CAB Public Forum - November 2023

Pillar

Comment / Observation

Key Takeaway

WQXR

Riverdale listeners more interested in classical music than other areas of the Bronx

A theme that came up a lot is how transit and lack of mobility impacts the viability of cross-borough programming in the Bronx. West Bronx and East Bronx are “completely different planets” and also very difficult to get to. Should be taken into account in any coverage or outreach. 

WQXR

Bronx is battleground of environmental issues in New York; Adams attempt to build cricket pitch in Van Cortland Park would’ve been disastrous for arts

Bronx has no dedicated performing arts spaces of its own, so outdoor spaces are vital, and also seasonally restricted. The lack of shared public spaces in the borough also informs the primacy of parks and open spaces and how these intersect with climate/environment/open space issues. 

WQXR; WNYC

“Culturally responsive organizations rely on news to shame thematic strategy

Listener from Bronx Arts Ensemble relies extensively on both our News content and Cultural content to help shape thematic direction of organization. E.g. our climate coverage has helped shape organization’s next season of programming and performances. Public Radio plays a key role connecting culture to social impact. 

WNYC

Highest instance of childhood asthma is in the Bronx; Fresh Direct distribution center was going up in the area and fleet of trucks aggravated air quality 

The Bronx has its own share or bespoke environmental and climate related issues, but air quality seems to be the most important and intersects with issues of race, class, and privilege, as Fresh Direct example provides. 

WNYC

Air quality is huge issue; 

See above comment. 

WNYC

Station could stand to talk about the Bronx more.

Global. Listeners weren’t big on specifics because they perceive that there’s that little coverage of the Bronx. 

WNYC

Mott Haven going through a very big rat problem while also gentrifying. Poor people are getting pushed out. 

Mott Haven came up a lot tonight: a rapidly gentrifying area that is also experiencing a lot of displacement and blight. 

WQXR

Bronx doesn’t have a Carnegie Hall or big designated arts venue for classical music 

Bronx organizations are reliant and partner spaces, or the outdoors. Opportunity for Greene Space to partner, despite distances. (1 train convenient to Western Bronx) 

WNYC

Absence of true public spaces also a major issue; lack of arts venue makes outside very critical

See earlier point about how incursion of city into public spaces in the borough has impact on ability to produce and perform cultural events. 

WNYC

Point CDC Org is great place to find young perspectives in the Bronx

This was in response to “Our Cities” piece on young people and gentrification. Point CDC focuses on young people in Hunt’s Point area. 

WNYC

Garbage is never cleared up as quickly as it is in other areas of the city (like Carl Shurz Park) 

Garbage collection is especially dire problem in the Bronx. 

WQXR

Washington Heights residents have no idea where all the arts are

BAE Listener resides in Washington Heights, which is very wide-ranging area. Massive community of young people and arts organizations, are we highlighting those enough on the air? Not just on QXR but on New Sounds? 

WNYC

Persons living closer to Broadway may not be podcast listeners

This switched to larger conversation about sub-neighborhoods downtown. In broadcast to podcast model, more hyper-local coverage could lead to more hyper-local podcasts. 

WNYC

Sup-neighborhoods of Uptown also demographically very different. 

Vast difference between Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Sugar Hill, Inwood. Programming to listeners in this area at the hyper-local level will need to take this into consideration. 

WQXR

Proximity to A train impacts people’s ability to consume culture. 

Though itself culturally under-indexed, several communities of Uptown are able to access arts and culture *in the rest of the city* fairly easily. 

WQXR

It’s easier to get to New Haven than it is to get to West Side from Eastern Bronx

Much of Bronx is a transit desert and the whole borough is difficult to traverse by car. This will have an impact on any kind of cross-borough programming. 

WNYC

If you don’t have a car it’s very logistically challenging. 

See point above. 

WNYC

Transit deserts are a major issue in the Bronx. People don’t move cross-Bronx, for the most part

See point above. 

WQXR

Bronx Arts Ensemble was in talks with Greene Space for possible performance

Can Greene Space revisit this? Executive Director of BAE had resigned in the middle of talks but they’re opened to partnering up with Greene Space again. What 

WQXR

BAE contact was WNYC Podcast listener before moving to New York 

Some podcasts with national lens (like New Yorker Radio Hour) are strong tentposts of station’s brand nationally. 

WNYC

In light of 2-3 years of recent fiscal uncertainty, something interesting has catapulted out of that chaos and that something interesting is very significant and positive: stories that are being produced throughout the country by smaller outlets at much other scales and therefore more accessible. This has really broadened and expanded the window of storytelling and narrative that was before only occasionally indulged in. 

This listener launched into a very long discourse about the loss of cultural heritage in Mott Haven and how this intersects with poor planning, blight, loss of opportunity for immigrant communities. Though they themselves do not live in Mott Haven their parents grew up there and they follow preservation issues there closely. 

WNYC

Pre-internet radio, it gave a sense of continuity when she left listening area. Listening to MPR felt like a taste of home for her, and she moved around radio public radio was sense of home for her. Likes the way that it feels cozy. 

On air experience of station is part and parcel of on air experience of public radio stations across the country. This sense of intimacy and “home” should be taken into account as station shifts focus to hyperlocal and community-based content. 

WNYC

The Bronx is like a microcosm of new York in that every culture is represented. More representation in general for the Bronx would be nice. Bronx and Staten Island most forgotten boroughs. 

MORE REPRESENTATION OF THE BRONX. This seems to be the main starting off point. 

WNYC

Mott Haven historical heritage endangered because of gentrification and blight. 

See earlier point. 

WNYC

Would love to see WNYC do an indepth take on the social political prism of Mott Haven and its history

Does Lehrer still do neighborhood tours?

WNYC

If I listen to WNYC it’s because I want to learn what I need to know, what I already know. If consistently one comes to WNYC and they discover what they didn’t know, and that emboldens their reality, they will be coming back for more. People reward the receipt for valid accurate, and timely information

This is what our most dedicated listeners cite no matter where we found them.