West Virginia Public Broadcasting Story Archives - Page 10 of 11

Telling West Virginia's Story, Despite a Reduction in State Funding

West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) is willing to do its part to help solve the West Virginia budget crisis. In the upcoming budget, state funding for WVPB will be reduced by almost $1 million, or 22% of our state appropriation.

This is not the first state budget cut for our station. Between 2009 and 2017, WVPB experienced another $1.2 million in state budget reductions. That’s a total $2 million reduction per year in state funding for WVPB, compared to a decade ago.

WVPB tightened its belt while it increased private fundraising and worked to become more technologically efficient. Despite the reduction in state funding, the station added two new TV channels and an online education service for teachers. Mountain Stage is more popular than ever, now carried on more than 200 radio stations nationwide (up from 120 stations in 2013) and it serves a large and growing audience online.

This is in no small part due to the hard work and creativity of the West Virginia Public Broadcasting staff. They deserve our thanks.

Over the next six months, there will be an in-depth review of our entire station. West Virginia Public Broadcasting Foundation received a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to hire a national consulting firm to work with the station in several areas, including potential governance options.

Through good management and with help from our friends, WVPB will continue to tell West Virginia’s story, despite these cuts. The station’s leadership is still determining how to best protect the high quality of services and programming you’ve come to expect from West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

They may have to cut back on some of our most expensive local productions, such as our Emmy Award-nominated children’s show “Abracadabra,” and may need to turn off TV translators in some rural areas. There may be a need to layoff an estimated 5 or 6 of our employees.

Fortunately, we’ve had a surge of support from our members, and that’s helped fill in part of the gap. We’ve seen a 15-percent increase in the number of members in the last six months, with a corresponding increase in donations.

We are in the final two weeks of our Protect WVPB membership campaign, and reaching our $500,000 goal will help alleviate some of these cuts.

We ask that all those who support our news, education and Mountain Stage to become a member, renew their membership or make an additional contribution today. Thanks to two of our Studio Society members, those donations will be matched dollar for dollar (up to $40,000) until the end of this month.

Thanks again to our supporters and staff for the outstanding work you’ve done to protect our station.

Susan Hogan of Wheeling is chairwoman of the Friends of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, an independent 501c3 organization that supports West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Latest on WVPB in State Budget

Many supporters are asking about state funding for West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Here’s an update as of Sunday, April 16.

The House and the Senate have passed a budget that would reduce state funding for West Virginia Public Broadcasting by 22 percent, or $1 million dollars.

That would be a $3.6 million state appropriation in a $9 million total budget. (This reverses the Senate’s original proposal, which zeroed out state funding for WVPB.)

Gov. Jim Justice has requested WVPB be funded at the same level as this year – $4.6 million. Justice’s original budget contained no state funding for WVPB, but he revised that request to full funding in a letter to lawmakers in March.

On April 13, Justice vetoed the budget passed by the Legislature.

If WVPB’s state funding is reduced by $1 million, these are some of our cost-saving options.

Now, all three sides (House, Senate and Governor) will continue negotiations to reach an agreed budget.

What does this means for WVPB? All funding levels are still on the table, and would be decided before and during a special session. That special session is expected sometime before the constitutional deadline of July 1.

The Friends of West Virginia Public Broadcasting plans to continue its “Back in the Budget” campaign until a budget bill is signed.

Also, you’ll continue to see and hear “Protect WVPB” stories on the radio, TV and social media. Check out our playlist.

An unprecedented number of WVPB supporters have called and emailed lawmakers, according to House Finance Chairman Eric Nelson in a speech to fellow House members.

“I’m not sure if I’ve received more emails and calls than on this one particular line item. Unbelievable,” Nelson said.

Nelson defended WVPB in response to an amendment from Del. Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer, that would zero out funding for WVPB.

“They provide a very valuable resource,” Nelson said. “This is where Mountain Stage is, too. You talk about something that is out there promoting the state of West Virginia; this resource right here.

“One thing that is also talked about, they own a bunch of towers to help put signals out. They have other services…

Roll call vote on House Amendment to eliminate state funding for WVPB. It was defeated, 88-10.

“This is a very solid entity. I urge rejection of the gentleman’s amendment, so we can continue this service,” Nelson said.

A total of 88 delegates voted to keep WVPB back in the budget – 10 members voted to eliminate funding.

The House bill that would have eliminated the Office of the Secretary of Education and the Arts (OSEA) failed to pass the Senate. WVPB is governed by the Educational Broadcasting Authority, which according to state code “is part of the Department of Education and the Arts for purposes of administrative support and liaison with the office of the Governor.”

Finally, Governor Justice has expressed interest in transferring WVPB from a state licensee to one governed by a land-grant university such as WVU. No bill has passed the Legislature to transfer the licenses from the state to WVU or any other entity. The Educational Broadcasting Authority has recommended this issue be studied in depth, with recommendations and options returned to the Legislature, Governor and other interested parties.

Telling West Virginia's Syrian Story: Part One, Nairouz

For 26-year-old NairouzKatrib, making a phone a call to her family is not as easy as it is for the rest of her friends in South Charleston, West Virginia.

