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A Message from Our President

A Message from Our president

Dear Friends,

With increasing frequency, listeners tell me that they are hearing a difference in our news coverage from what they had grown accustomed to -- that we are covering more of our community’s critical issues in more timely, more in-depth way. I’m so glad that the improvements we’ve been able to make in an already great product are noticeable, and I want to thank you for having made that possible. I frequently say that there is no algorithm to do what we do. Great reporting is about “boots on the ground” – reporters in the field, making connections, checking first-hand to ensure we have the facts, and understanding the facts well enough to be able to put those in context and describe potential consequences. And, in plain terms, that costs money.  Thanks to your confidence and support, we have been able to add personnel to our newsroom and enable them to do that kind of reporting.

A great example of that is our recent Growing Pains series. Under the direction and leadership of TPR News Director Shelley Kofler, the growing and talented TPR news team has collaborated to produce a series that began last fall with coverage of transportation issues. That was followed recently by a powerful series of stories on the future of housing in Texas, including the increasing challenge for working people to find affordable housing in our region.

The stories generated extensive conversation, online and in social media. And last week on The Source, listeners got involved on-air in a discussion with host David Martin Davies about affordable housing and possible incentives that could be included in San Antonio’s 2017 bond package. In addition to airing on TPR, the series segments were rebroadcast statewide by Texas Standard, which TPR co-produces with the public radio stations in Austin, Dallas and Houston.  (Texas Standard airs on TPR stations at 11 a.m. every weekday, providing coverage of events and issues of interest from a Texas point of view.)

If you have missed any of the Growing Pains series, I encourage you to follow this link to catch up or review these noteworthy stories. http://tpr.org/term/growing-pains

As I’ve reported to you in previous messages, we’ll be continuing to build the breadth and depth of our coverage with the addition of full-time reporters for critical subject matter areas, including Bioscience & Medicine, Technology & Entrepreneurship, and Education. This kind of expert, enterprise reporting will add to the many qualities that so positively distinguish TPR’s news coverage.

And, based on how quickly the first round of reservations was filled, I know y’all are excited to have StoryCorps return to our community.  It’s been eight years since the silver Airstream trailer visited the Alamo City. Recorded stories from this national oral history project often inspire us, and sometimes bring a tear, as they air on TPR. The project is enormous. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected more than 60,000 interviews with over 100,000 participants. Our listeners can contribute their stories anytime via the StoryCorps website or through the StoryCorps app. But, the month-long mobile booth visit, which begins Saturday, February 6, has special significance to personalize the experience for the people of our region. The StoryCorps crew hopes to record more than 140 stories during their visit here. If you missed the first round of reservations, the second round will begin Monday, February 8. Follow this link to learn more and to share your story: https://storycorps.org/

Thanks again for your support and, as always, we invite you to share your comments and suggestions with us.

Warm regards –

joyce