Community radio offers compelling thoughts for March 8, International Women’s Day.
NFCB’s Sally Kane explored community radio’s commitment to inclusion during a recent Radio Survivor interview. “[W]hat’s working in community media—as opposed to what’s not and what resources are lacking—[in] creating a platform for true community voices”? You can hear that here.
NFCB’s March newsletter highlights several articles, including work by the New York Times explores the recent WNYC and WBUR controversies involving harassment, and why the scandals matter so much to audiences. The relationships listeners have with your on-air talent feel very personal, former NPR chief executive Vivian Schiller explained to the Times. These issues should motivate stations to address potential problems. “People make assumptions about who these people are based on their voice and what feels like an intimate, one-on-one relationship,” Ms. Schiller added, “so the potential for backlash is that much greater if you feel that you have been betrayed.”
For community radio stations seeking to be proactive on these issues, NFCB has an anti-harassment and bullying policy template available for member organizations. You can download it from our Solution Center.
Current notes a number of organizations working for diversity and women’s leadership in media. Dru Sefton writes, “Looking for diverse content, producers, engagement ideas, staffing or avenues for bringing stories of underrepresented communities to public media? These 14 organizations stand ready to help, each tasked with goals that support diversity in public media content.” NFCB is among them. You can find that list here.
