PRNDG → Field Kit → Uncategorized → About 'The Guide'

The Public Radio News Directors Guide (PRNDG) is an online manual for public radio news managers in the United States.
It is inspired by the enduring need for local news by professional journalists.
Greetings from PRNDG Author Michael Marcotte

Welcome to the PRNDG!

I hope you’ll find this place helpful, practical and maybe surprising in how it looks at things.
I’ll be the first to admit it’s a tall order to meet the needs of local news directors in a system as diverse as ours. Yet, we have many issues in common. I hope the thinking here transcends differences of staff size or market size or newsroom spending.
Regretfully, I wasn’t able to consult with all colleagues on ways to handle all issues. But — my consolation is knowing that this guide will become increasingly interactive. In your capable hands it will live and grow.
I’d like to extend a personal thanks to Andrew Phelps for producing the PRNDG Web site; to Marcia Alvar and Dana Davis-Rehm of NPR for their support of the project; to Jonathan Ahl and the PRNDI board for keeping the Guide high on the PRNDI agenda; and to more than 80 news directors, friends and colleagues who offered their ideas, their time and their encouragement.

–MM

The Guide’s Purpose

The PRNDG seeks to improve public service journalism by

  • Defining the roles and responsibilities of News Directors;
  • Promoting “best practices” in local news;
  • Allowing users to share “recipes” for success;
  • Providing a “repository” for case studies, work samples, reusable templates, do-it-yourself instructions and links to other resources.

The Guide’s Origins

The PRNDG fills a long-identified need for a handbook for local public radio newsrooms. Because the typical local newsroom works to complement the national news, the news director is pivotal to making it seamless. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive set of guidelines to help those ND’s cope.  And cope they must with limited resources and increasing expectations of quality.

The guide comes as a joint project by NPR’s Local News Initiative and Public Radio News Directors, Inc. (PRNDI) — two groups dedicated to improving what we do for our communities.
A Message from LNI Project Manager Marcia Alvar

I am thrilled the LNI was able to partner with PRNDI on this important and groundbreaking project. Working with local stations over the years, I have come to appreciate their great potential for community service — but I have also come to know their many challenges in reaching that potential. This PRNDG is a big step in giving stations a common platform on which to build their local editorial leadership and practices.

A Message from PRNDI President Jonathan Ahl

In 2007, PRNDI joined with LNI to identify this online guide as a significant contribution to the betterment of our member newsrooms. In less than two years, we completed the hard part, the initial buildout. We thank the LNI for its valuable help in getting us here. Now we invite you to use, to enjoy — and especially — to expand upon this shared resource.

The Guide’s Future

The PRNDG launched November 12, 2008. Plans call for the following additions:

  • Networking tools to allow news directors to share ideas, discuss issues and provide content to the site.
  • Multimedia content to include radio stories, photos or slide shows, and video to enhance the value and enjoyment of the Guide.
  • A PRNDG blog to spotlight timely issues affecting public radio journalists and to drive users to the many resources in the Guide.

One Response to “About 'The Guide'”

  1. Catherine Stifter says:
    November 13, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    Big ups to Mike Marcotte, the Local News Initiative (LNI) and Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI) for gathering the collective wisdom of public radio newsfolk into one big, accessible online resource. This enormous accomplishment fills a gaping hole in public radio news training resources. And I expect the audience for this material goes far beyond news managers. It will be a great resource for reporters, producers, and journalism students, as well as educators.

    Reply

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