She wakes up every morning with the same fear, hoping that her family is doing well. She picks up her phone and dials her mother through a smartphone app. Often, like today, the Internet connection in Syria is hit-or-miss.

Nairouz is now an American citizen, but her parents are still living in Syria, in her hometown of Salamiyah. Salamiyah comes from the Arabic word “Salam” which means “peace.”

Nairouz, is my roommate. You just have to look deep in her eyes to know how much pain she hides. She heard about West Virginia from her uncle, another Syrian immigrant who practices medicine here in the state.

Crossing the Sea

Six years ago, she crossed the sea to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology at West Virginia State University. One of the things she misses the most is the sound of her family’s voices. She’s a big fan of Syrian soap operas because it makes her feel connected to her home.

Two years after she arrived, the Syrian war started. She still remembers clearly the so-called Arab Spring of 2011, when she first saw Syrians protesters being killed on TV. Since then, she stopped watching the news.

But she still wanted to help her people. After the demonstrations, her friends and family weren’t able to use social media. So she created a Facebook page to report the updates and photos that she was receiving from non-violent protesters back home in Salamiyah. She was posting from her apartment in South Charleston, while her friends back home were in the middle of the conflict.

Visiting Home

Nairouz says that she felt so insecure being away from her family that in 2012, after a year of the Syrian conflict, she decided to take a semester off and go back home.

Being with her parents for three months made her feel motivated to come back to West Virginia to finish her studies. She also stopped helping the protesters on social media – she lost touch with many of them. But she still posts her own thoughts and poems onto Facebook. She is against the Syrian government but she is also against ISIS.

There are at least 130 immigrated Syrians, like Nairouz, living in West Virginia.

Nairouz’s wish is to reunite with her family, although she feels it’s unsafe to go to Syria. Last spring she tried to bring her mom to the United States for her graduation. But her mom’s travel visa was denied. They haven’t seen each other in almost 4 years. Nairouz and her mother are exploring options to meet next summer, in Turkey or in Germany, just so they could meet face to face.

Meanwhile, Nairouz’s long-term plan is to stay here in West Virginia to fight a different war: against cancer. With her bachelor’s degree under her belt, she will continue her research to find a cure.

W.Va. Public Broadcasting Receives Grant to Expand Regional Reporting

Seven public media stations in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, including West Virginia Public Broadcasting, have been awarded a $445,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to establish a regional journalism collaboration.
The still-to-be-named network will produce hard-hitting, high-quality multimedia journalism that examines the region’s economy, energy, environment, agriculture, infrastructure and health.

“This will help expand the storytelling we already do through regional shows such as ‘Inside Appalachia,'” said Scott Finn, CEO and executive director of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. “We’re excited to work more closely with other stations in our region to report more deeply about the economic transition we face.”

The CPB grant will support the hiring of eight journalists at the seven partner media outlets for two years; with station support continuing in outlying years.

“CPB is pleased to support this historic collaboration among public media stations in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia,” said Bruce Theriault, CPB senior vice president, journalism and radio. “By working together, these stations can ensure that important stories from this underreported area are told locally, regionally, and nationally. The sum is indeed greater than the parts.”

Louisville Public Media will lead the news operation and house the project’s managing editor and data journalist. Partner radio and television stations inlcude WEKU in Richmond and Lexington, Ky., WKU in Bowling Green, Ky., WMMT/Appalshop in Whitesburg, Ky., WKMS in Murray, Ky., West Virginia Public Broadcasting, and WOUB in Athens, Ohio.

The group will produce journalism for partner stations and collaborate with national programs, including PBS NewsHour, Frontline, Marketplace, Morning Edition, and All Things Considered, and other public media outlets such as WFPL’s Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. The collaboration will produce daily reporting, investigations, long-form narrative pieces, and documentaries.

About the Corporation for Public Broadcasting:

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,400 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services.

Production of 4th Season of Abracadabra Wraps Up: Q&A with Dr. Adelman and Joey

Abracadabra – shortened to just “Abra” in the hallways of WV Public Broadcasting—is a locally produced program for children that combines magic and ventriloquism with nutrition, health, exercise and safety. The show is hosted and produced by physician/magician/ventriloquist Michael Adelman, the President of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Characters like Daisey, Salty the Pirate, Professor Science, and Duk (the magical duck) sing, dance, learn, and watch magic tricks. And of course there’s Joey, a bright well-meaning, mischievous boy puppet. Glynis Board visited set this week to talk to Adelman and Joey as the fourth season of production wraps up.

G: So tell me about this production. Has it been fun? Joey? Have you had fun?

Joey: I always have fun. It’s always lots of fun and I get to do all sorts of crazy things. And I get to see Duk! And I get to see all my other friends.

Adelman: Yeah, it’s always a lot of fun. The crew is amazing and the cast is just super.This year we have 23 children—all from southern West Virginia, Oak Hill, Charleston, Beckley, and Lewisburg.

G: This is the 4^th season of Abracadabra that’s been in production. Is that correct?

