High Plains Civic Media Network

The High Plains Civic Media Network (CMN) is an inventive initiative to serve the news and information needs of the High Plains region. In the same pioneering spirit that has long driven High Plains Public Radio, the CMN takes a reimagined and versatile approach to providing news and information which is distinctive in several ways:

Civic news & information | Beyond reporting the news of the day, the CMN focuses on stories and information that is useful and satisfying for life on the High Plains. It aims to provide users with understanding of current issues; awareness of emerging trends; sources of insights and solutions; moments of inspiration and fresh ideas; and points of pleasure, joy, and appreciation. Moreover, it hopes to develop connections between individuals and communities with shared interests. The CMN’s success is in helping everyone on the High Plains experience a better life in their community and contribute more to the life of their community.

Regional perspective | The CMN's coverage area spans 89 counties across five states of the central High Plains, a distinct region bound together by its shared geography, environment, climate, economy, history, community life, folkways, and mix of cultures. In looking across more than three hundred communities within the region, the CMN explores and shares what's happening in one community that may be of interest to another 200 miles up or down the road. And across communities it looks for patterns, trends, contrasts, innovations, and traditions that may have interest and significance across the region. In these ways the CMN looks to create a greater sense of shared identity and common interests across the High Plains.

Network of contributors | Covering the CMN’s expansive territory would be difficult for a traditional newsroom in one location staffed with reporters who may or may not have the region-wide familiarity, understanding, connections, or lasting commitments needed to cover the needs and interest of the region. Instead, the CMN develops, supports, and draws on a network of contributors to provide its coverage — a wide network of many individuals and organizations from across the region that collectively has the geographic reach, knowledge, experience, perspectives, skills, and dedication needed to cover the wide range of topics of interest and concern to the region. It is a network designed to tap the talents of the High Plains to cover the High Plains.

Wide reach & many forms | To reach a wide audience the CMN "publishes" its content across the many places now used to stay current on the news — websites, newsletters, mobile text and social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and others), as well as radio. Through its network of contributors, the CMN also provides its area news and information in a variety of formats that match different individuals' needs and preferences: quick "items of the day,”concise briefings on "what you need to know,” full feature articles, in-depth explainer and background pieces, personal reflections and essays, along with other forms that suit the situation.

In all these ways, the CMN aims to become a go-to source for anyone looking for reliable, informed, varied, and trustworthy news and information about what's happening of significance across the High Plains.

To grow the contributor network, provide editorial guidance and support for contributors, and oversee the production and publishing of CMN content for High Plains audiences, the CMN has a small support team: Julie Thompson, Editorial Director; Rachel Coleman, Community Director; and Whitney Hodgin, Network Manager.

Civic Media Network journalists Julie Thompson, Rachel Coleman, and Whitney Hodgin

Collectively this team brings 45 years of experience in newspaper, radio, television, and digital news reporting, editing, and publishing, along with additional years of experience in marketing and public relations for county governments, colleges, and commercial businesses. As individuals, they each have strong personal ties to the High Plains, wide-ranging networks of connections across the region, and a deep commitment to furthering the civic life of individuals and communities across the area.

Additionally, HPPR's Executive Director Quentin Hope serves as the CMN overall leader. Other HPPR staff provide needed technical, operational, administrative, accounting, marketing and fundraising support. Collectively, the CMN and HPPR staff are inspired and highly committed to building the CMN over time to help fill the local news and information gaps that have grown in recent years and revive the community-based journalism heritage of the High Plains.

The High Plains Civic Media Network’s purpose is to further High Plains Public Radio’s mission to “support and enrich the civic, educational, community and cultural life of residents of the High Plains” and builds on HPPR's nearly 50 years’ experience in using electronic media to build communities of shared place and interests.

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions

When will stories start to appear from the CMN?

As a start-up, work is currently underway to build a solid foundation for the growth and sustainability of the CMN and its contributor network. This work includes defining appropriate editorial standards and policies, designing efficient content production workflows, setting up systems and tools for collaborating with contributors across scores of locations, recruiting and orienteering an initial group of contributors, and a myriad of other operational details.

A regular flow of new content is scheduled will begin by the first of the year with steady growth expected as more contributors sign on. In the meantime, you’ll see increased listings and promotions of regional events “worth a drive” along with an upgraded Tuned In newsletter providing a roundup of regional news stories and features.

