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LPM Impact – Louisville Public Media

Impact 2024

2024 Community Impact Report

Covering the period from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

Dear friends, 

The role of media in the everyday lives of communities like ours continues to evolve, and we must always be ready to meet changing needs. 

As you will see in this report, LPM continues to grow into our service mandate. Whether it’s voter guides and legislative trackers or deep-dive reporting on the impact of merger and segregation of public pools, our journalism showed up for the people this year. 

We launched more dogged investigative reporting, as KyCIR turned 10 years old with a host of stories examining Kentuckians’ roles in the January 6 insurrection, an inside look at the problems of residential foster care, and an exposé of the tools police are using to hack cell phones. 

We continued our deep, years-long commitment to reporting on health and the environment with coverage that ranges from coal dust and food insecurity to mental health resources and the addiction crisis. 

And we kept Louisville informed of the many changes at JCPS, the state’s largest school district, which is responsible for nearly 100,000 kids in our community. 

Our service mandate stretches beyond journalism, of course. Our music stations continued to serve our city by sparking joy, creating connection and providing resources across our community.

As a result, our audience grew substantially over the past year. And remember, LPM needs you just as much as you need us. We don’t view our work as yesteryear’s broadcasters, sitting inside a building and telling the community what’s happening. We are part of this community. It’s an ecosystem that depends on all of us to succeed. 

Thank you for reading, listening, attending and contributing to our work during the past year. Onward.

Stephen George, President, Louisville Public MediaStephen George
President and CEO
Louisville Public Media

News. Arts. Music. Experiences.

MISSION

LPM provides independent and courageous news, music and experiences that serve the needs and aspirations of our diverse community.

VISION

Because of LPM’s work, more people in our community are seen and heard in media, feel connected and know how to take action.

WHO WE ARE

Monthly Broadcast Listeners

241,500*

Unique Monthly Web Visitors

249,494

Monthly Stream Listeners

50,018

Social Media Followers

152,223

Monthly Podcast Downloads

117,518

Email Subscribers

44,119

LPM Hosted Events

49

States with LPM Members

48

This report was created in TAPSCAN using the following Radio information: LOUISVILLE; JUN24 (APR-JUN); Metro; M-Su 5A-5A ; P 12+; Station Combos Used: *LPM = WFPK-FM,WFPL-FM,WUOL-FM; See Detailed Sourcing Page for Complete Details. Copyright © 2024 The Nielsen Company. All rights reserved.

Louisville Public Media WFPL

89.3 WFPL News Louisville is your trusted and reliable source for civic news that affects you, your neighborhood, your city and your state. WFPL is an independent, nonpartisan news outlet that provides you with the essential news and resources you need to understand and make decisions about our community and our world. We do fact-based reporting that is free from political and corporate influence. We produce and distribute daily journalism online and through broadcast and digital audio. We are the NPR affiliate serving Greater Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Additionally, we collaborate to serve a statewide audience through the Kentucky Public Radio Network.

Louisville Public Media WUOL

90.5 WUOL Classical Louisville brings the beauty and relaxation of classical music to your homes, offices, cars and anywhere you are. With 24/7 classical music and fine arts features, interviews and event listings, we offer a unique local connection. We champion area artists and cultural institutions, and we offer an escape from our raucous world with music that feeds the soul and expertise that illuminates the art. We work to reverse practices that excluded and marginalized music and artists of color. And we offer free, hands-on music education to tens of thousands of young people in local schools and community centers each year.

Louisville Public Media WFPK

The friendly and knowledgeable voices at 91.9 WFPK Music Louisville highlight our local arts and music scene — on the radio, at WFPK Waterfront Wednesday® and at the many concerts we present across the community. The 24-hour listener-supported, noncommercial radio station is an award-winning hub for independent, adult alternative music and American gems like jazz and bluegrass. We introduce you to significant new music, connect you to Louisville’s best and play your long-time favorites for an eclectic mix that can’t be heard anywhere else. We also offer special community programming like Mental Health Days and 502unes.

Louisville Public Media KyCIR

The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom that produces investigative journalism that impacts you, your neighborhood and your Commonwealth. Our mission is to protect society’s most vulnerable citizens, expose wrongdoing in the public and private sectors, increase transparency in government and hold leaders accountable. We dig for the truth without fear or favor, cut through red tape and spark public conversation. KyCIR is a Peabody Award-winning newsroom that produces investigations for the web, radio, podcasts and more. We partner with local, regional and national newsrooms to expand the impact of our work.

OUR IMPACT

“Our radio stays tuned to LPM. Why? News we can trust, stories that inform and expand our knowledge and many shows that entertain like ‘Tiny Desk Concerts’, ‘The Moth’, ‘Radiolab’…something for everyone!”

—Charlene M.

Civic Engagement and Conversation

Kentucky Public Radio Increases State Government Coverage

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) awarded Louisville Public Media a two-year grant to increase state government coverage. The funding supports an expansion of the Kentucky Public Radio news team, a partnership between Louisville Public Media, WEKU in Richmond, WKYU in Bowling Green, and WKMS in Murray that reaches all 120 counties in Kentucky. With this investment from CPB, we were able to grow our team of journalists covering the Kentucky statehouse to four, and are now providing more free, accessible and in-depth coverage of the General Assembly than ever before.

2023 KPR Voter Guide

The 2023 election was the first covered by our new, larger statehouse team, and we saw a massive increase in the number of digital readers of our breaking news, deep analysis and comprehensive voter guide. Reporters from across the Kentucky Public Radio Network profiled each of the contested races in 2023 so readers and listeners across Kentucky were fully informed when they went to the ballot box on November 7th. We produced timely updates during the 2023 General Election, adding context to those results. Additionally, KPR’s new Enterprise Reporter, Pulitzer Prize-winner Joe Sonka, published an extensive analysis of the election results that was extremely popular with readers.

