CENTENNIAL, Colo. – June 6, 2011– Colorado Public Radio (CPR) has hired pioneering multimedia journalist Lee Hill to expand and intensify community input into its local news coverage through its Public Insight Network (PIN).
The Public Insight Network is an online tool used to gather perspective from the Colorado community. CPR asks listeners to visit cpr.org and sign up to share their expertise about issues shaping Colorado's future. Information from PIN deepens CPR's local news coverage by providing reporters with additional sources to shape their stories.
As Public Insight Network reporter and analyst, Hill will lead CPR's efforts to engage the public around key news events of they day, and reach out to new audiences that reflect the diversity of Colorado.
“People in Colorado are living today's news stories, gaining expert insight into the issues through their own experiences,” Hill said. “By sharing their stories through PIN, people in the community can enhance the reporting they hear on air and ensure that our coverage provides deeper insight into the issues affecting Coloradans.”
“Lee will be launching a conversation with listeners and others in the community to ensure our reporting is more thorough,” said Kelley Griffin, CPR's news director. “It is easy to report stories about the movers and the shakers. As Lee puts it, PIN will enable us to tell more stories of the ‘moved and shaken’, stories from the people who are directly affected by policies and current events.”
One example of how input from the Public Insight Network was used to add more depth to CPR's coverage is a report on school class sizes increasing as budgets shrink.
Hill comes to Colorado from National Public Radio (NPR) in Washington, D.C., where he was a founding producer of “Tell Me More,” hosted by Michel Martin. The production was the first NPR program to begin as a blog and evolve into a daily award-winning news and talk program. Hill's experience in digital media will enable him to share experiences and perspectives from members of the public who want their voices to be heard on issues like education, budget battles and the impact of the economy on jobs and small businesses. He’ll also be looking to learn what stories people aren’t hearing elsewhere.
“In Colorado, CPR is the gold standard for quality, in-depth news and information on the radio dial with an audience that loves to be engaged,” said Hill. “My mission is to reach out to all Coloradans and involve the community in our news gathering process to ensure that we are bringing diverse perspectives to all our stories.”
Before gaining expertise in digital media at NPR, Hill supervised listener correspondence for NPR's Audience Services group and refocused the network's daily online engagement with listeners. He also worked as junior editor for The Milwaukee Courier and served as correspondent for “Teen Summit,” a public affairs program on Black Entertainment Television (BET). He holds a degree from Howard University where he studied journalism, broadcast management and economics.
Colorado Public Radio is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides 24-hour, in-depth news and classical music to about 450,000 listeners each week (Source: Arbitron, Spring / Fall 2010). More than 90 percent of CPR's funds come from the private support of listeners, businesses, and foundations.
In-Depth News: Denver 90.1 FM and 1340 AM, Boulder 1490 AM, Pueblo 1230 AM, Vail 89.9 FM, Grand Junction 89.5 FM, Montrose / Craig / Parachute 88.3 FM, Gunnison 88.5 FM, Ouray 91.5 FM, Meeker / Rangely 91.1 FM, and online at www.CPR.org.
Classical Music: Denver 88.1 FM, Boulder 99.9 FM, Pueblo 91.9 FM, Colorado Springs 94.7 FM, Glenwood Springs 90.5 FM, Aspen 101.5 FM, Western Slope 103.3 FM, Dove Creek 88.7 FM, Gunnison 89.1 FM, Cortez 102.5 FM, Crystal River Valley / Old Snowmass 93.9 FM, Thomasville 93.7 FM, and online at www.CPR.org.
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