VPM - Media That Moves Us Forward

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

VPM aspires to be Virginians’ essential resource for factual, trusted news about Virginia, a window into the region’s arts and culture and a key community partner that ensures every child in our region has the best start in life.

This bold vision will require a bold investment.

To be relevant and sustainable for the next generation, we must be agile and innovative. To carry out our mission and realize our vision of more connected, informed and empathetic Virginians, we need a new home.

We envision our new headquarters as a vibrant hub of activity equipped with modern technology and production capabilities, a state-of-the-art newsroom and accessible community spaces.

We need your partnership in this transformation.

The Media That Moves Us Forward capital campaign is an opportunity for you to help safeguard VPM’s future.

© Michael Simon

Your generosity will strengthen Virginians’ connection to local news, arts and culture and a lifeline of support for educators and caregivers.

Sincerely,

Jayme Swain President and CEO, VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media

VPM’S HEADQUARTERS WILL BE A HUB OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

WITH YOUR SUPPORT, VPM WILL:

Become the go-to source for trusted, factual news about Virginia

An informed society is the bedrock of democracy. Amid a shrinking local news landscape, we are growing our investment in journalism to cover the most pressing issues facing Virginia’s communities.

Amplify what unites us as Virginians through expanded arts & culture offerings

By weaving together stories of common experiences and shared history, we inspire empathy and spark conversations meant to ripple throughout the community.

Be an essential ally to caregivers, educators and community partners in early childhood care and education.

Over half of Virginia’s children do not have access to preschool. We will fortify our

VPM reaches nearly 2 million people in a service area that includes the Nielsen’s Defined Market Areas (DMA) of Richmond-Petersburg, Harrisonburg and Charlottesville.

- PETERSBURG HARRISONBURG CHARLOTTESVILLE

The new VPM headquarters is estimated to cost between $50-$60 million. Our foundation, the Virginia Foundation for Public Media, will provide significant funding. We are also seeking support from the communities we serve to help see this vision come to life.

$8 million

Funding Goal

“I love the local shows on VPM and hearing the stories from our community because they have to do with me and everything I think is important for my community in Harrisonburg and for all of Virginia. I’m proud to be a part of the VPM family in making an impact locally.”

– Tassie Pippert, VPM Media Corporation Board of Directors and host of “Un-Wine’d”

“As a source of factual news about Virginia, a provider of arts and cultural stories that reflect the Commonwealth and a safe place for educational children’s programming, I believe in supporting VPM as a vital asset in strengthening communities across Virginia for generations to come.”

– Jim Cheng, Virginia Foundation for Public Media Board of Directors

“Right now, in our country, we are very polarized around race, around religion, around politics. I’ve gotten involved as a leader at VPM because I think we need things that bring us together. VPM highlights arts and culture, which is an avenue for bringing us together. VPM brings information and local expertise, but you also get the stories. It’s the stories that really move people.”

– Ebony Walden, VPM Media Corporation Board of Directors

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OBJECTIVE: To be an essential partner to caregivers, educators and community partners in early childhood education

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120K+ monthly visitors to VPM.org Public Media Journalism Awards Edward R. Murrow Awards

Virginia’s Associated Press Broadcasters Awards

“In my Technical Writing and Media Relations courses, I’ve shown several clips [of VPM News Focal Point] to talk about the accountability between journalists and public relations/ communications professionals, especially in the context of government and nonprofit professionals. It would not be overstating to say that it is an absolutely necessary part of the information landscape in Central Virginia and beyond, especially given the collapse of other media outlets.”

– Judi W. Crenshaw, Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Robertson School of Media and Culture

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Anchor Angie Miles on the set of VPM News Focal Point.

© Angie Miles Miles and Focal Point crew on set.

Introducing VPM News Focal Point

VPM News brings depth and context to stories that shape the lives of our audience, and we are committed to maximizing the impact of our local journalism.

In 2022, the weekly newsmagazine “VPM News Focal Point” debuted with a splash, bringing a fresh perspective to local news. Anchored by veteran journalist Angie Miles, the half-hour program tackles pressing topics like mental health, inflation and public safety, diving into each theme and shedding light on how communities across Virginia are addressing related challenges.

“Focal Point” has already made its mark, winning honors from the National Educational Television Association and the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters for reporting excellence.

This is the first election cycle in a long time where I didn’t feel anxious. I stopped paying attention to polling and national pundits. I primarily focused on Virginia and local stories on NPR. … I think @myVPM has it right with the People’s Agenda. Shift political reporting to issues voters care about, instead of the horse jockeying.

– Sheri Shannon via Twitter

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Audience-First Reporting

From the capital of the Commonwealth, VPM News is in a prime position to report on the biggest political stories in the state. But an audience-centered approach to newsgathering means asking questions on behalf of the citizens.

At the heart of the People’s Agenda initiative, VPM News asks voters a single question: What do you want the candidates to talk about as they compete for votes?

Input from the public is used to shape election season coverage and candidate questions for VPM News broadcast debates, producing reporting that illustrates how policy making will impact voters’ lives.

ARTS & CULTURE BY THE NUMBERS

OBJECTIVE: To amplify what unites us as Virginians through expanded arts & culture offerings

196 podcasters in attendance at the first-ever Resonate Podcast Festival

© Candice Patrice

© Scott Elmquist | Jeffrey Bland

Forty Years of Style Weekly... And Counting

For four decades, Style Weekly has been known as Central Virginia’s alternative voice for news, culture, arts and creative thought. But the popular publication almost didn’t make it to 40.

