Building Stronger Communities

As the impact and danger of the COVID-19 pandemic became more critical, the state of New Hampshire declared a COVID-19 emergency on March 13. In turn, NHPR recognized the need for additional initiatives to keep listeners informed and connected during a time of fear, confusion and social isolation, as people were told to isolate themselves, restaurants and stores closed, and many schools shifted to remote learning.

Reporting on COVID-19 in New Hampshire

As the public health crisis unfolded, our newsroom team strived to cover the coronavirus story from all angles. A central portal on the NHPR website collated stories and updates related to the pandemic, with an FAQ section and a live blog.

NHPR established a dedicated COVID-19 e-newsletter; each day, it included the latest maps and statistics on the impact of the virus and information from national and state public health authorities. On-air, local reporting - which included frequent two-way interviews with the state’s epidemiologists, Gov. Chris Sununu and other elected officials - was enhanced by national and global news from partners like NPR and the BBC. 

New Hampshire Calling: Connecting to the Community

To provide a place for Granite State residents to share stories and help people feel less isolated in the early days of the pandemic, NHPR launched New Hampshire Calling. This “pop-up” call-in show hosted by Jack Rodolico aired most weekday evenings in the spring of 2020, offering listeners a “virtual hearth” to connect with NHPR and each other.

Driven by audience participation, the show asked listeners to share their responses to such questions as: What are you thinking about? What are you worrying about? Where are you finding joy right now? Designed to meet an urgent need at a difficult time, the last program aired July 1, 2020. 

Civics 101: Educating Middle and High School Students

In fiscal year 2019-2020, NHPR’s Civics 101 podcast continued to expand its list of episodes and educational tools on the fundamentals of the U.S. government and democratic principles. In February 2020, the winners of the 3rd annual student contest were announced and some of the finalists were featured on All Things Considered in an interview with NPR’s Ari Shapiro. 

When COVID-19 caused many schools to shift to at-home learning, hosts Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice began creating daily educational activities and lessons to help support educators, parents and students navigating remote learning. Additionally, Civics 101 organized an advisory board of middle and high school social studies teachers called The Cabinet  to recommend episode topics and create lessons tied to Civics 101 episodes. 

In the run-up to the presidential election, Civics 101 collected its election-related materials into an Election Headquarters on its website. Since its launch in 2017, Civics 101 has been downloaded 8.3 million times by listeners in every state and more than 50 countries.

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS 

NHPR maintains relationships and partnerships with organizations and community groups throughout the state, including arts and culture institutions such as the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, the Palace Theater in Manchester, Symphony NH, the New London Barn Playhouse and the League of NH Craftsmen.

Through a long-running relationship with The Music Hall in Portsmouth, our Writers on a New England Stage events brought nationally renowned authors Malcolm Gladwell, Michael Connelly, David Blight and Ann Patchett to New Hampshire audiences for literary conversations. And for the seventh year running, NHPR’s partnership with Stay Work Play honored outstanding young professionals from throughout New Hampshire who make the state a great place.