Sparking Connections

Bringing thoughtful and timely news to listeners that sparks connections and helps people make informed decisions is a key part of NHPR’s mission. The fiscal year saw NHPR responding to events by working to better serve a growing audience and reach out to new audiences.

Sharing Local New Hampshire News with Spanish-speaking Audiences

The Hispanic population is the largest minority group in New Hampshire and has more than doubled in size since 2000, according to 2019 US Census data. Likewise, Spanish speakers are the state’s largest group of non-English speakers. Traditionally, these communities have been underserved by news media in our state - a gap made urgent by the coronavirus pandemic.

In May 2020, NHPR launched ¿Que Hay de Nuevo, New Hampshire? (What’s New, New Hampshire?). This five-minute news capsule is distributed in Spanish using WhatsApp, the messaging app most widely used by Spanish speakers in New Hampshire, and hosted by bilingual NHPR reporter Daniela Allee. NHPR added a Spanish-language presence on its website, hosting roundups of the day’s most important news stories impacting the Latino community. NHPR also helped establish an advisory board that serves as a resource on news and issues related to Latino communities in the state.

Covering the 2020 Primary Election

As the state with the “first in the nation” primary, New Hampshire was again a strong draw for presidential candidates. NHPR’s 2020 Primary NH web page provided a central location where people could access links to election coverage, NHPR’s politics-themed e-newsletter, links to shows from The Exchange relating to the election or national politics, useful data and visual journalism features and more.

NHPR and its public media partner New Hampshire PBS again hosted The Exchange Candidate Forums, during which voters had opportunities to submit questions and hear from the candidates for President. In the busy days leading up to Primary Day on February 11, NHPR also hosted nationally renowned journalists Robin Young of Here & Now and Amy Walter of The Takeaway for lively community events open to select members and the public. Little did we know at the time, but these events would mark our last public engagements at the station for a long time to come. 

An Important Conversation Around Racial Justice

As it has for many public radio stations, groups and institutions in our country, the killing of George Floyd in May 2020 and the Black Lives Matter and related protests that followed led us to look within. The ongoing social justice conversation spurred NHPR staff to examine more closely our coverage of the news and reinvigorate our organizational  commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion.

As part of this process, the station developed a policy on being an anti-racist organization; established goals related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and provided staff with training and resources. In our journalism, we have boosted our coverage of communities of color, sought and strengthened relationships with diverse sources, and examined our reporting practices to ensure stories from and about underrepresented communities are better and more fairly represented.

Banner image: Hundreds gathered at a Black Lives Matter vigil at Manchester’s Stark Park in June 2020. Photo by Sarah Gibson.