Radio, TV, Digital Programming Will Chronicle Coronavirus Challenge; ‘Connecticut Conversations’ Special to Air Live March 19
In less than three months, Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) has reached around the globe to Connecticut. With Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announcing a public health and civil preparedness emergency and President Donald Trump declaring a national state of emergency, Connecticut Public (CT Public) today launched cross-platform programming to chronicle and analyze the public health and societal impacts of this pandemic.
“As the situation with COVID-19 quickly evolves, we will use the full resources of Connecticut Public to ensure that the people of our state are provided timely, robust, accurate and accessible updates on the status of this pandemic on each of our platforms—from radio to TV, digital and social,” said Mark Contreras, President and CEO of CT Public.
“Connecticut Public is committed to providing information and insight around the coronavirus pandemic that our citizens can trust, said Chief Content officer Tim Rasmussen. “Our reporters, producers and staff are working around the clock to bring the most up-to-date information so our viewers and listeners in Connecticut can have the best information possible to make decisions.”
CT Public’s COVID-19 programming includes:
- “Connecticut Conversations: Coronavirus,” a CT Public-produced program that will air LIVE on CPTV from 9:00-10:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19. The show, hosted by health reporter Nicole Leonard, will feature Connecticut health, medical, education and other expert panelists. It will be simulcast on Connecticut Public Radio, stream on www.cptv.org, as well as on Passport, YouTube and Facebook.
- “Confronting Coronavirus: A PBS NewsHour Special,” will air immediately prior to the CPTV program on March 19 (8:00-9:00 p.m.), and focus on health precautions for individuals and the public-at-large as well as the pandemic’s economic impact globally and in the U.S. The primetime special, to be anchored by managing editor Judy Woodruff, will include interviews with officials; reporting from NewsHour‘s worldwide correspondents; and a virtual town hall with curated questions from people across America, to be moderated by NewsHour correspondents Amna Nawaz and William Brangham.
- A COVID-19 resource page is now pinned to the top of CT Public’s social media accounts. The page, linked below, has already generated over 34k page views. https://ctpublic.org/community-resources/coronavirus-what-connecticut-needs-to-know
- A daily email newsletter that will go to all of CT Public’s 18,000+ newsletter subscribers, featuring links to state and other relevant public health authorities.
- CT Public’s Instagram and Facebook pages will also feature daily posts on Coronavirus developments in Connecticut.
Here is a look at next week’s WNPR local and national radio coverage:
- Sunday, March 15, 4:00 p.m.: “COVID 19 – What You Need To Know.” Hosted by Lulu Garcia-Navarro, this special report will feature some of NPR’s strongest reporting on COVID-19, focusing on what we have learned about the virus and its implications for individuals and the American public as a whole, rather than the latest infection numbers and news updates.
- Monday, March 16, 9:00 a.m.: Connecticut Public Radio’s “Where We Live” program will detail school and community response to Coronavirus.
- Monday, March 16, 1:00 p.m.: “The Colin McEnroe Show” will feature an all-call program on COVID-19, with a local expert guest in studio with Colin to answer callers’ questions.
- Wednesday and Thursday, March 18 and 19, 2:00 p.m.: WNPR will air a national call-in special produced by Minnesota Public Radio. Link: https://www.apmdistribution.org/news/covid-19/?utm_campaign=Covid+19+planning++March+11%252c+2020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sfmc_&utm_content=covid-19
- Thursday, March 19, 9:00 a.m.: “Where We Live” will focus on mental health around the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Thursday, March 19, 9:00 pm: WNPR will simulcast the CPTV “Connecticut Conversations: Coronavirus” special.
About Connecticut Public
Connecticut Public is home to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). Together, Connecticut Public serves nearly one million citizens each month through Connecticut Public Radio and Connecticut Public Television, as well as through our many digital and online platforms. Through our mission to inform, educate and inspire the people of Connecticut, we connect people of all ages to high quality journalism, storytelling, education and experiences, and amplify the voices of our diverse communities. Connecticut Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with an $22 million annual budget, funded primarily through community support from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.
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