Core Values for News/Information/Talk

Qualities of the Mind/Intellect

  • Love of lifelong learning: A desire to learn something new every day
  • Substance: Expand understanding of and connection with the world
  • Curiosity: The need to dig deeper, to ask why, not just what
    • Credibility
    • Accuracy
    • Honesty: Listeners trust that we are non-manipulative, non-sensational
  • Respect for the intelligence of the listener
  • Purpose: A clear understanding of why we do what we do

Qualities of the Heart and Spirit

  • Humor: Always has a purpose and is never mean-spirited
  • Idealism: We believe in our power to find solutions
  • Inspired about public life and culture
  • Civility – Belief in Civil discourse
  • Generosity: Content has center stage and the guest is the star

Qualities of Craft/Excellence in our use of the Medium

  • Uniquely human voice: conversational, authentic, intimate
  • Pacing: deliberate, thoughtful, appropriate to the substance of the content
  • Attention to detail: music, sound elements, language

Conclusion

Successful programs can mix those qualities in a variety of ways but all three categories must be present. It is the fusion of these three sets of core values that creates public radio's "signature" sound and the fundamental appeal of our programming to core listeners.