Michigan Radio and ARISE Detroit! have announced that they will be working together to form a Community Reporting Engagement Council. The mission of the group is to strengthen networking with communities of color, serve as a sounding board and inform news coverage that is for and about Detroit. A key goal of the initiative is to strengthen Michigan Radio’s relationships with diverse communities throughout the city and to bring their stories and perspective to life to the station’s 800,000+ monthly listeners across the state.
The council will be made up of Detroit residents from neighborhoods throughout the city, as well as Highland Park and Hamtramck. The Community Reporting Engagement Council is expected to meet for the first time this fall.
“We are excited by this partnership with Michigan Radio,” said Luther Keith, executive director of ARISE Detroit! “This is a great opportunity to expand awareness of the efforts of hundreds of organizations and thousands of people working to improve the neighborhoods of Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. Equally important, our partnership and work of the Engagement Council will be to respond to the voices and concerns of residents living in those neighborhoods.”
As part of this endeavor, Michigan Radio will also be hiring a community engagement reporter who will supplement the station’s coverage in Detroit. The community engagement reporter will work with the Community Reporting Engagement Council to better understand and address residents’ goals and help Michigan Radio produce outstanding journalism that gives community members a greater voice in public affairs.
“Michigan Radio is looking forward to building and strengthening our relationships with these diverse communities,” noted Executive Director and General Manager Steve Schram. “Michigan Radio has a history of award-winning local journalism and audience engagement. This program with the support of ARISE will allow us to deepen that connection through quality and meaningful content addressing the concerns and needs of the people of Detroit.”
Funding for this project is provided by The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan as part of their Detroit Journalism Engagement Fund. The Fund, through its grant making program, seeks to advance quality journalism while reflecting the perspectives of diverse constituencies including people of color, women and low-income communities.
ARISE Detroit! is a nonprofit coalition of more than 400 organizations, promoting volunteerism, community activism and positive media images to create a better Detroit. A focal point of their efforts is their annual Neighborhoods Day which celebrates the work of block clubs, churches, schools, community groups and local businesses to create a better Detroit. The 15th Annual ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Day will be Aug. 7, 2021.
