2006 Community Development Award
Presented to Friends of KET "Listening Project"
Kentucky Educational Television
Nomination Narrative:
KET, with the assistance of the Friends of KET Board, has embarked on a multi-year project to “reconnect” with the citizens of the Commonwealth. We are establishing forums (made up of 10-12 individuals from diverse backgrounds) to share opinions and reflections about their communities, and to provide insight about their unique features, issues and challenges. This project is an important venue for KET to hear ideas and suggestions for program and outreach projects. KET is the only medium that connects the entire state.
These meetings are informal, and the venues have ranged from living rooms to bank boardrooms. Mac Wall, Executive Director of KET, opens the conversations by asking a series of questions, and then sits back and listens to the dialogue between the participants. We want to hear from the participants their feelings (good and bad) about their community, their state, and their thoughts on how KET can work to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Kentucky. One other KET staff person attends each meeting and acts as the Scribe. The Scribe records the high points and themes of the meetings – and then types them up, using a template that has been prepared.
The KET staff is using the information gleamed from these meetings to determine future outreach projects, possible local productions and to make certain that the mission of KET is pertinent to the ever changing landscape of the 21st century. As of July 1, 2006, the Friends of KET have conducted 20 Listening Projects in every corner of the state, and more are on the calendar.
Desired Objectives:
These Listening Projects are forums for the public to share opinions and reflections about their communities and to provide insight about their unique features, issues and challenges.
To determine individual perceptions about KET and its ability to address community issues.
This project is an important venue for KET to hear ideas and suggestions for program and outreach projects, as well as to listen to criticisms and compliments from viewers and nonviewers alike.
KET needs to reconnect with the population. We realized the need to instill the concept that KET is their local medium that does and can reconnect the Commonwealth with traditional and new technologies.
The Friends of KET, with their connections in their own communities, know better than anyone who should be included in these listening projects. They can convene their neighbors, business associates and civic leaders to a forum to share ideas and to listen to each other.
We will have the opportunity to partner with local and regional entities, organizations and groups. From these partnerships, we will be able to determine the problems and “pluses” that all communities, large and small, have in common.
Costs:
One of the great advantages of these Listening Projects is the minimal cost involved. The participants are usually invited via email or phone. The venue for these meetings is at the discretion of the Friends Board member.
Results:
As a result of conducting 20 Listening Projects to-date, KET has discovered several reoccurring themes that have surfaced during these sessions. Health issues (to use one example) are a big concern across the Commonwealth: childhood obesity, smoking, drug abuse, etc. KET has been able to take the information from these “listening” sessions and direct much of our local programming towards health issues, our Be Well Kentucky series, as an example.
It is difficult to give final results, as this will be an on-going project for the Friends of KET. This multi-year project sprang from a Friends Executive Committee Summer Planning Retreat two years ago. The Friends have taken this project on as their own. They have embraced it and pushed it forward. Because of their help, KET has reconnected with the citizens of the state, and we are using our statewide presence to help change lives.
Presented to Friends of KET "Listening Project"
Kentucky Educational Television
Nomination Narrative:
KET, with the assistance of the Friends of KET Board, has embarked on a multi-year project to “reconnect” with the citizens of the Commonwealth. We are establishing forums (made up of 10-12 individuals from diverse backgrounds) to share opinions and reflections about their communities, and to provide insight about their unique features, issues and challenges. This project is an important venue for KET to hear ideas and suggestions for program and outreach projects. KET is the only medium that connects the entire state.
These meetings are informal, and the venues have ranged from living rooms to bank boardrooms. Mac Wall, Executive Director of KET, opens the conversations by asking a series of questions, and then sits back and listens to the dialogue between the participants. We want to hear from the participants their feelings (good and bad) about their community, their state, and their thoughts on how KET can work to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Kentucky. One other KET staff person attends each meeting and acts as the Scribe. The Scribe records the high points and themes of the meetings – and then types them up, using a template that has been prepared.
The KET staff is using the information gleamed from these meetings to determine future outreach projects, possible local productions and to make certain that the mission of KET is pertinent to the ever changing landscape of the 21st century. As of July 1, 2006, the Friends of KET have conducted 20 Listening Projects in every corner of the state, and more are on the calendar.
Desired Objectives:
These Listening Projects are forums for the public to share opinions and reflections about their communities and to provide insight about their unique features, issues and challenges.
To determine individual perceptions about KET and its ability to address community issues.
This project is an important venue for KET to hear ideas and suggestions for program and outreach projects, as well as to listen to criticisms and compliments from viewers and nonviewers alike.
KET needs to reconnect with the population. We realized the need to instill the concept that KET is their local medium that does and can reconnect the Commonwealth with traditional and new technologies.
The Friends of KET, with their connections in their own communities, know better than anyone who should be included in these listening projects. They can convene their neighbors, business associates and civic leaders to a forum to share ideas and to listen to each other.
We will have the opportunity to partner with local and regional entities, organizations and groups. From these partnerships, we will be able to determine the problems and “pluses” that all communities, large and small, have in common.
Costs:
One of the great advantages of these Listening Projects is the minimal cost involved. The participants are usually invited via email or phone. The venue for these meetings is at the discretion of the Friends Board member.
Results:
As a result of conducting 20 Listening Projects to-date, KET has discovered several reoccurring themes that have surfaced during these sessions. Health issues (to use one example) are a big concern across the Commonwealth: childhood obesity, smoking, drug abuse, etc. KET has been able to take the information from these “listening” sessions and direct much of our local programming towards health issues, our Be Well Kentucky series, as an example.
It is difficult to give final results, as this will be an on-going project for the Friends of KET. This multi-year project sprang from a Friends Executive Committee Summer Planning Retreat two years ago. The Friends have taken this project on as their own. They have embraced it and pushed it forward. Because of their help, KET has reconnected with the citizens of the state, and we are using our statewide presence to help change lives.