America Amplified has intensified its efforts to support public media stations nationwide in preparation for the 2024 general election. The program, hosted by WFYI in Indianapolis, is supported by a $1.5 million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
This initiative seeks to enhance public media newsrooms’ engagement by offering tools, training, and strategic planning time to better serve both new and existing audiences. Around 50 other public radio and television newsrooms were selected, representing almost every state in the country.
In the 2022 midterm elections, America Amplified’s inaugural collaboration with 30 stations gathered and answered election-related questions across various platforms.
With the help of the newly developed Election Information Portal and Hearken’s online engagement tools, America Amplified stations aim to address voters’ questions about voting and the elections nationwide. A customized engagement tracker allows stations to monitor and refine their outreach efforts to better serve their communities.
America Amplified is among numerous voter education programs across radio, including the NAB’s nonpartisan coalition for Hispanic broadcasters to boost Latino voter turnout for the 2024 elections.
South Carolina Public Radio Director Sean Birch said, “Our participation in America Amplified Election 2024 reflects our commitment to serving the communities across South Carolina. Our goal is to provide transparent and factual coverage of the election on national, state, and local levels, with a focus on how it impacts South Carolinians. We believe in putting people, not preconceived ideas, at the center of our reporting process.”
VPM News managing editor Dawnthea Price Lisco added, “VPM News is already well-versed in using Hearken for engagement-driven journalism in our Curious Commonwealth series. Now with America Amplified, we have access to knowledge and resources that can only enhance our 2024 elections coverage for Virginia’s public media lovers — as well as reach and engage new audiences.”
