Our partners over at KUNR just recently published two articles that were the result of wonderful community outreach and engagement. They’ve been collecting responses at community events as well as conducting surveys about what the people want to know about them. They’ve also been finding out what people are interested in them reporting. This article will provide a preview of both of these articles, as well as links to both in case you’re interested in learning more.
KUNR FAQ: Answers to community questions about the station
An important part of KUNR’s mission is to listen to our community. By holding in-person events, collecting questions at community festivals, and listening to the people we interview, we have identified eight frequently asked questions shared with us by community members.
Below you’ll find responses to help you understand more about KUNR and the services we provide:
- What is KUNR?
- What is the difference between the local and national news coverage provided by KUNR?
- When can I hear KUNR local and national news broadcasts on the air?
- What does KUNR offer in regards to live coverage of major events, both national and local?
- How can I listen to KUNR and find the station’s content online?
- How does KUNR partner with other local media and community organizations?
- Is KUNR a music radio station?
- How can I contact KUNR if I have a story idea, question, or feedback about the station’s programming?
1. What is KUNR?
KUNR Public Radio is a nonprofit, non-commercial, listener-supported public radio station serving Northern Nevada and Eastern California. The station is located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. KUNR is licensed to the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, which also holds the licenses for KNCC, our station in Elko, and KNCJ Nevada Classical and Jazz.
We embrace our nonprofit status and mission of public service. We operate as a largely self-sustaining entity within UNR, generating revenue from listener contributions, business underwriting, tax-based federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and grants from supporters.
2. What is the difference between the local and national news coverage provided by KUNR?
KUNR’s team of award-winning reporters based in Reno and Elko is on the ground in the community, producing stories about our Northern Nevada and Eastern Sierra community, in both English and Spanish.
Other stories that air on KUNR are not produced by our local team. KUNR has been a member station of National Public Radio (NPR) since 1981. This means that the station airs reporting produced by NPR reporters and contributing reporters from other member stations around the country. KUNR also carries programs from American Public Media, Public Radio International (PRI), and other services.
In 2019, KUNR joined the Mountain West News Bureau (MWNB), a collaboration of regional public radio stations which produce and share journalism about the Mountain West region. The MWNB is supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as well as its contributing and affiliate stations.
To see the answers to the rest of the questions, click here!
Content guide: Explore KUNR reporting by topic
Over the past five months, KUNR has collected almost 50 community responses to a survey asking: What questions or story ideas do you have about Northern Nevada for the reporting team at KUNR Public Radio?
KUNR staff shared this survey at in-person events, as well as digitally on KUNR’s website and social media. Below is a breakdown of the main themes that community members expressed the most interest in and links to KUNR’s reporting on those topics:
Politics
KUNR offers Purple Politics Nevada, the station’s monthly politics show hosted by democracy reporter Lucia Starbuck. The name refers to the fact that the state isn’t blue or red — it’s both.
Season 2 returned in October 2023 and will follow Nevada politics and the 2024 election. Each month, Starbuck will speak with candidates running for office, policymakers seeking change, and Nevada voters about the issues that matter the most to them.
New episodes air on the second or third Friday of the month and are available online in the “Purple Politics Nevada” section of the website.
Additional local politics reporting from the KUNR news team is available in the “Politics & Policy” section of KUNR.org. This area of the website also includes local investigative reporting from KUNR’s Bert Johnson related to political extremism.
Education
Jose Davila IV reports on K-12 education for KUNR as a Report For America corps member. He focuses on Latino students and families in Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra and reports bilingually in both English and Spanish.
Read all of KUNR’s education coverage in the “Education” section of KUNR.org.
You can learn about the rest of the topics by following the link here!
These articles were originally written by Natalie Van Hoozer and reported by KUNR.