vladimir Putin?” and “Is Seattle’s Approach to Affordable Housing Working?”

As the nine-week campaign goes out into the community with billboards, bus and ferry ads, and digital ads, KUOW is simultaneously bringing the spirit of “It starts with listening” via the following initiatives:

—  SoundQs: KUOW’s series of stories that start with listener questions
As part of the campaign, KUOW is inviting the public to submit their questions and story ideas. What topics matter most to the community? What do you want KUOW journalists to dig into as midterm elections approach? What do you want KUOW to investigate? KUOW invites the public to submit questions online (soundQs.kuow.org), via social media (#SoundQs), via email ([email protected]), and via postcards handed out at community events.

—  Redesign of KUOW.org website to enhance digital storytelling
During the past two years, the number of unique visitors to KUOW.org has increased more than 30 percent. To enhance digital reporting capabilities, KUOW is investing in a complete redesign of the KUOW.org website. The new site, launching later this month, will elevate the listener and reader experience through stronger visual storytelling and a more personalized experience.

—  Week In Review LIVE at the Neptune Theater on Thursday, September 13
Community events present an opportunity for KUOW to interact directly with listeners and involve them in the creation of KUOW programming. This summer, KUOW has been taking its popular Friday program Week In Review, hosted by Bill Radke, on the road, recording in front of sold-out crowds on Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, and Bothell. KUOW has announced two more Week In Review Live shows—August 16 in Renton at the Carco Theater and September 13 in Seattle at the Neptune Theater.

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