2024 Kentucky Legislative Vote Tracker

Each year, your Kentucky lawmakers make hundreds of votes. But the record of how they vote is captured in not-so-easy-to-use PDF files. Kentucky Public Radio’s Data Reporter, Justin Hicks, designed a program that scrapes hundreds of documents to produce an easy-to-use voting record database. This searchable database shows how state lawmakers voted on some of the most high-profile bills that became laws this year. The bills include legislation focused on issues such as education, health, crime and the environment. This tool is a unique and important one to keep our community informed on the critical decisions shaping our state. Search by lawmaker or find out who your lawmakers are with our Legislative Vote Tracker.

"1A Remaking America" Visits Louisville

LPM was a part of the ‘“1A Remaking America” project from WAMU and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. As part of the partnership, LPM hosted an event at Blak Koffee where “1A” Host Jenn White talked with Kentuckians – voters, officeholders, and researchers – about how Kentucky’s divided government is working for them and what they want the rest of the country to know about their state. Guests included Senator Gerald Neal, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, and Steve Voss, a professor of political science at the University of Kentucky. This conversation was recorded before a live audience and featured on an episode of “1A” in September.

Safer Kentucky Act

LPM’s Capitol Reporter, Sylvia Goodman, has been thoroughly covering the “Safer Kentucky Act.” She spoke with criminologists who are listed as sources in the bill and The Nation referenced Sylvia’s review in their article “Kentucky Is About to Pass the Cruelest Criminal-Justice Bill in America.” Sylvia’s coverage on what is in the “Safer Kentucky Act” and its progression through the legislature has also been picked up by the Herald Leader in Kentucky. LPM’s Race & Equity Reporter, Divya Karthikeyan, covered how unhoused residents and service providers in Louisville are concerned about the legislation. Our coverage of this legislation and the fallout since its passing will be ongoing.

How Merger Reshaped Louisville

To mark the 20th anniversary of the Louisville-Jefferson County merger, we produced a five-part series and ambitious web page unraveling the ongoing impact it has had on the lives of Louisvillians today. The series included a lookback at the creation of the Louisville Metro Police Department, an examination of the controversy over the merger diminishing Black political representation and whether or not the merger led to economic benefits for the city. The series concluded with a story about the push from some residents to incorporate new cities in Louisville after the passing of House Bill 314and how that might affect county-wide services.

Community and Sense of Place

WFPK Waterfront Wednesday and Waterfront KidsDay

To kick off the 2024 WFPK Waterfront Wednesday season, LPM and Waterfront Park hosted the first ever Waterfront Wednesday launch party in March at Pig Beach BBQ. Laura Shine began the festivities with a live broadcast and attendees mingled with their favorite on-air personalities, listened to music from seasons past and were the first to hear the full 2024 lineup of the current season. The 22nd season of WFPK Waterfront Wednesday includes Phosphorescent, S.G. Goodman, Pokey LaFarge and also features winners from the LPM Young Artist Showcase opening each show. Continuing this season is a dedicated area for kids and families to play and do hands-on activities, including making instruments from household items to bring music-making to homes across the community. 

Ramadan 2024: A guide to events and resources in Louisville

Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims in Louisville and around the world participate in a month of daily fasting, prayer and other community activities, which culminate with Eid al-Fitr, a celebration commemorating the end of Ramadan. This is a busy time for many people, who may seek out more religious and community opportunities than at other times of the year. LPM wanted to help Louisvillians find resources and events, so we created a guide to find mosques across the city that offered free meals and extra prayers during the month.

Young Artist Showcase

LPM hosted a reimagined Young Artist Showcase, with video submissions accepted from February to April 2024. Finalists were selected from 21 applications from students aged 9-17, and were invited to perform at the LPM studios where the judges were absolutely blown away by the talent. Six performers, from banjo players to pianists, were announced as winners, each receiving a $200 stipend. Each winner has been invited to perform at an upcoming Waterfront Wednesday or New Lens concert. At the May Waterfront Wednesday, Brannock McCartan, age 17, performed his original songs on banjo and sang to an excited and supportive crowd. Additional performances are planned to showcase these amazing young artists on LPM’s biggest event stages.

"The Bluegrass Schmooze"

Season 1 of “The Bluegrass Schmooze”, supported by the Jewish Heritage Fund, was the third show to be produced through LPM’s Podcast Incubator and is the most popular season to be produced through the initiative to date. The podcast has featured the stories of some amazing Jewish Kentuckians, including people who were born Jewish and others who converted; some who grew up here and others who moved to the commonwealth more recently. The season opened with a live taping event featuring Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and “mayor for life” Jerry Abramson, who reflect on how their Judaism influences their leadership. Due to the show’s popularity and impact, hosts Rabbi Shani Abramowitz and Rabbi Ben Freed are working with LPM to produce Season 2 of “The Bluegrass Schmooze”.

Brew with You, Member Meetups and MembersOnly Shows

LPM is always looking for ways to connect with our members. In February, we hosted our second annual Brew with You as a part of LPM Loves You Month, dedicated to member appreciation. LPM members received a cup of coffee at Blak Koffee or their first pour at West 6th Brewing NULU. In the spring LPM launched MemberMeetups, inviting members to exclusive gatherings around the city. At Cave Hill Cemetery, resident wildlife expert Lee Payne Jr. took members on a tour of the cemetery, an accredited arboretum with a collection of over 600 different tree and shrub species. We celebrated National Bourbon Day with our members in June at Angel’s Envy to enjoy their first Distillery Series release. WFPK continued its popular MembersOnly shows, recently featuring the likes of Shakey Graves, Joy Oladokun, Lake Street Dive and Nickel Creek while WUOL hosted shows with Teddy Abrams, Chanticleer, and The Whiffenpoofs.