Additionally, production of a series of stories focused on jobs and economic development is underway, including “stories of success” by individuals who have created new work and business opportunities for themselves; “explainers and updates” on available economic development programs and services; and “bigger picture” stories on innovations and uses of new technologies by individuals, businesses and organizations across the region.

How can I be involved?

There are multiple ways to be part of the CMN. The network seeks individuals and organizations to join as regular contributors in a variety of roles - Community Correspondents, Topical Correspondents, Community Connectors and Regional Curators. Individuals with skills in various media areas – photography/videography, social media posting, digital content editing and production, audience data tracking, and others – can also join for volunteer or freelance project work. And from everyone, the CMN is looking for ideas about stories that need to covered and aspects of the High Plains that should be better known. Contact Rachel Coleman (rcoleman@hppr.org), Community Directory, with your interests and ideas.

How does the CMN fit with HPPR?

The CMN builds on the organization, facilities, relationships, audiences, and financial support that HPPR has established since 1980. Rather than starting from nothing and requiring new investments, the CMN leverages and makes greater use of HPPR’s 18-station FM broadcast network, website, digital streaming, mobile app, IT systems, production studios and other existing infrastructure and systems. This allows the CMN to focus on working with contributors and producing content without worrying about the accompanying technical, administrative, financial, and managerial work, since they are handled by HPPR. In turn, the CMN provides HPPR with regional news and information that complements its existing national and international news coverage from NPR, the BBC and other leading news organizations. It makes real HPPR’s claim to be both “An ear to the world and a voice of the High Plains.”

How did the idea of the High Plains Civic Media Network develop?

HPPR began strategic planning in 2024 to further fulfill its mission by becoming a greater “Voice of the High Plains.” The news and information gap left by the decline of other local media (notably newspapers) further motivated this work. More than four decades of experience as a locally grounded public radio service meant HPPR had already gathered many insights about the news and information needs of the High Plains, as well as the hard realities of providing service across a wide and very rural region. This grassroots knowledge and experience combined with the HPPR Executive Director’s 16 years of experience designing and delivering digital transformation programs for hundreds of legacy news organizations at the Columbia Journalism School, Poynter Institute for Media Studies and elsewhere. These joint local/global perspectives generated the concept of the CMN as a fitting and feasible model for better meeting the news and information needs of the High Plains within a global digital media environment.

How is the CMN being funded?

Major grants from two national organizations have provided three years of startup funding for the CMN. Press Forward, a nonpartisan philanthropic initiative working to strengthen communities by reinvigorating and reimagining local news, awarded HPPR one of 22 grants out of 560 applications from media organizations across the country in response to their call for proposals on local news infrastructure. HPPR also received one of the last grants made by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting before its closure under their competitive request for proposals for “Closing Information Gaps in Rural America.” In both cases the funders found the Civic Media Network a concept worth investing in – and the High Plains a good test area to see if the model could work in other rural regions of the country.

Does the CMN funding fill the gap left by the federal defunding of public media in 2025?

No and yes. The grant funds can only be used for the direct cost of starting up the CMN and cannot be used to cover any of HPPR’s current operating expenses or to replace any of its lost federal funding. However, the funding does enable HPPR to launch the CMN, which is a key part of its Moving Forward plan to both “bridge” and “build” beyond the federal defunding. Building the CMN is key to growing HPPR’s overall audience (digital and broadcast) and expanding its base of individual, business and foundation financial support to sustain its operations for decades to come.

Can it be sustained?

The CMN is designed for sustainability in two ways. First, it is a much lower cost model for providing area news and information by developing a flexible network of contributors rather than staffing a newsroom with full-time reporters and editors and incurring those high fixed costs. Second, the contributor network can be built out over time and scaled to the sustaining financial support it generates through increased individual contributions and sponsorship fees. Additionally, the startup grants provide funding for marketing, membership development, and sponsorship sales support as the CMN is being developed.

How can I best support the development of the CMN?

The pace of the buildout of the CMN and the quantity and quality of the regional news and information it produces depends on the operational strength and stability of HPPR on which its operations rely. Your continued and generous contributions to HPPR are the best way to ensure the success of the CMN – and the continuation of HPPR’s current programming and services amid the loss of federal funding.