OPB Launches Regional Journalism Venture Focused on the Environment

Last modified on September 22, 2010 10:26 AM

Ecotrope set to become key resource for national environmental reporting

The big, enduring questions of our region have always been linked to our environment – where tradition meets with new ideas – where economic opportunity meets fragile ecosystems. It’s a complex and intricately connected place where shades of gray prevail.

"The way in which society builds knowledge, creates dialogue and approaches solutions to our most pressing issues is evolving dramatically," said Steve Bass, president and CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting. "So OPB is expanding its vision to build on the unique role it plays in people’s lives by using new media tools to create a model for dialogue, fresh thinking and community participation around key environmental topics."

This new tool is called Ecotrope, and it's a substantive online space aimed at broadening the discussion and clarifying the underlying issues … going deep into news about nature and our relationship with it … and connecting the dots, examining the implications of policy and our actions, and having some fun along the way, too.

OPB is one of just 12 stations around the country awarded seed funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Knight Foundation and NPR to add a full-time reporter to its news team. Each station is focused on a different subject of interest to its community such as health, education, poverty, and in OPB's case, the environment. The stations will make up the new NPR ARGO Network. "By networking the sites, each station gains national perspective, audience and the opportunity to learn from the experiences of the others," NPR CEO Vivian Schiller said.

Cassandra Profita is the reporter, curator and moderator for OPB's Ecotrope. An award-winning reporter, most recently with The Daily Astorian, she has broad experience covering Northwest issues around climate, forestry, energy, fisheries, our coasts and rivers. With a wide network of contacts, and her ear to the ground, Profita is Ecotrope's guide for all things environmental.

"With Ecotrope, OPB is covering news and ideas in a different way. News becomes more than a report on radio or TV. It flows like a stream of information that begins with exceptional original reporting about key news of the day and becomes increasingly rich through a collaborative exchange with vetted sources," said Bass. Hours of video and audio content from OPB’s vast library make it even more vibrant and relevant.

With the launch of this new approach, OPB hopes to help people shape their ideas and make informed choices. Join the conversation and help OPB chart the way forward at ecotrope.opb.org.

OPB to Distribute $2 Million in CPB Grant Money

Last modified on September 16, 2009 11:04 AM

American Archives Pilot Program Uncovers Treasures in Station Stockrooms

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) will distribute more than $2 million in grants among 22 public television and radio stations to enable them to restore, digitize and archive valuable historical content they have gleaned from their vaults. OPB is the initiative manager for the American Archive Pilot Program initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

This summer OPB supervised the process as 25 public broadcasting radio and television stations searched through hundreds of hours of historically significant broadcast material that might otherwise have been overlooked, neglected or lost. The pilot program focused on historical media related to the American Civil Rights Movement or World War II.

In their search, stations uncovered several long-forgotten gems: documentaries on busing and school desegregation, and on racial strife in Cairo, IL; unique recordings of Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall, and Gloria Steinem; Harvey Milk and the gay rights movement; the Ku Klux Klan in Northern California; 16mm news film outtakes unseen for over 30 years; and much more.

Researchers also realized what had been lost. Many learned of interviews, documentaries and even series they could no longer find. In some cases stations can’t be sure what they have. The tapes or film must be restored before they can be viewed and catalogued.

This pilot project will lead to CPB establishing the American Archive that will house thousands of hours of public broadcasting media with a goal of making this historic content available to educators, students and the general public.

Twenty-two stations now move forward into the second phase of the program, preserving and archiving selections of their content.

Phase II television stations include: WTVS, Detroit; WNET, New York; WHUT, Howard University in Washington, DC; LPB, Baton Rouge, LA; KCPT, Kansas City, MO; IPTV, Johnston, IA; and AETN, Conway, AR.

Phase II radio stations include: WYSO, Antioch University, Yellow Springs, OH; MPR, St. Paul, MN; and KPFA, Berkeley, CA.

Phase II joint licensees, radio and television, include: WSIU, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL; WPT/WPR, Madison, WI; WGBH, Boston; WVIZ/WCPN, Cleveland; WQED, Pittsburgh; WOUB, Ohio University, Athens, OH; WKNO, Memphis; WILL, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL; WCNY, Liverpool, NY; WMPN, Jackson, MS; KQED, San Francisco, CA; and TPBA, Texas.