"Race Unwrapped"

“Race Unwrapped” concluded its third season in September with Louisville stand-up comedian Keith McGill. In Season 3, host Michelle Tyrene Johnson tackled different ways to unwrap and unpack race and identity through comedy. Special guests included NPR’s Eric Deggans, Second City’s Anne Libera, and comedian Rain Pryor. With over 12,000 downloads over the first three seasons, “Race Unwrapped” is providing the opportunity for listeners to understand how race is embedded in society in ways we don’t even think about. Season 4 is coming in September 2024.

Arts and Culture

Finding Pan: The journey of the missing statue

In 1973, a statue of the Greek god Pan found a home in Louisville on the Belvedere. The statue, designed by artist Charlotte “Toddy” Price, had a mischievous air. But it disappeared twice with the last known location being Kennedy Court Park in Crescent Hill. In 2018, an LPM News listener reached out to us wondering what happened to the statue that she would visit at the Belvedere during her lunch breaks. At the time, we couldn’t figure it out. But early this year, Breya Jones, LPM Arts & Culture Reporter, followed the trail to find the “funky little dude and his flute.”

Visual Art Critiques by Scott Recker

With the support of the Great Meadows Foundation, LPM was able to work with art critic and reviewer, Scott Recker. Over the past year, Scott highlighted work from different communities across Kentucky and Indiana, ensuring variety in art show locations. The style of art reviewed in the critiques included sculpture, painting, photography, and many other mediums, including one of his most read critiques of a retrospective exhibition titled “Share a Little of Things of Yourself” by Mark Anthony Mulligan, who died at the age of 59 last November, at the newly opened Outsider Art Museum and Gallery in the Portland Neighborhood.

Black Barbie

During the hype of the “Barbie” movie in July 2023, another doll’s story was featured on the big screen in the documentary “Black Barbie,” screened at the Speed Museum last August. LPM Reporter Breya Jones spoke with the director of the documentary, Lagueria Davis. Like Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” Davis’ “Black Barbie” focuses on the feminism inherent in the fashion doll, but combines race politics associated with Black Barbie specifically.

Equity and Inclusion

West End Bus Tour

LPM Race & Equity reporter Divya Karthikeyan joined Chickasaw community leader Donovan Taylor for a historical bus tour of west Louisville. Nine neighborhoods were visited over the three-hour tour with stops at the Western Library and Portland Museum, along with other significant sites across the area. Throughout the tour, Taylor highlighted what residents there achieved despite obstacles caused by disinvestment in the area due to redlining and other racist policies, sharing “we, as a city, can do better highlighting and marking our historic places and people.” Taylor’s goal is to teach people more about West End neighborhoods: “You’re not just learning Black History, you’re learning, really, the history of the city and the area.” Divya’s story prompted many calls from listeners and readers wanting to take the same tour.

Louisville’s Public Pools

Algonquin and Camp Taylor’s pools were closed in the summer of 2023, and Algonquin is the only public pool in west Louisville. It is surrounded by the majority-Black neighborhoods of Parkland, Park DuValle, Hallmark and California. LPM’s Race & Equity Reporter Divya Karthikeyan spoke to University at Buffalo History Professor Victoria Wolcott, who studies these types of amenities and said inequity around accessing them is rooted in racism. But earlier this summer, Mayor Craig Greenberg announced the city’s renovation plans for the Camp Taylor public pool, which was projected to open again by Memorial Day 2025. The city is using $9 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to renovate Camp Taylor and the Algonquin pool in west Louisville.

Sold-Out 2024 Kentuckiana Pride

The 2024 Kentuckiana Pride Festival celebrated the LGBTQ+ Community with a parade, vendor marketplace, food vendors, entertainment and more on June 15 at Waterfront Park. This year’s festival marked a record number of participants – over 35,000 people attended the parade and festival combined and 200 vendors signed up to participate. The event also featured several local artists across music genres. Divya Karthikeyan spoke with Rodney Coffman, the festival’s director about the growth of the festival over the years, as well as steps that were being taken to keep attendees safe. WUOL celebrated Pride by featuring music and performances from LGBTQ artists.

“Thoughts Out Loud”: Haircuts & Community

Speaking with J. Alexander, the owner of The Lab Professional Barbering Services, LPM learned about his joint effort with Louisville’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN) to kickstart “Thoughts Out Loud,” a program open to Black men and boys who are clients of case managers at OSHN and are assessed for risk of being victims of violence or committing violence. For Black men, a barbershop isn’t just a place to get edge-ups or a beard trim – it’s a space for finding community with other Black men and opening up in ways that go beyond small talk. This free program in Louisville aimed to expand that.

Belonging in Beechmont

Nedra McNeil, who is transgender, managed the Beechmont Open Air Market for years. After a local pastor’s comments on their appearance, weeks of heated debate and meetings revolved around the future of the market and McNeil’s place in it. Divya’s reporting on Nedra’s experience turned into this nuanced account of identity, community, and safety in the Beechmont neighborhood.

LGBTQ+ Community in Appalachia

LPM spoke with Beck Banks, an assistant professor at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, about the young LGBTQ+ people working to make parts of central Appalachia more hospitable to members of the queer community. LGBTQ+ people in small towns and rural America are often ignored in the larger conversations surrounding queer life and culture. Community-building through Pride events, art and mobilizing against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation are helping to make some small towns more welcoming.

Accountability and Criminal Justice

January 6th Investigations

In January, at least 25 Kentuckians were facing criminal charges in connection to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Republican state leaders recognized the three-year anniversary of the insurrection by passing a resolution that defends many of the people arrested for their actions that day and claims they’ve been wrongfully detained. But an analysis of federal court records by KyCIR reporter Jared Bennett and LPM News reporter Morgan Watkins show men and women from Kentucky went to Washington D.C. bent on violence, vengeance and a desire to disrupt official election proceedings. Some traveled with organized militias and believed they were participating in the opening salvos of a civil war.

