KMUW announced today it will bring more stories from Kansas to the national audience of the daily weekday public radio program 1A through 1A Across America, a two-year collaborative effort. Leading up to the 2020 general elections, 1A Across America introduces a fresh model for strong community-based coverage of critical issues.
Supported by a $750,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the 1A Across America project will be spearheaded by WAMU 88.5, Washington’s NPR station and the station that produces 1A. Over the course of two years, KMUW will be an editorial partner to WAMU. KMUW and five other public media stations will work closely with 1A’s production team to source stories, conduct live broadcasts and events, produce collaborative content and elevate local journalism.
“We’re proud that KMUW is making the voices of Kansans count in this critical time across America,” said Debra Fraser, KMUW general manager. “I think that these conversations will be constructive locally as we identify where we are going as a community as how to get there. Engagement will be a key part of everything moving forward.”
WAMU selected the six partner public media stations, including KMUW, because of their deep community ties. Additionally, the participating stations represent a geographical and political cross-section of America. Through 1A Across America, the nuanced, diverse issues and concerns of the communities that KMUW covers will be brought to 1A’s 3.63 million weekly listeners on 335 NPR stations.
“To host a truly national conversation, we must leverage our connections to the powerful grassroots network of public media stations around the country,” said Andi McDaniel, senior director of content and news at WAMU. “1A Across America gives 1A the opportunity to uncover critical local conversations, tap into the original journalism taking place at partner public media stations like KMUW, and bring it forth to national audiences.”
