COMMUNITY BUILDING

Americans need public media. But what we needed from public media yesterday is not what we need from it today.

Join fellow public media broadcasters to learn how we can put community building strategies into action.

YOUR AUDIENCE CRAVES COMMUNITY – BUT WHERE DO YOU START?

Public radio stations have never faced more pressure. They’re competing with more content creators than ever, fundraising is getting harder, and now the federal government is taking aim at public media’s reputation.

Most stations are responding the same way: by doubling down on content—making more of it, repurposing it, delivering it in new formats. But here’s the problem: people aren’t asking for more content.

They’re asking for something else.

Last fall, in a study called RUN (Researching Unmet Needs), PMCC, PMDMC, and the Station Resource Group surveyed 30,000 Americans to find out what they want from public media. The biggest takeaway?

“People are craving community and local, in-person connection. They want to engage with each other—and with their area—not just online.”

UPCOMING FREE WEBINAR

Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 1:00p ET/10:00a PT

Register Here

The 2024 Researching Unmet Needs study found that the #1 thing Americans want from public media is community and connection. A Joining Fair gives stations a practical way to meet that need.

A Joining Fair brings local clubs, organizations, associations, volunteer groups, and other community organizations together in one place so people can discover ways to get involved. For public radio stations, it’s also an opportunity to go beyond broadcasting to an audience and create opportunities for listeners to connect with one another.

Join Seth Resler for a conversation with Pete Davis, co-producer and co-director of the documentary Join or Die, and Brian Adoff, founder of Join Philly. We’ll explore why joining matters, what makes a Joining Fair work, and how public radio stations can use their existing reach, relationships, and resources to organize one in their own communities.