Unheard: an Investigation of Louisville’s Residential Foster Care

Louisville foster kids say they were harmed in residential care. Few were believed. In Kentucky, some 500 foster kids are living in residential care facilities — group living centers where children are supposed to get treatment, be cared for and kept safe. But what happens when children are harmed in the very places that were supposed to protect them? For 10 months, KyCIR investigated incidents of abuse or neglect at residential foster care facilities in Louisville. Our Youth and Social Services reporter spoke with former foster youth and experts who say that abuse in these facilities often goes unchecked.

Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel

Since news of the arrest of former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel broke in November, Southern Indiana reporter Aprile Rickert has followed the unfolding story, from his use of taxpayer money and nonprofit resources for personal gain to his family members involvement in the corruption. As a result, in part, of this coverage, LPM has seen a significant increase in the reach of our Southern Indiana coverage. Pageviews of stories focused on Indiana increased over six times in 2023. A big contributor to this increase has been Aprile’s coverage of former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel and related stories, which generated nearly 400,000 pageviews from November to December 2023.

Death Penalty in Kentucky

Kentucky death row inmates spend years waiting for executions that aren’t coming. Karu Gene White was 20 years old when he was convicted of taking part in the brutal murders of three elderly Breathitt County shopkeepers in February 1979. The following year, he was sentenced to death by execution. Today, nearly 44 years later, White is still on death row at the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Lyon County, awaiting an execution that may never come. Kentucky inmates sentenced to death spend an average of 26 years on death row — the longest in the nation. KyCIR reporter R.G. Dunlop interviewed more than 50 criminal justice experts, attorneys, victims’ families and people on death row to get an inside look at how capital punishment operates in Kentucky. He found a system plagued with delays, racial disparities, inconsistencies with how the death penalty is applied and exorbitant costs.

Undocumented in the Hospital

On June 24, 2024 KyCIR reported that UofL was threatening to deport an undocumented man who was in a coma. Then they changed their minds. KyCIR’s Jared Bennett reported that University of Louisville Hospital had given a 23-year-old woman an impossible choice: she needed to either take her father, who is undocumented, off life support or see him put on a plane back to Guatemala, a country he hasn’t seen in 30 years. Hospital officials were threatening to remove him from the U.S. because he doesn’t have insurance and is unlikely able to pay the steep costs that will come with the care needed for his recovery. The afternoon after Jared broke this story, the hospital said his transfer to Guatemala was on hold indefinitely out of concern for his health.

LMPD’s Cell Phone Hacking Tool

Cell phone searches are becoming increasingly commonplace by police agencies across the country. Records show that Louisville police have spent more than $205,000 since 2020 on a powerful, yet controversial, cell phone data extraction tool called Graykey. KyCIR wanted to find out how often the agency uses the tool, who they target and why. But when KyCIR Managing Editor Jacob Ryan requested records that detail the agency’s use of the Graykey tool and copies of any search warrants obtained by police to use the tool, the requests were denied. The agency cited an exemption in the state’s open records law that allows some investigative records to be withheld from public disclosure. KyCIR appealed the decision to the state’s attorney general and won. Now the city is suing LPM to try and keep the files secret.

Health and Environment

New Federal Safety Rules on Silica Dust

Our health coverage goes beyond our dedicated health reporter. Justin Hicks, LPM’s Data Reporter, collaborated with Howard Berkes, a former NPR investigations correspondent and current member of the Public Health Watch board of directors, on a report covering new federal safety rules on silica dust aimed to protect miners’ lungs. Hicks and Berkes have been covering this topic for a long time, and this story has had reach across the country through NPR, Mountain State Spotlight in WV, and KFF Health News.

City Budget’s Impact on Food Insecurity

LPM reporters review the city’s budget each year and explain how certain decisions will affect residents. With Mayor Greenberg’s proposed budget, LPM’s Divya Karthikeyan revealed that cuts to funding for two local agencies would hurt emerging Black and brown farmers in underserved communities working to address food insecurity.

Norton Healthcare’s Debt Collection

No hospital system in Louisville has sued to collect medical debt with the regularity of Norton Healthcare. KyCIR reporter Jared Bennett found that Norton filed 8,730 lawsuits in Jefferson County District Court, between January 2017 and October 2023. Like about half of the hospitals in the U.S., Norton is a charitable organization eligible for tax exemptions, and in return the hospital is tasked with providing community benefits, including charity care. But Jared spoke with experts and healthcare advocates who say hospitals aren’t great at connecting people who are eligible for charity care with the assistance. In turn, people who can’t pay their medical bills fall behind, their debt builds and, oftentimes the hospitals sue to collect payments that, according to their own policies, should have been forgiven.

Continued Focus on Mental Health

Our music stations incorporate mental health themes into our programming in order to reduce stigma, raise awareness and build community. In October, we partnered with the Frazier Museum and Tales from the Jukebox on World Mental Health Day to produce the 2nd annual “Stop the Stigma” event, which included community storytelling and musical performances. Additionally, WFPK continues its popular monthly “Mental Health Days”, providing opportunities for community members to request songs that “lift you up, help you cope, or give you hope.”

Transgender Health Care

LPM’s Health Reporter Morgan Watkins has supplied continual updates to the public on the status of Senate Bill 150 that became law in the 2023 legislative session and has been challenged in several court systems. Before and after legislators passed the law, she talked to doctors and families of transgender kids to provide vital context about how the legislation impacts children. She also researched how SB 150’s restrictions on sex education are being implemented in public schools and informed the public about how they can weigh in on a new overhaul of state health education guidelines – a review triggered by the law. Most recently, Morgan reported on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to accept a case that potentially could restore transgender kids’ access to gender-affirming hormone therapy in Kentucky.

Naloxone and Fatal Overdose Rates

LPM News covered Narcan, a nasal-spray version of the life-saving medication naloxone which can reverse an opioid overdose, becoming available over-the-counter. Kentucky officials are trying to make it easier to find and access naloxone, which has become a cornerstone of community efforts to prevent people from dying of an opioid overdose. The state recently launched a new website, FindNaloxoneNowKy.org. We provided additional context for how this access is affecting the number of fatal overdoses in Kentucky. While fewer Kentuckians died from overdoses last year, the numbers are still far above pre-pandemic levels, and advocates say Kentucky needs more people mentoring others through addiction and recovery.

