would herald Downton Abbey becoming one of the most
widely watched television drama shows in the world.
I was working for KBTC Public Television in Tacoma,
Washington, at the time, and we hosted our own screening
at the Landmark On The Sound, a former Masonic Retire-
ment Center built in 1912 overlooking the Puget Sound. This
historic building had all the features of a sprawling English
estate. There was a large receiving area, a cozy ballroom, and,
most importantly, a theater. KBTC staff wore post-Edwardian
era period costumes selected, fitted, and donated by a local
costume shop. When 500 Downton Abbey fans arrived for the
premier, the majority wore period costumes dressed as their
beloved characters.
American poet, writer, and civil rights activist Maya An-
gelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you
said, people will forget what you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel.”
On that night, local PBS stations learned the power of
engaging with viewers and listeners. Year-end giving to KBTC
increased by 6% that December, and overall donations to the
station increased by 12% that year. Although federal and state
funding are in decline, individual giving is on the rise for the
majority of PBS and NPR stations that operationalize a com-
munity engagement strategy.
Successful businesses serving Anchorage leverage this
22 January 2018
strategy as well. The Bear Tooth Theatre Pub & Grill is a prime
example. This community-focused, outward facing business is
a significant part of a local business partnership that engages
people and organizations through collaborative events, while
creating life-enhancing experiences for its patrons. Alaska
Public Media has worked with them throughout the last sev-
eral years, most recently on premiere screenings of the second
season of Masterpiece Theater’s Victoria.
Experiences: The Driveway Moment
October 2003: In New York City’s Grand Central Termi-
nal, a small recording studio sits on caster wheels. Inside are
two seats, a small table, and a pair of suspended microphones.
People walk or wheel up the entrance ramp to find that the
recording studio is actually a “storybooth.” There is no host or
moderator. Just two average people who happen by, sit down
and engage in conversation while being recorded.
This was the start of NPR’s StoryCorps, a simple idea
based on “preserving and sharing humanity’s stories in order
to build connections between people.” It has resulted in some
of the most honest, riveting, and heart-rending driveway
moments in NPR history.
Based on its early success, StoryCorps became a weekly
featured segment on NPR’s Morning Edition and launched
two “mobilebooths” to capture human stories at NPR stations
and iconic locations across America. In
2007, it received a Peabody Award, and
its companion book, Listening Is An Act
of Love, became a New York Times best-
seller. In 2012, StoryCorps was awarded
a second Peabody for its animations and
audio stories commemorating the 10th
Anniversary of September 11, 2001. A
$1 million MacArthur Award for cre-
ative and effective institutions arrived
in 2013, followed by a $1 million TED
Prize to launch the StoryCorp app in
2015.
A small pebble was dropped into a
sea of New Yorkers, and the experience
rippled throughout the nation. By 2014,
most NPR stations had partnered with
StoryCorps in some way. In Anchorage,
Alaska, KSKA 91.1 FM produced and
aired StoryCorps segments featuring
Alaska’s military families. During the
past year, Alaska Public Media, along
with Providence Health & Services,
partnered with StoryCorps once again
to produce segments featuring families
with loved ones undergoing treatment
for serious illnesses.
StoryCorps teaches us that every-
one has stories to tell and experiences