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

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

120K+ monthly visitors to VPM.org

RECOGNITION FOR VPM NEWS

Virginia’s Associated Press Broadcasters Awards

Public Media Journalism Awards

Edward R. Murrow 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

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

© Crixell Matthews

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.