Listening to community in intentional and authentic ways

Public media’s role as a source of regular and reliable information has become even more vital in recent years, as many national, regional, and local news organizations merge, shrink, or disappear altogether.

This has been true of news outlets in many metropolitan areas, including San Diego. As San Diego’s largest public media station and the region’s only PBS and NPR member station, KPBS works to reflect and support the region’s many different communities. This means providing trusted programming, but it also means engaging in regular and genuine dialogue with San Diegans.

A History of Community-Centered Initiatives

While KPBS has a long history as a strong presence in every part of San Diego, from Oceanside to the Tijuana border, they have been more deliberate in recent efforts to build on existing relationships and forge even deeper connections with the community. The station is known for community-centered initiatives built on well-established civic partnerships that have stood the test of time. These include the beloved One Book, One San Diego, which brings together the San Diego community through shared reading experiences that encourage learning, discussion, and community engagement on subjects of local importance; Community Conversations, discussions powered by specific concerns raised by the community; and the G.I. Film Festival San Diego, a showcase by, for, and about military and veteran experiences.

These are not initiatives designed by KPBS for the community, but rather ideas that have emerged from ongoing conversations with the community. The community has been an active co-collaborator in these efforts, and in the case of One Book, One San Diego, one where that collaboration has continued for nearly 20 years.

Deepening Community Connections

While these established initiatives have been successful, KPBS recognized that continuing to grow and deepen relationships with the community would require a shift towards more intentional listening. Media organizations have long held the mic and been the ones doing the talking. KPBS decided to flip the script by handing the mic to the public – putting themselves in the listening space and recognizing that serving and reflecting a region of 3.3 million individuals means not assuming they have all the answers.

KPBS engaged in audience research at the same time as they launched a new initiative called KPBS Listens, a series of listening events in diverse neighborhoods across San Diego. Specific topics bubbled up from these events to become news stories or Community Conversations. KPBS was systematic about documenting what they learned through their listening tour and combined that learning with their audience research to identify key areas of information they will invest in to strengthen the service they provide their community. This includes typical areas for a public media organization, such as news, but goes beyond news to provide relevant information on civic engagement, parenting resources, and local arts.

“The presence of KPBS to come here and hear the voices is so important. Not just to tweet out the voices, not just hanging a banner, but coming here to shake hands in the community. It’s a big community but a small one at the same time.” – Community member at a KPBS Listens event

Being present in different neighborhoods has been especially helpful in connecting with people who reflect the region’s changing demographics, including a younger potential audience, and people who have never heard of KPBS.

These and other KPBS initiatives were made possible through grants from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP). This recent funding is part of a long history of support that was started in 1999 by our founder, Margaret Cargill. She valued the vital role public media plays in our communities, and KPBS was the public media outlet that she enjoyed during the many years she lived in San Diego.

Photo across top of the page/header: One Book, One San Diego is a partnership between KPBS and the San Diego Public Library, designed to bring San Diegans together through an enriching, locally relevant literary experience. Credit: Charie Juaneza