WBHM selected to be part of America Amplified initiative
WBHM has been chosen as one of only 20 stations nationwide to be part of national initiative called America Amplified that prioritizes meaningful in-person and online engagement in order to build trust, expand audiences and deepen the impact of public media journalism.
The initiative is hosted by WFYI in Indianapolis and is funded by a $983,451 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to support community engagement journalism in traditionally underserved areas and builds on a similar project launched in the fall of 2019 to produce innovative journalism through engagement.
Through America Amplified, WBHM aims to put people, not preconceived ideas, at the center of its reporting process. Because of ongoing concerns around the pandemic, we will be using tools such as crowd-sourcing, virtual town halls, polls and social media to listen first to the concerns and aspirations of our communities. Whenever possible, we will also be hosting live events and meeting with community members in places where they gather.
Specifically, WBHM plans to focus on the ongoing issues of food deserts and food insecurity in two areas – Ensley and Tarrant. Through an almost year-long series of community meetup beginning in early 2022, we aspire to engage with these communities in a deeper, concentrated manner, establish trusting relationships, and identify resources and solutions for these communities through the engagement of citizens, policymakers and stakeholders.
America Amplified is working with 20 public media stations, including WBHM. The other stations are:
- WWNO in New Orleans;
- WUSF in Tampa, Florida;
- WSHU in Fairfield, Connecticut;
- WNIN in Evansville, Indiana,
- WMMT in Whitesburg, Kentucky;
- WNIJ in Rockford, Illinois;
- WITF in Harrisburg, Pennsylvanial;
- North Country Public Radio in Canton, New York;
- North State Public Radio in Chico, California;
- Montana Public Radio in Missoula, Montana;
- Maine Public in Lewiston, Maine;
- KUNR in Reno, Nevada;
- KUNC in Greeley, Colorado;
- KTOO in Juneau, Alaska;
- KSJD in Cortez, Colorado;
- KOSU in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;
- KMUW in Wichita, Kansas;
- Blue Ridge Public Radio in Asheville, North Carolina;
- Austin PBS in Austin, Texas
America Amplified’s goal is to create and share models of community engagement success stories to inform and strengthen future local, regional and national journalism. Follow America Amplified on Twitter at @A_Amplified or visit www.americaamplified.org to sign up for their newsletter. And follow us at @WBHM on Twitter, on Facebook, and @WBHM903 on Instagram.
What the cross-examination of one witness reveals about the Sean Combs trial
The prosecution pushed back on the defense's aggressive questioning of a former Combs employee, saying harassment of the witness might intimidate others taking the stand.
USDA says demand for sensitive food stamp data from states is on hold
The federal government told states to turn over names, birthdates, Social Security numbers and other sensitive data about food assistance recipients. Amid a legal challenge, the agency says the request is on hold.
The White House unveils the new official portrait of President Trump
Trump appears expressionless in the new presidential portrait, depicted against a dark, blank background.
Trump asks Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting
President Trump is asking lawmakers to claw back the $1.1 billion in federal subsidies for public broadcasting that Congress approved earlier this year. His request also includes cuts to foreign aid.
In a break with Trump, Elon Musk calls the GOP megabill a ‘disgusting abomination’
Musk joined with GOP critics who say the multi-trillion dollar plan to enact the president's domestic priorities doesn't go far enough to cut federal spending.
Mark Hamill used to downplay his ‘Star Wars’ past. Now he’s embracing it
Hamill played Luke Skywalker, one of the most iconic heroes in movie history. His latest film, The Life of Chuck, is an adaptation of a Stephen King novella.