Education

Western High School Grief Workshop

LPM’s Jess Clark spoke with Western High School’s Youth Services Center Coordinator Stephanie Holton who hosted the school’s third annual Hope and Healing event in November. Holton partnered with Hosparus Health Grief Counseling Center, W.A.G.S. Pet Therapy of Kentucky and Western High School student groups for an evening of art, therapy, counseling, food and companionship. Western High School art student Cocoa Durrett participated in the event for a second year. Durrett, whose father passed away early last year, said, “It’s a good thing to have for people who’ve lost somebody.” She attended the event to both get support and give it to others.

JCPS Transportation Challenges

LPM’s Education & Learning Reporter Jess Clark keeps our community informed about the impact that JCPS’ decisions are having on students and families. She reported that nearly 1,000 students plan to leave their Jefferson County magnet school in the wake of transportation cuts — and most of them are Black, Latino, multilingual and low-income students. Jess and Justin Hicks’ inventive story, “We tried to drive a JCPS bus route. Here’s how it went” illustrated the challenges faced by bus drivers and students in our community, bringing a human face to these issues as our community explores potential solutions. Their reporting resonated with audiences across the country and was featured in The New York Times.

Elementary school for girls in West End

In April, community leaders and elected officials broke ground on The West End School expansion that will add a school for girls by August 2025. The new institution is part of an $11.5 million expansion of the West End School, a tuition-free all-boys school for pre-K through eighth grade students. The West End Girls School is expected to enroll 150 students in pre-K through second grade. Each year, the school will expand by adding an additional grade up to eighth grade. LPM’s Giselle Rhoden spoke with District 1 Louisville Metro Council member Tammy Hawkins, who shared, “It’s not often people take a risk in neighborhoods that have been underserved and overlooked for generations. Giving young girls an equal opportunity to excel is heartwarming and extremely necessary for our community.”

JCPS’ AI Weapons Detectors

Before the start of the 2023-2024 school year, The Jefferson County Board of Education voted to award a $11.7 million contract to Johnson Controls Security Solutions to install a controversial weapons detection system in schools. The publicly traded company JCPS contracted with is facing claims that its artificial intelligence weapons detectors do not function as advertised. School safety solutions are an important topic and this story was also featured by NPR.

Academic Recovery after Pandemic Closures

Kentucky students are catching up on learning they missed during the pandemic, according to a new study from researchers at Stanford University and Harvard University. The study, released in January, shows Kentucky outpacing the nation in improving test scores in 3rd-through-8th grade math and reading. Students in Jefferson County Public Schools are covering even more ground, especially students of color and low-income students. JCPS superintendent Marty Pollio celebrated the results and said the study shows that the infusion of billions of dollars in federal funding paid off, along with the hard work of students and educators.

Community calls for more transparency from JCPS

This past school year was rife with challenges facing parents and students in Jefferson County Public Schools including the busing issues faced by the district since day one of the school year, an audit of which revealed sprawling failures behind the first-day-of-school transportation meltdown, and the plan to cut transportation for around 16,000 kids at magnet and traditional schools. Community members showed up in droves to board meetings addressing the transportation issues in August and the proposed cuts in March, but the meeting space could not accommodate the crowd. Parents, students and community leaders say Jefferson County Public Schools and its board are leaving them out of major decisions, and one expert believes the board may be breaking open meetings laws.

Music

WFPK & WUOL Live from the State Fair

August 24, 2023 was Louisville Public Media Day at the Kentucky State Fair. WFPK and WUOL hosts broadcast live from the fair that day, interviewing the likes of Alan Miller of Miller’s Border Collies show and Greg Frisbee of the Ice Cream Show. We gave away free swag and talked to folks about what LPM does in the community and how we can better serve them.

"In Tune With…"

WUOL Host Laura Atkinson launched a new interview series called “In Tune With…” where she asks classical artists in Louisville about their concert-day routines, desert island picks and more. This delightful monthly interview series introduces you to Louisville’s artists by exploring their connection to classical music and to our city. Check out the first installment with violist and founder of West End Viola Studio Sheronda Shorter and catch up on all of the other great interviews from the past year.

Black History Month on WUOL

For Black History Month, WUOL highlighted Black composers and performers you hear year-round on WUOL. We kicked off on February 1st, celebrating symphonies by Black composers. This tradition began two years ago with a marathon of William Grant Still‘s Symphonies, in chronological order, and has grown to include works by Florence Price, Adolphus Hailstork, Joseph Bologne, Coleridge Taylor Perkinson and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. Throughout the month, Kiana Del featured music by Re Olunga, Quincy Jones, Michael Abels and other Black film composers on “Flicks at 4”. “On Voices Carry”, Laura Atkinson highlighted singers from across the classical spectrum from Bach sung by Reginald Mobley, Leontyne Price singing “Aida,” and many more.

MembersOnly Concerts

WFPK and WUOL members get invited to in-studio concerts. We have at least one MembersOnly show each month, and members get perks every week in our email newsletters. Over the last year, we’ve seen: Bendigo Fletcher, Phosphorescent, Greensky Bluegrass, Nickel Creek, The Record Company, Joseph, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, S.G. Goodman, and Lake Street Dive from WFPK. From WUOL we featured a very special show with the Louisville Orchestra’s own, Teddy Abrams as well as traveling superstars Chanticleer and The Whiffenpoofs.

Zion Baptist Church’s Messiah Performance

For many, the sounds of G.F. Handel’s masterwork “Messiah” signals the arrival of the holiday season. LPM’s Art & Culture Reporter Breya Jones and WUOL Host Laura Atkinson visited West Louisville’s Zion Baptist Church to cover one of the city’s longest running Messiah performances. The music plays a major role at the church and in the broader community. For the first time in three years, due to shutdowns from the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance returned and was wildly popular.

