Two-year public media partnership will explore local threats to America’s democracy
AUSTIN, Texas – Feb. 17, 2022 – KUT News will bring more Central Texas stories to a national audience through the weekday newsmagazine program “1A“ and the "1A Remaking America” project, a two-year collaborative effort examining the local causes and effects of a nationally growing distrust in institutions.
The “1A Remaking America” collaborative project is supported by a $750,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and will be spearheaded by WAMU 88.5, Washington’s NPR station and the station that produces “1A.” Over the course of two years, KUT News and five other public media newsrooms will partner with “1A’s” production team to source stories, conduct live broadcasts and events, produce collaborative content and elevate local journalism.
The reporting series aims to examine and better understand the forces behind a growing distrust in institutions, and what’s dividing communities and families and eroding our confidence as a nation. “1A Remaking America” will provide a national platform for communication, comprehension and change through on-air discussions, interviews, citizen spotlights, field reporting and online and live events.
“We look forward to bringing diverse Central Texas voices to a national audience through this collaborative reporting initiative, spearheaded by ‘1A,’ said Teresa Frontado, executive editor for KUT News and “Texas Standard.” “Central Texas is home to people of varied backgrounds, life experiences and world views – all of which will contribute to a robust conversation and mutual understanding.”
WAMU selected KUT News, and five other partner public media newsrooms, because of its deep community ties. Additionally, each participating station’s community continues to grapple with the pandemic and polarized politics – “1A Remaking America” will provide a platform for nuanced, diverse issues and concerns from Central Texas to be brought to “1A’s” 4.5 million weekly listeners on more than 440 NPR stations.
“We’re thrilled for this support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as we work to explore what’s transpiring in local communities and impacting our democracy in partnership with our public media colleagues,” said Erika Pulley-Hayes, general manager of WAMU/“DCist.” “As a pillar of public media, CPB support recognizes the merit of this work and the value of dialogue between local communities and national content creators. We look forward to deepening our relationship with them and our partnering stations over the next two years.”
“1A” airs live on KUT 90.5 weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m., on-demand via “1A’s” podcast and from the1A.org.
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Media Contact: Erin Geisler (512) 475-8071
FAQ
What is 1A Remaking America?
“1A Remaking America” is a two-year reporting collaboration funded through a grant from The Corporation for Public Broadcasting. KUT News has partnered with WAMU 88.5, Washington’s NPR station and the station that creates and distributes “1A,” to produce collaborative content and elevate local journalism examining the lasting impacts of the pandemic and the growing political divides within the country.
What other public media stations are participating in 1A Remaking America? Participating stations include:
- KMUW Wichita (Kansas)
- KUNC – NPR for Northern Colorado (Greeley)
- KUT News – Austin’s NPR station (Texas)]
- KVPR – NPR for Central California (Fresno)
- WBHM 90.3 – NPR News for the Heart of Alabama (Birmingham)
- Louisville Public Media (LPM) (Kentucky)
How can I engage with 1A Remaking America? Tune into “1A” on weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m. to hear the latest “1A Remaking America” segments. You can also follow “1A” on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and through the “1A” Text Club by texting “1A” to 1-844-777-7050. Certain “1A” segments are also available in podcast form each week. You can find the “1A” podcast on NPR.org or your favorite podcast streaming platform.
When will the events start and can I attend one? The events supporting “1A Remaking America” are still in development. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to change, all “1A Remaking America” events will be held online and will be a space for local communities to gather and discuss the issues that matter most to them. When the pandemic allows for in-person gatherings again, “1A Remaking America” will transition to live, in-person events held across the country. More details about this will be available in the coming months.