Adding talent and younger listeners
Jun 25, 2024
Last spring, our son, a college junior at the time, became an MPR member. Living in Atlanta, he said he wanted to keep in touch with news and music from home by streaming and downloading MPR content. Plus, he’d decided it was important to support the service he relied on. So, he became a sustainer, just like his mom and dad. He wanted me to know he’d put his own money behind his listening.
I share this story not just because I was moved by his decision. I share it because he is one example of a key demographic that is a high priority for MPR’s strategic focus and future: young adults. Today’s 20-and 30-somethings don’t listen to the radio at the rate previous generations did, and they’re not simply going to age into it. We need to engage them on the platforms and in the ways that suit their needs and interests.
Relevance through Reverb
Last month we launched Reverb, an initiative to make news more approachable for younger adults through multiplatform coverage. That means not only producing content that we broadcast on the radio and stream online but also producing content for social media channels such as Instagram and TikTok, OnDemand content such as podcasts, live events across the state and more. Millennials surpassed Baby Boomers in 2020 as the US’s largest population and Gen Z makes up 20 percent of the population. We need to meet this digital-first generation where they are.
Reverb is led by Kaila White, a digital editor who joined MPR in 2022 from the Arizona Republic. She works with a core team of four young journalists, as well as others across the newsroom who craft news, culture, and compelling stories accessible on mobile, online, and through social media. This exciting initiative coincides with the launch late last month of MPR News’ new website.
Reverb is an initiative to pull more young people into our orbit. It gives us a path to provide more news and information that aligns with our brand and values in a way that attracts twentysomethings and thirtysomethings as well. The Reverb team also collaborates with other journalists in the MPR newsroom to create content. Reverb will be a learning journey for us as we work to build audience and support in this age group.
We recognize that we have an opportunity to help our region be more informed. If we get this right, it'll help other public media outlets, many of which don't have the resources we do. We want to have an impact across the entire public media ecosystem. The industry publication Current covered the Reverb launch with a great story you can read here.
Nourish Your Feed Campaign
We’re spreading the word about Reverb through a new marketing campaign, too. The “Nourish Your Feed" campaign is running via YouTube, TikTok, Meta (Facebook & Instagram), and digital billboards in the Dinkytown area of Minneapolis.
Check out a clip of a 30-second spot from the campaign.
The media you consume matters. Much like the food you consume. I started my day listening to MPR News and I had a salad for lunch. Not a corn dog. (I’m saving my corn-dog indulgence for the State Fair.) We’re giving key audiences a reason to choose us and consume our fact-based, non-partisan engaging stories. We’ve already surpassed one million likes and 26,000 followers on TikTok. So, it’s working!
Our goals with the marketing campaign are to build brand awareness with new audiences, and for people to consider adding MPR News to their digital life via social media, our new website, and our email newsletters. Reverb is a very collaborative and cross-functional effort that will come to life in exciting ways for our existing audiences.
Aiming to stay
We want to be around for another 57 years and longer. That will require being relevant to more Minnesotans. We’ve revamped all three of our regional services’ websites over the past year. They are designed to make it easy for you to find what you want to hear, read, watch, consume; we want you to discover things you didn’t know you wanted to hear. Please look at each website: YourClassical, The Current, and MPR News, and tell me what you think. What do you like? What more do you want?
As we close our fiscal year on June 30, we also prepare for important work to come. It’s essential that we continue to work together to grow public media in service to all, including younger generations. As has been true throughout MPR’s history, we can only innovate with your support. Moreover, in an historic election season, a time when we need trusted, authentic conversation on the relevant issues of our day, the choice to support public media matters. If you have already given this year, thank you sincerely! I hope you will make a special additional gift to help us reach our fiscal year-end goal. If you haven’t yet donated this year, please act now and give during this important moment to power the future of public media. Thank you again for all your support.
Duchesne Drew
President, Minnesota Public Radio
About Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew is Senior Vice President of American Public Media Group and President of Minnesota Public Radio. In this role, he leads the teams that produce MPR News, The Current, APM Reports and Marketplace. Additionally, he oversees YourClassical MPR as a part of Minnesota Public Radio.