Adelman: That’s correct.

Joey: Yeah, we’re so excited about that!

G: Is there something different about this season that sets it apart from some of the other seasons?

Adelman: Yes, I think so.

Joey: How about I do the talking?

Adelman: No, Joey I’ll talk right now.

Joey: Okay.

Adelman: The biggest thing is that the quality keeps improving each season. And we keep stretching ourselves. We’re doing a lot more what you call greenscreen—so a lot more graphics. The episodes are a little bit more complicated. And I think that will translate to a better show. Also, we’re exploring some new areas. We’re d’ing a lot with STEM, so Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—the schools have asked that we do that. We’re also doing an episode on bullying. And we think that’s really important.

Joey: Yeah, no one should EVER be faced with a bully.

G: Tell me why you are doing this show. What’s the mission of Abracadabra?

Adelman: You know West Virginia has an obesity issue. There’ve been lots of programs that have tried to help that but many of them have not been as successful as we’ve hoped. What we’re doing is focusing on kids. We figure if we can talk to them about staying healthy and healthy lifestyles, and eating nutritious foods, they would take that back and parents would appreciate that.

And that’s what we’ve seen. We’ve had parents email us and say, ‘Johnnie is eating green beans and he’s never asked for that before.’ And it stems from a ‘commercial’ that Joey did about green beans.

Joey: Oh yeah, I do lots of commercials about fresh fruits and vegetables.

Adelman: That’s right. And so we think we’re proving some success with that. That’s really why we’re doing it. We want to affect the healthier life styles of our young people.

G: Great, is there anything you’d like to add? Joey?

Adelman: Why don’t we show everybody how much math you know?

Joey: Oh yeah I could do that.

Adelman: Because we are learning about STEM.

Joey: Oh yeah, okay,

Adelman: So if you have a quarter—

Joey: I don’t have a quarter.

Adelman: Well imagine you have a quarter.

Joey: I don’t have that much imagination.

Adelman: Well then never mind. So you have a quarter.

Joey: Yeah.

Adelman: and you lend me fifteen cents.

Joey: Yeah.

Adelman: How much do you have left?

Joey: …A quarter.

Adelman: No no no you don’t get my meaning.

Joey: You don’t get my fifteen cents.

Abracadabra also goes on tour, visiting schools throughout West Virginia.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting Named Top Radio News Operation in the Virginias

West Virginia Public Broadcasting was named Outstanding Radio News Operation among metropolitan stations in Virginia and West Virginia at The Virginias AP Broadcast awards luncheon Saturday.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting also won top honors in six categories: best investigative reporting, best website, best radio news anchor, best spot news, best documentary, and outstanding effort by an individual reporter.

News Director Beth Vorhees was named best radio news anchor, and reporter Glynis Board received the outstanding reporter award.

Reporter Jessica Lilly’s investigation into the inaccuracies of the documentary “Oxyana” won the award for best investigative reporting in radio news.

“West Virginia at 150,” a documentary celebrating the state’s 150^th birthday by Cecelia Mason and Suzanne Higgins, was named top documentary or in-depth report.

The new website for West Virginia Public Broadcasting, wvpublic.org, won top honors at The Virginias AP Broadcast Awards, and West Virginia Public Broadcasting also won in the spot news category for the story, “Theatre West Virginia Is Closing.”

West Virginia Public Broadcasting also won several second-place awards. In all, 26 broadcast stations across Virginia and West Virginia were honored at The Virginias AP Broadcast awards luncheon at The Boar’s Head Inn.

Marshall University’s station, WMUL-FM, won for non-metropolitan radio. WWBT-TV in Richmond won Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias for large market television and WVIR-TV in Charlottesville for small market television.

RADIO, METROPOLITAN CATEGORY

BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING:

Superior: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Charleston, W.Va., “Oxyana”

BEST WEBSITE

Superior: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Charleston, W.Va., www.wvpublic.org

BEST RADIO NEWS ANCHOR OF THE YEAR

Superior: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Beth Vorhees, Charleston, W.Va.

BEST COVERAGE OF A SPOT NEWS STORY

Superior: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Charleston, W.Va., “Theatre West Virginia Is Closing”

BEST DOCUMENTARY OR IN-DEPTH REPORT

Superior: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Charleston, W.Va., “West Virginia at 150”

OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY AN INDIVIDUAL REPORTER

Superior: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Charleston, W.Va., Glynis Board

BEST FEATURE OR HUMAN INTEREST

Superior: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “Homeless Search”

Meritorious: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “Arlington Wreaths”

Meritorious: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Charleston, W.Va., “The Demon Beat”

BEST COVERAGE OF A CONTINUING NEWS STORY

Superior: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “Government Shutdown”

Meritorious: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, “Patriot Coal vs. UMWA”

Meritorious: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, “Schools for the Deaf and Blind”

BEST COVERAGE OF A CONTINUING NEWS STORY

Superior: WTOP-FM, Manassas, Va., “Government Shutdown”

Meritorious: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, “Patriot Coal vs. UMWA”

Meritorious: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, “Schools for the Deaf and Blind”