Murray State’s public radio station, WKMS has been selected for an exclusive podcast training program, Project Catapult, through The Public Radio Exchange (PRX) after an extensive application process. PRX is a nonprofit web-based platform that champions experimentation, risk-taking and stepping outside of creative comfort zones — and they do this through undertakings like Project Catapult, a public media podcast accelerator that launched in 2016.
Project Catapult encourages stations around the country to create podcasts meaningful to their communities and provides a 20-week curriculum that includes content development, audience engagement, and monetization strategies, as well as a $70,000 grant for the project.
There have been two cohorts to date. And the third has just been announced including WKMS-FM.
The six chosen participants and their podcast ideas include:
WKMS in Murray, Kentucky- unpacking preconceptions of living in rural America.
East Tennessee PBS in Knoxville, Tennessee -place the historical Black experience in Appalachia into today’s national context.
KPBS in San Diego, California - stories of art and culture at one of the world’s busiest border crossings.
WAMU in Washington, D.C. - investigates how the city is responding to homelessness following the tragic disappearance of a young girl.
WWNO/WRKF in New Orleans/Baton Rouge, Louisiana – seeks answers to questions about climate change and its impact on everyday people
Wyoming Public Radio in Laramie, Wyoming- searches for stories that reveal the evolving identity of the American West.
WKMS receives a $70,000 grant to help build and develop a podcast that focuses on rural “Fly Over Country” for a national audience. The WKMS project personnel include Austin Carter, WKMS Host/Operations Director; Ariel Lavery, Independent Producer; and Dixie Lynn, WKMS Corporate Support Manager.
The team is part of a weeklong intensive training in Boston, MA., in October, and the project culminates in a celebratory live showcase in March 2020. From there, PRX will work with each team to ensure a smooth launch for their respective stations.