“MOUNTAIN WEST JOURNALISM COLLABORATIVE” BRINGS TOGETHER BIG SKY STATIONS • NPR LEADS THE LATEST PODTRAC RANKINGS

MAP OF MWJC STATES

CPB’s journalism collaborations continue to add new resources to expand public media’s news footprint. Last week CPB announced a new collaborative – the Mountain West Journalism Collaborative (MWJC) – that will bring together six public radio stations that serve northern Rocky Mountain areas. 

The lead station for the CPB grant is Boise State Public Radio. Other participating organizations include KUNC, Fort Collins/Greeley; KRCC, Colorado Springs; KUER, Salt Lake City; Wyoming Public Media in Laramie; and Yellowstone Public Radio in Billings.

TOM MICHAEL

Tom Michael, GM of Boise State Public Radio, said in a press release:

“Here in the West, we’re watching the fast growth of new American cities, but we’re also seeing significant changes in the rural outposts. 

"The partnership will explore the growth [and] expansion in west, including the rural-urban divide, issues facing the rural west and western culture and heritage.”

CPB is providing MWJC with a $475,000 start-up grant. The money will be used to hire new reporters and a managing editor who will oversee MWJC’s content and day-to-day operations.

Jackie Yamanaka

An important goal of MWJC is to raise the visibility of the largely rural region. Jackie Yamanaka, interim news director at Yellowstone Public Radio in Billings put it this way:

"There is no voice from the Rocky Mountain West. The region, is missing from national coverage except when something happens. Most often people hear stories such as the Freeman standoff or the arrest of the Unabomber."

Yamanaka told Billings media that the MWJC will focus on issues such as land and water, growth in an expanding West and long-form stories and in-depth investigations on subjects like the fate of public monuments and the effects of “dark money” on politics.

NPR CONTINUES ITS DOMINANCE IN THE LATEST PODCAST RANKINS

NPR continues to have a wide lead as the nation’s top publisher of podcasts according the latest Protrac rankings. Seven of the top-ten podcast publishers showed gains in US Unique Audience in August over July.

ESPN, PRX and the New York Times had double digit increases. WBUR dropped from the top ten.

Sean Hannity Slept Here

A new publisher made its first appearance on top ten chart: Barstool Sports, a for-profit publisher of 16 podcasts.   

Check out the podcast selection on Barstools site [link]. 

Barstool's podcasts will not be confused with ones published by public media organizations. 

At Barstool you will find podcasts praising Alt-Right hero Steve Bannon, support for Kid Rock’s election chances, soft-core porn and a few sports trivia questions.   

But, hey, that’s entertainment!