Engaging Communities on the Economy (ECOE)
Select Station Stories of Impact
Arkansas Educational Television Network (Conway, AR) focused specifically on serving elderly residents affected by the economic crisis. A single, live call-in program generated more than 400 phone calls from seniors seeking financial advice. AARP and the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office partnered in the project to offer accurate and timely information specifically geared toward seniors.
WYEP-FM (Pittsburgh, PA) partnered with a local minority-owned software company to create an online economic simulation game (“CentsCity”). The game helped area youth learn personal financial literacy skills, including how to budget for college, in a fun and generationally-appropriate way. Pittsburgh youth were then charged with investigating and creating radio reports about how global financial trends affected young people.
WCNY (Syracuse, NY) helped its 19-county viewing area — a community that represents New York state’s highest unemployment rate — respond to the economic downtown by engaging those who needed help the most. By televising a live town hall meeting attended only by those experiencing unemployment and financial instability, WCNY connected real people with tangible resources they could use. As a result of the initiative, several audience members found work.
KKCR (Hanalei, HI) used its Engaging Communities on the Economy grant to redefine outreach on the tiny island of Kauai. Instead of bringing information to each of the island’s four, historically separate regions (each of which represent different socio-economic and cultural communities), KKCR united the neighborhoods in a common dialogue, creating connections and partnerships where they didn’t exist before. The focus of the sessions was to explore how Kauai can be more self-sustaining. The island’s economic development coalition used the forums to help inform the agency’s work. Plans are already underway to explore how the western region of the island may be used to expand the Kauai beef industry — an idea generated by participants in the community gatherings.
WKAR (East Lansing, MI responded to Michigan’s 15 percent unemployment rate by establishing a comprehensive community coalition devoted to creating jobs. With the help of 18 community agencies, businesses and government offices, WKAR leveraged media resources and new partnerships to help attract economic development and explore new industries. The project has already seen success in forging a new relationship between business leaders in East Lansing and the neighboring community of Jackson.
WHYY (Philadelphia, PA.) brought together diverse stakeholders in the education and health care sectors to brainstorm ways to help these major Philadelphia industries survive the challenges of the recession while seizing the opportunities of the stimulus. Participants agreed K-12 students lack knowledge about the benefits of careers in the education and medical sectors and that both industries are incorrectly perceived as being hard to access. As a team, the coalition made plans for area public media to better to tell the story of Philadelphia’s unique economy, highlighting how sustainable, well-paying jobs are available for residents of all skill sets.