"Kyle Meredith With..."

Kyle Meredith with…” celebrated surpassing 800 episodes in August 2023! Take a listen to a collection of some of his most captivating interviews from last year, including guests Josh Homme, Janelle Monae, Keanu Reeves, Suki Waterhouse, Rob Lowe, Monica Bellucci, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

AWARDS

“WUOL Classical Louisville is a huge part of my day. Love the local hosts. It’s so important to have classical music accessible to everyone. ”

—Shelly F.

91.9 WFPK

2023 LEO Weekly Awards

  • 2nd place, Best Local Radio Station, 91.9 WFPK
  • 3rd place, Best Local Radio Personality, Big Howell & Possum

2023 JBE Triple A SummitFest Awards

  • Kyle Meredith was nominated for Music Director of The Year, Non-Comm, in the Triple A format.

90.5 WUOL

National Leaders of Color Fellowship Program

Louisville Public Media

Louisville Business First

  • LPM was named the number one “Best Places to Work in Greater Louisville” for organizations with 25-100 employees.

Greater Public Event Sponsorship Contest

  • Louisville Public Media, first place for WFPK Waterfront Wednesday: 2024 Experiential Activation Options

89.3 WFPL and KyCIR

2024 Public Media Journalists Association Award

2023 Investigative Reporters and Editors Award

2023 Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize

2024 National Murrow Awards

  • Jared Bennett and Justin Hicks, edited by Ryland Barton and produced by Laura Ellis – News Documentary
    Dirty Business

2024 Regional Murrow Awards

2024 Society for Professional Journalist Awards

Solutions Journalism

South Asian Journalist Association

FINANCIAL REPORT

Fiscal Year: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024

“I am sustainer for life. During a trying time in my life the music you played quite literally saved my life as depression set in hard due to life circumstances. Mental Health Wednesdays is one of the best things to happen to Louisville in it seems like forever and my only hope is it becomes a EVERY Wednesday thing and not just one Wednesday a month. ”

—James C.

REVENUE

EXPENSES

Total Revenue: $6,970,428

Total Expenses: $8,181,326

Ending Net Assets: $6,010,779

*Revenue related to LPM’s three-year newsroom expansion campaign was recognized in FY21 but was released in FY22-FY24 to cover related expenses. These charts reflect preliminary fiscal year 2024 numbers that will be approved via our independent audit summary.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Fiscal Year: July 1, 2023– June 30, 2024

“I get 99% of my news from WFPL. It’s the only place that consistently provides unbiased, fact-checked, wide-spanning coverage of everything happening locally and worldwide.”

—Belle H.

Mac Brown

Ann L. Coffey

L. Joe Dunman

Rob Frederick

José Gaztambide

Ann Georgehead

Ankur Gopal

Dexter Horne

Kate Howard

Moses Icyishaka

Nat Irvin II

Briana Lathon Bluford

Todd Lowe

Heather McHold

Jazzma Moore

Susan Moss

Cedric Powell

Alan Rosenberg

John Schriber

Seema Sheth

Abby Shue

Wendy Sirchio

Chris Thomas

Terry Tolan

Marita Willis

COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

“As a supporter of LPM since 2019 and then a Sustainer since 2021, I can’t fathom not supporting one of the best overall media stations. Mel, John, Otis and Laura are a big part of our household. They are the best radio DJ team that I’ve ever listened. And we cannot forget the great classical options that 90.5 provides either. We are blessed to get to call you all our local public radio station and I hope that it remains that way for many more decades. Please support LPM and the excellence they provide us locally but also worldwide via streaming. ”

—Lucas B.

Eric Gurevich, Chair

Lexington Lawson, Vice Chair

Kate Caufield, Secretary

Josh Bowling

Crystal Bryson-Obrer

Doug Butler

Tomiko Coates

Bill Coleman

Marie Dever

Katy Delahanty

Michael George

Rene Hernandez

Adam Lieberg

Staci Marshall

James McLeod

Joy Neighbors

Steve Ricketts

Brenda Rick Smith

Robyn Sekula

Yejide Travis

Melanie Veneracion-Parker

David Weiser

LaToya Whitlock

STAFF

“I love what Louisville Public Media does for my quality of life. Being a sustaining member for several years now is the best value of all the money I spend. I love Laura Shine. I love Sunday Bluegrass. Most of all I love my standing 4 pm Saturday date with Duke Meyer. Thank you for what you do!”

—Justin W.

LPM Team

To learn more about who we are, you can find a list of our full staff here.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

“WUOL has quickly become one of my favorite stations to listen to daily! Kiana Del provides such a wonderful experience and makes it easy to wind down and relax after a long day at work. Thank you all so much for what you do!”

—Ezra Y.

LPM continues to invest in policies and programs that support diversity, equity and inclusion — in our staff, leadership, programming and audience. 

Our goal is for LPM to serve our whole community by building teams that reflect our rich diversity and creating programming that tells the stories of our city. We measure that by assessing how close our employees, leadership and content match the racial, ethnic, gender and geographic diversity of Louisville

Below you will see the progress we are making.

Stephen George
President and CEO
Louisville Public Media

LPM Workforce

At the time of this report, there were 51 full-time staff at LPM across all levels in the organization. This report includes all of them; it does not include contractors, who sometimes appear on-air or in other capacities for LPM.

Race/Ethnicity

Gender

Board of Directors

As a 501(c)(3) community licensee, LPM is governed by a Board of Directors who provide organizational and financial leadership to our company. The LPM Board of Directors acts as stewards of a public trust and must ensure long-term financial stability, sustainable growth, and value to the public. As stewards, they are guided by the values of integrity, innovation, respect and quality. The board is self-selecting and composed of 24 representatives from the community at-large. 

