Public Radio Core Values in a Web 2.0 World

Public Radio’s Core Values are frequently mentioned on this blog, most recently in the context of how public radio can preserve and apply its Core Values across new distribution channels and in social media. That’s a topic worthy of further conversation, so let’s start one.

First, some background. About 8 years ago PRPD, the professional association for public radio program directors, set out to uncover and articulate Public Radio’s Core Values. The process was thorough and included resources to help stations and program producers identify and nurture Core Values in all forms of programming including fundraising, underwriting, and promotion.

Today’s challenge is to do the same in a Web 2.0 world, especially with blogs and user-generated content. On one hand, public radio needs to ensure the Core Values of the “brand” are protected. On the other hand public radio can’t ignore or suppress the richness of Web 2.0 opportunities.

How does that happen? Which of public radio’s core values have universal application? That is, they apply on the radio, to the written word, on video, and in community dialog. Which of public radio’s core values don’t translate to Web 2.0? Do other values need to be uncovered and defined so public radio can maintain its identify in new spaces? Does public radio’s identity change beyond calling it public “media?” How so?

Leave comments here or join the dialogue at DirectCurrent.

To ensure that “Core Values” isn’t reduced to a mere buzz phrase, here’s a link to the original introductory report from the PRPD Core Values project. Please read it as part of participating in this discussion, even if you read it before. And here are the Core Values:

Qualities of the Mind and Intellect
Love of lifelong learning
Substance
Curiosity
Credibility
Accuracy
Honesty
Respect for the listener
Purpose

Qualities of the Heart and Spirit
Humor
Idealism
Inspired about public life and culture
Belief in civility and civil discourse
Generosity

Qualities of Craft
A uniquely human voice
Pacing that's appropriate to the substance of the content
Attention to the smallest details of music, sound, language

It's the Content, People

Spotted on a social media blog the other day -- "response via Twitter."

It reminded me of those motels that still have signs that say COLOR TV. Or ABC's Wide World of Sports showing a graphic telling viewers they are watching an event via satellite. And the 1980s DJs telling listeners that the next cut is from a CD.

Kind of pointless.

Change Is Not New To Public Radio

Public radio has changed in significant ways over the past few decades. The funding mix is very different with listener-sensitive revenues playing a more important role than subsidies. For better and worse, NPR's relationship with stations isn't what is used to be. There are three major networks. Audience research plays a prominent role in how programming decisions are made.

Change is not new and lessons from the past could be very useful today. For example, there are strong similarities between many of today's Web 2.0 proponents and many of those advocating the use of audience research in the 1980s, including:

1. The ability to see change coming
2. The ability to visualize opportunities to grow public service and revenues through change
3. Low tolerance for slow adopters

While there's no way to know for sure if low tolerance further slowed the industry's ability to appropriately apply and benefit from good audience research, it certainly couldn't have helped.

The question facing the today's visionaries is this, can lessons from the past help you speed public radio's success in a Web 2.0 world or are you destined to make the same mistakes as those who preceded you?