Oregon Public Broadcasting Selected as Initiative Manager for CPB's American Archives Pilot Program

Last modified on April 2, 2009 03:07 PM

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has selected Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) as the Initiative Manager of the American Archives Pilot Program, a project designed to determine the processes needed to restore, digitize, and preserve public broadcasting’s deteriorating collections of local television and radio content.

“The American Archive will preserve important public media content which can be accessed by Americans of all ages for years to come and in ways now made possible through technology,” said Pat Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “We are pleased to have the talented team at OPB working with us on this important initiative.”

"We know we've already lost precious footage to deterioration and neglect," says Steve Bass, president and CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting. "We at OPB are honored to be at the forefront of this effort to preserve the pictures and sounds that hold the record of our life as a nation."

As Initiative Manager, OPB will administer a Request For Proposals, awarding approximately $3 million to local public radio and television stations selected to participate in the pilot phase of the project. Awards will go to 25–30 public radio and television licensees, large and small, representing all regions of the country. The grants will help stations pay for locating, digitizing and coding their archive footage.

The pilot project will center on content related to the civil rights movement and World War II. OPB and CPB will release the request for proposals in early April, and announce station grants in mid-June. OPB, along with a team of advisors and historians, will select the participating stations.

In the future, CPB hopes to secure additional funding to establish a much larger library of historic media with a goal of making thousands of hours of material available to the public.

OPBMUSIC.ORG Launches T-Shirt Design Contest for Fans

Last modified on February 6, 2009 10:13 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting is launching a T-shirt design contest for its online music service, opbmusic.org.

opbmusic was started in January 2008 and has quickly become a go-to spot for local Northwest and national indie music. The radio program and online music service has gained a loyal following with its music selection, the weekend show In House and for its frequent live in-studios with local and national bands.

Music Director David Christensen expressed excitement about the contest. "We just passed our one-year anniversary and this is a great way to celebrate going into our second year," he said. "opbmusic fans are a smart, creative bunch so it will be fun to see what people come up with."

The contest is open to Oregon and Washington residents and entry is free. The winning designer will receive a prize pack that includes dinner for two with an opbmusic DJ, two free tickets to a concert in the Portland area and a special invitation to attend an in-studio recording session for opbmusic in the OPB Studios in Portland.

The panel of judges will include opbmusic staff along with guests from the Portland design and music community, including Chad Crouch from Hush Records, Gary Houston from Voodoo Catbox, Mark Atherton from Ames Design and several musicians from the local music community.

opbmusic will accept designs beginning Wednesday, February 11 through Tuesday, March 10. For more information and contest rules, please visit the opbmusic Web site.

About opbmusic
opbmusic is a radio program and online music service devoted to showcasing local Northwest and national musical talent. Programming features a wide array of styles, especially indie rock, with elements of Americana, roots, world music and electronica. opbmusic can be streamed 24/7 on opbmusic.org and heard on 91.5 FM Saturday and Sunday nights under the name In House from 9pm to 12am. HD listeners can tune in to opbmusic continuously on 91.5-2.

One Economy, Oregon Public Broadcasting Introduce the Meth Take Action Web Site

Last modified on November 7, 2006 10:34 AM

In Oregon, methamphetamine usage has passed marijuana by becoming the second-most abused drug by adults. To explore this devastating local issue and help facilitate solutions to the problem, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) and national nonprofit One Economy Corporation have teamed up to produce an English/Spanish Web resource. Drawing from OPB's multi-platform initiative, "Meth: The Oregon Front," this new resource focuses on educating visitors to the Web site about the impact of Meth on individuals, families and communities, as well as connecting people to information and resources throughout the state. The Meth Take Action Web site is hosted on One Economy's bilingual consumer Web site, the Beehive.

"OPB is pleased to be part of this innovative partnership," said Steve Bass, president and CEO of OPB. "We're gratified that the body of work we have done on this problem will continue to affect progress in finding solutions to this epidemic facing Oregon and the nation," said Bass. More information on OPB's meth initiative is available at www.opb.org/meth.