Race/Ethnicity

Gender

Community Advisory Board

CAB members are a diverse group of people who care about our community, come from all over the area, and believe LPM’s music, news and events can connect people and make life in our city better. LPM strives to be a community commons for ideas, culture and information sharing. Our Advisory Board members give us feedback and guidance on how to best meet that mission. Board members talk with their neighbors, attend our events and work with LPM’s board of directors and staff. Like LPM itself, the Advisory Board aims to connect our community.

Race/Ethnicity

Gender

LPM News - WFPL

Sources may be featured in stories that ran on 89.3 WFPL, KyCIR.org, in our podcast feeds, or on LPM.org. These charts represent 730 source tracker entries, though some forms were not complete, as sources may decline to give information. Multiple source tracker form entries could represent just one story or segment. We’ve requested that sources select all that apply to their racial and ethnic identity and also allow them to input data not listed in the categories provided. We continue to push ourselves to be more inclusive not just in sources, but in language, story ideas, our line of inquiry to elected officials and the places we show up in the community.

Sources by Race

Additional race/ethnicities representing less than 1%:

  • White, Jewish
  • White, Latino
  • Middle Eastern & North African
  • Portuguese
  • White, Latino, Cuban
  • Black/African-American, Latino
  • Biracial/Multiracial
  • White, Black/African-American, Biracial/Multiracial
  • American Indian/Native American
  • Prefer not to say

Sources by Gender

LPM Music - WFPK

WFPK follows a Triple A, or Adult Album Alternative, format. Triple A is a traditionally male, white format, but we’re doing intentional work to redefine the music mix in Louisville. The following data represents a one-week period of WFPK programming. We worked with 12 categories and assigned some of the songs to more than one category, which is why some categories do not total 100. For instance, if the group was a duo/trio and each performer played a prominent role, we assigned categories to all members. If the song was performed by a band, we focused on the lead singer because that person is most visible and representative to the audience. The following results reflect a total of 2,661 song spins from the one-week period.

Spins by Race

Additional race/ethnicities representing less than 1%:

  • South Asian
  • Middle Eastern and North African

Spins by Gender

LPM Classical - WUOL

This chart captures the “spins” (one track played on air, regardless of the length of the track) as a percentage of total tracks played during the survey period. Gender diversity in this report is expressed as “Women/Female.” The role and contributions of women have been intentionally repressed or explicitly excluded from this art form, and we felt it was important to account for this. We’ve also made assumptions based on historic or contemporary information regarding gender identity. This report does not account for the various forms of gender identity, a data point that can be difficult to obtain and one that can be highly private and/or personal. For this same reason, we have not attempted to capture sexual orientation.

Performers - Percentage Spins

Black/African-American 7%
Asian, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, South Asian 4%
Latino 3%
Middle Eastern and North African 2%
Female 24%

Composers - Percentage Spins

Black/African-American 8%
Asian, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, South Asian 1%
Latino 4%
Middle Eastern and North African 1%
Female 11%
Events

In event planning, we identify ways to invest in and engage with more diverse audiences and partners. We assess the geographic diversity of our events and sponsorships to strive to reach all areas of our community.

376

Hosted or sponsored community events in 29 unique zip codes

52%

LPM-sponsored events featured a female or non-binary speaker/act or speaker/artist of color

38

Events celebrated, highlighted or discussed aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion

Note: Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number, so sometimes totals represented in the above charts exceed 100. We are combining race and ethnicity in one chart for this report.

2023 SUPPORTERS

Fiscal Year: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024

“Louisville Public Media is an integral part of our lives. There is no better public media in any American city. We are blessed and lucky to have LPM. Thanks to all who make it possible, especially LPM leadership, staff & supporters. Peace and Love!”

—John David D. & Laura H.

Members

12,833

Foundations

106

Business Sponsors

290

The vast majority of our funding comes from the local community. See below for a list of partners and business sponsors who made our work possible last year. Special thanks to the local, regional and national foundations who support Louisville Public Media, and especially to the 13,000 members who invest in our success each year.

American Journalism Project
American University for 1A’s Remaking America Project
Caesars Foundation of Floyd County
Community Foundation of Louisville
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Dawn Corporate Giving Program
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
Fund for the Arts
Great Meadows Foundation
Hardscuffle
Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation

James Graham Brown Foundation
Jewish Heritage Fund
Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels: Good Works Program
Norton Foundation
PNC Foundation
Pulitzer Center
Samtec
Snowy Owl Foundation
The Ground Truth Project/Report for America
The Just Trust for Education
V.V. Cooke Foundation

502 Hemp
A.N. Roth
AARP
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
Access Veterinary Care
ACT Louisville
Actors Theatre Direct
AEG Live
AEG Presents
AEG/Messina
Air Pollution Control District
All Peoples,
Alliance Francaise de Louisville
Alligator Records
American Red Cross
American Turners of Louisville
Americana Music Fest
Anchorage Presbyterian
Angel’s Envy
Antiques at Distillery Commons
Arts Association of Oldham County
Astra Behavioral Health
Atlantic Records
BABE Boutique
Bacardi Patron
Baptist Health
Bargain Supply Co.
Baxter’s Corner
Belknap Fall Fest
Belle Of Louisville
Bernheim Forest
Big Four Arts Festival
Big Loud
Big Stomp Festival
Bill Stout Properties
Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum
Bluegrass Veg Fest
BobCat
Bockfest
Bonnaroo
Brown Forman Community Relations
Bryan Armstrong
Bunbury Theatre
Butchertown Art Fair
Butchertown Brewing
C.A.S.A. of the River Region
Calvary Episcopal Church
Catholic Charities
Cave Hill Cemetery
Cedar Ridge Camp & Retreat
Celtic Woman
Center for Interfaith Relations
Center For NonProfit Excellence
Center for Women/Families
Central Bank
Centric Consulting
Chamber Music Society of Louisville
Chanticleer
Christ Church United Methodist
Churchill Downs
Clay & Cotton
Cognision
Community Foundation
Congo
Copper & Kings
Cornbread Hemp
Crescent Hill Community Council
Culligan Kentuckiana
Cullinan Associates
Cunningham Door & Window
Dare to Care Food Bank
Dentons Bingham Greenbaum
Derby City Chamber Fest
Derby Dinner
Diane and Pete Kirven, Realtors
Digs Home & Garden
DMLO
Downtown Market
Dragon King’s Daughter
DWP
Ehrler’s
El Mundo
Episcopal Diocese of KY
Eve Theatre Company
Explore Asheville
Eye Care Institute
Falls of the Ohio Foundation
Family & Children’s Place
Family Health Centers
Farmington Historic Home
Feed Louisville
Ferdinand Folk Festival
Fest-A-Phil
Filson Historical Society
Flea Off Market
Food Literacy Project
Four Pegs Beer Lounge

