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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AMPERS Launches Daily Newscast Highlighting Minnesota’s Diverse Communities
St. Paul, MN – January 22, 2025 – The Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations (AMPERS) is proud to announce the launch of its new project: North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live. This daily five-minute newscast will shine a spotlight on the stories and perspectives of Minnesota’s diverse communities, including Black, Latine, Asian American, East African individuals, people living with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ residents, laborers, veterans, and those from Greater Minnesota.
“We are excited about this new project,” said Victor Palomino, AMPERS Director of News. “We’re assembling a team of reporters from across the state to bring attention to stories that often go unheard by traditional media outlets.”
North Star Stories: Voices From Where We Live builds on the success of Racial Reckoning: The Arc of Justice, a collaborative journalism initiative by KMOJ Radio in Minneapolis, AMPERS, and the Minnesota Humanities Center. That project empowered young reporters to cover the George Floyd case and its broader implications. Now, AMPERS is expanding its mission to address the ongoing need for inclusive coverage of Minnesota’s underrepresented communities.
“This is a continuation of AMPERS’ efforts to amplify diverse voices across Minnesota” added Palomino.
Each story will be voiced, sourced, and reported by members of the communities they represent, ensuring authenticity and relevance. The newscast will be distributed across AMPERS’ 17 member stations statewide.
“We want to create a program that reflects all aspects of life in Minnesota,” Palomino explained. “By collaborating with news producers and member stations, we aim to stay informed about issues that matter most to these communities.”
In addition to offering audio storytelling, the newscast will serve as a platform to promote independent media and youth journalism. “We’re reaching out to media organizations to present this project and provide opportunities for reporters to learn radio production,” Palomino noted. “One of our goals is to engage community members interested in storytelling and continue the tradition of community media to offer a space for all in the public airwaves.”
North Star Stories will debut on January 27, 2025, across AMPERS member stations. It joins a roster of distinguished AMPERS productions such as Minnesota Native News, Veterans Voices, and MN 90.
Listeners can explore North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live online at www.ampers.org.
About AMPERS: AMPERS, the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations, is an independent organization of 17 public radio stations across Minnesota. Dedicated to reflecting the state’s diverse communities, AMPERS provides programming that enriches, informs, and represents all Minnesotans.
Media Contact: Victor Palomino
Director of News, AMPERS
Email: victor@ampers.org
Phone: 612.470.3817
Website: www.ampers.org
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