During the spring of 2008, CPB entrusted KETC to create a model of how public media would respond to the national disaster that is the mortgage crisis.

With the CPB’s investment, we used this model to lead public television and radio stations in the 32 hardest-hit markets across the country—helping those stations create significant impact in their local communities.

Connect residents to foreclosure prevention and financial resources through a network of trusted community partners mobilized through public media; Raise awareness of the impact of the mortgage crisis on the entire region the station serves; Make the case for the relevance and impact of public media locally and nationally.

Facing the Mortgage Crisis is advancing the case for public media as a distinct, relevant and essential value worth supporting—an imperative, as expanding media options and cultural changes threaten traditional funding models.

After Michigan Public Radio aired a story about mortgage relief fraud, someone left a comment on our website saying they heard the story and cancelled a meeting for later that day with one of the fraudulent companies named in the report. Michigan Public Radio

During conversations where elected officials outlined the challenges to funding for public broadcasting, a bright spot of enthusiasm was about the work of Nevada Public Radio and Vegas PBS. Congresswoman Shelley Berkeley and Senator Harry Reid point to this kind of project as what public broadcasting “should” be doing and are very supportive of our ability to reach out to the community.

We just received our first report from United Way 211 on the calls—they saw a 272% increase in calls related to the mortgage crisis since the town meeting and vignettes starting airing on TV and radio. In the three months prior to our efforts - the United Way reported 7,490 total calls related to mortgage and financial questions - after our on-air campaign began – they report 7,166 calls in just three weeks! Connecticut Public Television

Stations are making the shift from a traditional media organization to the next generation public media organization. Stations have been somewhat stunned by their true ability to use their competencies on-air, online and in the community to help bring their community together. Beyond Broadcast to Engagement

Stations are reinventing their internal culture and processes and are moving to make collaborative work a new norm. Collaboration between TV and radio and what this means to the communities we serve. Turning outward in the community. Go to the community before planning. Collaboration Inside and Outside

Network of networks effect Convening and connecting Sustained relationship development You don’t have to own the network or relationship—lose control Leveraging Networks

It’s not just our traditional audience. We’re connecting people who may not now or ever be our viewers or members. Our viewers strengthen conversational ties around the issue—the viral effect. We Serve the Entire Community

Core group of stations who are discovering how to use the online space to amplify the value of our traditional content and to use it to offer voice to the American People. It’s not just our content—we’re aggregating content from many sources in service to community. Multi-platform and platform agnostic The public has a much deeper relationship and an identity connection with the station. Station Are Moving to Web 2.0

The work expanded beyond helping people stay in their homes to helping people deal with the crisis as it is impacting their local communities, their social relationships, and their personal solvency. The Work Expanded

Many stations see that their work is helping and cannot stop—they are so connected with the needs of their community that their efforts must carry on to address this evolving crisis. We have an unparalleled opportunity to see these stations emerge as a significant and relevant force in their local community. The Commitment To Press On

“Our staff will tell you this is the most important work they have ever done—we can’t stop now.” Paula Castadio—KVPT, Fresno, CA