Francis Parker School
Frazier History Museum
Gallo
Garvin Gate Blues
Good Neighborhoods
Grace Hopkins Ruml Children’s Fund
Green River Distillery
Habitat Restore
Hanover College
Havana Rumba
Headliner’s Music Hall
Henderson Music Company
Hermitage Farm ITC
Heuser Hearing Institute
Highland Baptist Church
Highland Basement Waterproofing
Highland Commerce Guild
Highland Community Ministries
Highland Presbyterian Church
Holiday Pottery Sale
Hosparus Health
Innovation Arts & Entertainment
Isenberg Spray Foam
Jefferson Memorial Forest
Jeffersonville Parks
Jewish Community Center
Jewish Family & Career Services
John C Campbell Folk School
Just Creations
KAIRE
KCHIP
Keith Hampton
Ken Comb’s Running Store
Kentucky Arts Council
Kentucky Author Forum
Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services
Kentucky Center for African American Heritage
Kentucky College of Art & Design
Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges
Kentucky Derby Festival
Kentucky Derby Museum
Kentucky Education Assocation
Kentucky History Center/Historical Society
Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light
Kentucky Performing Arts
Kentucky Proud
Kentucky Science Center
Kentucky Select Properties
Kentucky Shakespeare
Kentucky Solar Energy Society
Kentucky to the World
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Kentucky Waterways Alliance
Kiel Thomson Company
Kingston Trio Artists, LLC
KIPRC
KMAC Contemporary Art Museum
Ky Educational Television
KY Health Justice Network
Ky Opera
KYnect
Leadership Louisville Center
Legend at Pope Lick – Ghostrun, LLC
LG&E and KU Services Co.
Library Foundation
Limbwalker Tree Service
Lincoln Hills
Live Nation
Live Nation Indy
Locust Grove
Louisville Chorus
Louisville City Football Club
Louisville Downtown Partnership
Louisville Folk School
Louisville Free Public Library
Louisville Independent Business Alliance
Louisville Leopards Percussionists
Louisville Maker Faire
Louisville Master Chorale
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
Louisville Orchestra
Louisville Palace
Louisville Salt Cave
Louisville Tourism
Louisville Visual Art
Louisville Winds
Louisville Youth Group
Mac Brown Media
Mad Hop
Mammoth Inc
Mandala House
Marshall Family Foundation
Masonic Homes of Kentucky
Media Events
Medicaid

MEMI
Mercury Ballroom
Meridian Behavioral Health
Metropolitan Housing Coalition
Miller’s Fancy Bath & Kitchen
Mission Data
Molson Coors AKA Miller Lite Beverage Co, Inc
Moonshadow Fest
Mortenson Dental
Mountjoy Chilton Medley
MSD
Muhammad Ali Center
Music for a Purpose
Music-Go-Round
My Jewish Learning
NALA – the Paralegal Association
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Shows 2
National Shows 2.
Nederlander
New Blooms
NouLou Chamber
NuLu
Oasis TMS Therapy of Louisville
Oh Boy Records
Old Louisville Neighborhood Council
Olmsted Parks Conservancy
Oxmoor Farm
Pandora Productions
Paristown
Parks Alliance of Louisville
Parkside Bikes
Pete Foundation
Please and Thank You
PNC Foundation
PNC Marketing
Pretty Good Concerts
Production Simple
Quest Outdoors
RAARE Woman Collective
Rabbouni Catholic Community
Railbird Festival
Rainbow Blossom
Reach Evaluation
Red Hog
Republic Bank
Riverside Farnsley Moremen Landing, Inc.
Ronald McDonald House
Sassy Fox
SCORE Louisville
Second Chance Wildlife Center
ShPiel
Sky Pac
Solar Energy Solutions
Southern Crossings Pottery Festival
Speed Art Musuem
Spinelli’s Pizza
St. James Court Art Show
St. Matthews Episcopal Church
St. Meinrad
Stage One
Stegner Investment Associates
Suntime Pools West
Tailspin Ale Fest
The Door Store
The Irish Rover
The Louisville Ballet
The Louisville Zoo
The Moth
The Nature Conservancy
Theodore S Shouse
Tilford Dobbins & Schmidt
Trees Louisville
Treyton OakTowers
Trinity High School
U of L Community Relations
U of L Office of Communication & Marketing
University of Louisville-
University of Louisville Dept. of Psychiatry
University of Louisville Sch. of Music
Via Studio
Vision Zero
Visit Bloomington
Visit Madison, Inc.
Voluforms
Waldorf School of Lou.
Waterfront Botanical Gardens
Wellspring
West Sixth
Wilson & Muir Bank & Trust
Wiltshire Pantry
World Affairs Council of KY & So. IN
Yew Dell Gardens
YMCA
Yum ASM
Zanzabar
Zero V

To sustain itself, The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting relies on a mixture of funding administered through Louisville Public Media.

All of KyCIR’s fiscal year 2024 donors and grant funders of any amount are listed here. Donors marked with an asterisk (*) gave $5,000 or more in the fiscal year.

THANK YOU!

You depend on our nonprofit newsroom and our independent music stations every day, and we depend on support from you. Invest in another year of high-quality public media with a donation today.

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