Community media center and public media organization forge innovative partnership
I am thrilled to share the news of Davis Media Access’s groundbreaking partnership with KVIE-–our region’s Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) station.
Last September, KVIE launched Abridged, a daily local newsletter for the Sacramento area. Now they are teaming up with DMA’s Yolo Local initiative to launch a weekly newsletter for Yolo County. You can sign up for it here!
When I stepped into the role of executive director at Davis Media Access (DMA) almost 20 years ago, it was with a clear vision there was a different path for our organization, one based on centering our work through community partnerships versus focusing solely on bringing people to our facility.
I saw the media center as a hub, with its work carried out through various projects, and with support from many, I’ve driven the organization in pursuit of that goal, resulting in partnerships with the City of Davis; Davis Joint Unified School District; Woodland Community College; local musicians and businesses; elected officials, and nonprofits around the county.
Yolo Local was the next unfolding of this vision, rooted in a belief that DMA has a role to play in addressing the decline of local news and information that meets community needs.
This new collaboration between a community media center and a public media organization is not only extremely rare, it’s proof of both rising to meet the moment, and the need. Bringing the learnings from Yolo Local’s community-engaged needs assessment together with Abridged’s editorial framework, this partnership will serve residents with listening sessions, events and a weekly newsletter dedicated to Yolo County. Importantly, it will be free to access and driven by community input. Read the full story.
We want to get this newsletter to as many Yolo County residents as possible. Can you help? Please sign up for the Abridged Yolo County newsletter, and help spread the news through your own networks. I’m delighted to share that jesikah maria ross, who has served as Yolo Local’s advisor from the start, is on board for the start of this phase.
DMA/Yolo Local faces many challenges, including finding funding to grow this work and our capacity. But in a world where big media is failing to provide information that contributes to the health of our communities, and media at all levels is under duress, we’ve come together with KVIE/Abridged as partners committed in service to Yolo County.
Autumn Labbé-Renault
Executive Director, Davis Media Access