Meth Take Action features information and interactive content concerning methamphetamine, including warning signs of addiction and avenues for treatment. The national version of OPB's content will be available on more than 30 Beehives across the country. One Economy will feature this new content from Oregon Public Broadcasting within the Beehive's Health/Salud section. The Beehive is a national Web site that was launched by One Economy in 2001, educating users about issues like child care, transportation, housing, homework help and other relevant life tools. Since its launch, nearly nine million individuals have visited the site in both English and Spanish.

"One Economy's mission is to maximize the potential of technology to help people improve their lives," said Rob Bole, vice president, Western Region of One Economy Corporation. "We're proud to partner with committed organizations in Oregon such as Oregon Public Broadcasting, to empower families with the tools and resources they need to improve the quality of their lives."

This content and marketing partnership will serve as a model for future alliances between One Economy and Oregon Public Broadcasting.

OPB's QuickTake Northwest Podcast Wins International Award

Last modified on October 17, 2006 08:59 AM

OPB's QuickTake Northwest podcast has received a bronze medal in the New York Festivals International Radio Competition. This is the first time an OPB Radio production has received a medal in the New York Festivals. The achievement establishes OPB near the top of the game in this new media format.

Introduced in the summer of 2005 and hosted by OPB's Morning Edition host April Baer, QuickTake Northwest offers regional news, sports, weather and music features in a downloadable format for podcasting applications to play whenever the listener wants.

Download one of the podcasting applications, follow the installation instructions and subscribe to one or more of OPB's podcasts at opb.org/podcasts/

More information on the New York Festivals

Sponsorship by EasyStreet Assists OPB in Podcast Initiative

Last modified on February 1, 2006 01:58 PM

Oregon Public Broadcasting is pleased to announce that EasyStreet has stepped up as the first podcast sponsor of three popular OPB programs: Oregon Considered, Oregon Territory and April Baer's Quicktake Northwest, available exclusively over the Internet. These podcasts allow OPB Radio listeners the opportunity to hear news about the Pacific Northwest at their convenience and are available at opb.org/podcasts.

"We know that OPB Radio listeners are tech savvy and have a strong interest in news," said Dan Metziga, senior vice president of development for OPB. "There's great interest in programs that highlight regional news and political, environmental and public policy issues that face our region," he said. "We're very pleased that EasyStreet has agreed to a 90-day exclusive sponsorship, beginning February 1, of programs that fulfill this need."

"EasyStreet was there to help sponsor the launch of OPB's first Web site in 1997, and we've been there ever since," said Rich Bader, EasyStreet's president and CEO. "We're delighted we get to help support another significant OPB Internet initiative. It's a great way for 'Net-savvy' listeners to get their OPB fix."

"EasyStreet is an ideal business partner," said Metziga. "Not only are they strong advocates of OPB, but they are willing to lend their support to new ventures. The funding of business partners like EasyStreet is extremely important to OPB as we try and broaden our services across the emerging multi-platform communications environment."

EasyStreet is Oregon's largest independent Internet and IT service provider, offering high-speed access, shared and managed hosting, colocation, monitoring, disaster recovery and advanced data center solutions. EasyStreet is on the Web at www.easystreet.com.

OPB Launches Lewis & Clark Web Site

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

Let OPB's new Lewis and Clark Web site be your guide to the local events, resources and OPB TV and Radio programs commemorating the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

When you log on to www.opb.org/lewisandclark, you'll find information about events and activities throughout the state.

You can also download our Explorer Guides which highlight day trips and related activities tied to Lewis and Clark's travels in Oregon and Washington. These Guides, which were created in collaboration with the National Park Service and Destination: The Pacific, also feature some fun activities for parents and kids to try together. A new Explorer Guide will be added to the site each week.

"April's Mop-Up" of Northwest News Posted on OPB.org

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

OPB's Morning Host April Baer peruses the Internet every morning (when not on the air) and rounds up interesting stories from and about the Northwest.

From the Washington Post to the Ontario Argus Observer, she collects the news you need into "April's Mop-Up" and posts it on our Web site. Read "April's Mop-Up" of the day's news every day at www.opb.org/radio.