Following the weekly’s sale to a hedge fund in 2021, VPM Media Corporation, VPM’s parent company, acquired and saved this local gem. Fans of Style Weekly can now find its arts and culture coverage, awardwinning photojournalism and community calendar online at styleweekly.com and on social media. Plus, after the popular release of a special 40th anniversary print edition, Style Weekly announced plans for a new website, email newsletters, and yes, even an occasional special print edition.

“From the beginning, Style’s support of the arts community and its coverage of performances and events has been invaluable. I’m very glad that you all are keeping it going. What you’re doing has been a gift to the arts community and we thank you.”

– Stoner Winslett, Artistic Director, Richmond Ballet

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Arts & Culture In Your Ears

VPM is invested in developing podcasts in the arts and culture space. Our growing catalog includes works such as “Seizing Freedom,” an acclaimed historical audiodrama, and “Admissible: Shreds of Evidence,” which investigates the work of a controversial figure in forensic science.

We’re also making space for the next generation of audio professionals. The VPM + ICA Community Media Center opened in 2020 as a state-of-the-art learning and production center inside Virginia Commonwealth University’s Institute for Contemporary Art. It is open to the public and serves as a place for current and aspiring podcasters and storytellers to meet and exchange ideas.

“Life In The Heart Land” is an incredible storytelling and teaching tool ... We are so proud of the role that [Virginia’s Electric] Cooperatives play in bringing high speed fiber broadband to Virginia’s rural communities, and we thank VPM for bringing our story to the forefront.

– Sadie Gary, Virginia Maryland Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives

Local Storytelling With Impact

Across Virginia, VPM spoke with residents of rural communities to understand their unique realities and issues.

These conversations led to “Life in the Heart Land,” a docuseries that introduces us to the neighbors, communities and organizations that are creating solutions to rural America’s toughest challenges. Episode topics include food access and equity, a lack of broadband access, immigration, jail overcrowding and more.

After the broadcast, these transformative discussions continued during screening events held in communities featured in the series.

IMPROVING ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

OBJECTIVE: To be an essential ally to caregivers, educators and community partners in early childhood care and education

95% of VPM’s early education initiatives reach under-resourced communities

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1,080 families in Virginia reached through VPM’s The Basics engagement campaign

© Terri Allard

300 people celebrated the opening of The Basics Preschool Nature Trail in Charlottesville

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books for early learners distributed from VPM’s Little Free Libraries in Richmond and Elkton

24 training sessions held with The Basics community partners across Virginia

Preschool Enrollment in Richmond

Research shows that children ages 0-8 are at the most critical stage of their development. Yet, many children in Virginia lack access to the preschool education they deserve.

In response to community concerns about pandemic learning loss, VPM partnered with Richmond Public Schools and The Market at 25th in Richmond’s East End. Looking for a way to simplify preschool enrollment for parents, this coalition hosted a summer enrollment event on-site at the supermarket.

A hub for VPM’s family engagement activities since 2018, The Market at 25th offered families a convenient and familiar location to meet school administrators and pick up learning resources to ensure students get a good start in school.

“Our partnership with VPM and The Market @ 25th has been very valuable. We truly appreciate their participation and support with preschool enrollment and look forward to planning more events to increase awareness of early childhood education, as well as parent workshops to provide families with the necessary tools to help their young children succeed in school and in life.”

– Gloria Keating, Richmond Public Schools

The first annual Children’s Festival Down by the Bog was a resounding success. We brought a diverse community of families to an underutilized greenspace and paired their visit with engaging early education nature activities tied to The Basics principles. We are grateful to Parks and Recreation, Albemarle Garden Club and VPM for partnering with Wildrock to host this fantastic event promoting nature equity and vibrant learning.

–Meg Phillips, Wildrock

Spreading the Word About The Basics

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, VPM’s Early Childhood Education team launched an awareness campaign around The Basics, five science-based principles that support the development of children ages 0-5. The campaign includes training sessions for educators and care providers, in-person events targeting families and caregivers and messaging on our media platforms.

By partnering with trusted community leaders and organizations, we have found new ways to share The Basics with families and caregivers. For example, in collaboration with Wildrock, Albemarle Garden Club and Charlottesville Parks & Recreation, VPM created The Basics Preschool Nature Trail in Booker T. Washington Park, where children can play at activity stations correlated to each learning principle.

Help Us Make Media That Moves Us Forward

Now more than ever, our community relies on VPM to share stories of the people, places and issues that matter most to the Commonwealth. From our new headquarters in the heart of Richmond, we can amplify even more stories, opening hearts and minds to new ideas.

But we can’t do it alone.

Your generosity will strengthen access to media that moves us all forward, for generations to come. Thank you.

“I can see so clearly, VPM’s capacity to grow in importance as a source of local news and information, and as a resource that helps us connect with one another around important questions and ideas. This campaign, and the new state-of-the-art facility it will support, will be instrumental in strengthening VPM’s position as an important voice and force, helping to shape our region, and making this Commonwealth the place we know it can be.”

– Irene Carney, Chair, VPM Media Corporation Board of Directors

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