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Public Insight Network FAQ
HARVEST'S MISSION: Global demand for food and fuel is rising, and the push and pull for resources has serious ramifications for our country’s economic recovery and prosperity. Today’s emerging agenda for agriculture is headlined by energy and climate change, food safety, biofuels, animal production and welfare, human health, water quality, and local food systems. By examining these local, regional and national issues and their implications, Harvest Public Media seeks to create a rich multimedia resource devoted to food, fuel and field.
HOW WE REPORT: Most Harvest Public Media stories begin with radio — regular reports are aired on our six member stations in the Midwest. But Harvest also explores issues through online analyses, television reports, podcasts, photography, video, blogs and social networking.
FUNDING: Harvest Public Media is one of seven Local Journalism Centers nationwide created with the support of a two-year grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The initiative is intended to strengthen collaboration among six Midwest public broadcasting stations. Additional editorial support comes from American Public Media, National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting System.
PARTNER STATIONS: KCUR in Kansas City (lead station); Iowa Public Radio; NET, which operates statewide public TV and radio networks in Nebraska; KBIA in Columbia, Mo.; High Plains Public Radio/KANZ in Garden City, Kan.; and Kansas Public Radio/KNAU in Lawrence.
Learn more about our partners.
What is the Public Insight Network? | Join the Public Insight Network | Update your information
Q. What is Public Insight?
Q. How is this different from how your journalists have worked in the past?
Q. How will you use the information people give you?
Q. How do I share what I know with you?
Q. Why do you ask for information about me?
Q. What's American Public Media?
Q. How does American Public Media and the Public Insight Network connect with other newsrooms?
Q. I have more questions. Who do I ask?
What is Public Insight?
Public Insight Network is a new approach that journalists with American Public Media shows, such as Marketplace, and our partner newsrooms are using to find diverse sources and a broader range of information. It involves partnering with the public and, at its heart, is the Public Insight Network – a group of tens of thousands of people who have agreed to help cover the news.
Many of our public sources have told us about their work, education, passions and expertise. Almost daily, we ask some of these sources to share their observations and knowledge with us on specific stories. Our Public Insight journalists take that information, distill it, and pass it on to our reporters and editors. Journalists may follow up with a request for more information, or perhaps an interview with a public source.
We also ask public sources to tell us about stories that we should be covering – stories that matter to them and are not on our radar. Sources also participate in online interactives where they share ideas and stories and reason through tough issues.
These public insights help us set our agenda for coverage and inform our reporting. We believe this partnership creates more diverse and in-depth news and cultural coverage. It also makes American Public Media programs even more trusted and credible sources of news and information.
How is this different from how your journalists have worked in the past?
Our journalists are always trying to find the best sources and the best information to tell their stories. Yet, it's challenging to find sources beyond the usual spokespeople, officials and experts. And it's tough to survey a wide range of knowledge quickly on deadline.
Until recently, we lacked the ability to ask many people to share what they know with us on any given story. Now, the Internet, e-mail and social media like Twitter and Facebook make that possible – and we can interact with people so quickly it can even help with breaking news. Those same technologies also allow us to keep track of information in a central database and distill it into a powerful storehouse of intelligence.
At American Public Media, we've created specialized software to gather knowledge and insight from the public and then manage that information so it is available to help journalists at American Public Media and partner newsrooms.
How will you use the information people give you?
We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our public sources. Journalists at American Public Media and our partner newsrooms will not quote anyone on air, online or in print without first getting permission.
Personal information shared through the Public Insight Network is tightly restricted to a small group of journalists. No one else will use this information to contact our sources.
We will use the knowledge, observations and expertise people provide to inform our journalism. The journalists who work with the Public Insight Network maintain relationships with public sources, distill the information we receive on a given inquiry, check it and pass the best information and sources to reporters. From there, reporters do what they have always done – research and interview to produce balanced stories that get at the truth, and put it in context.
How do I share what I know with you?
In general, we will ask for your help by e-mail (by phone if you don't have e-mail.) We'll tell you about a topic we are researching. If you have expertise on the topic or relevant experience, we'll ask you to share that information in a brief questionnaire. If you don't have knowledge, you should ignore the request or forward it to someone you think might have expertise on the topic.
We will also occasionally ask you to share your ideas for stories we should be covering. We will consider every idea that comes in, especially if you provide specific information to help us pursue the story. Of course, we can't cover every story people suggest.
You can e-mail us anytime at publicinsight@harvestpublicmedia.org with questions, ideas, criticism or suggestions.
Why do you ask for information about me?
We ask for information about you so that we can better target our inquiries to you and focus on topics where you are likely to have experience and insight. Sometimes we will ask you for help on varied stories to explore new areas where you may have expertise we don't know about.
We will not share this private information beyond the Public Insight journalists and other journalists working on stories based on your insights.
What's American Public Media?
American Public Media is one of the nation's premier public radio producers, and our programs are listened to by 14.7 million people each week. American Public Media's news and information programs that are using Public Insight Network are Marketplace, Marketplace Money, American RadioWorks, Speaking of Faith and Splendid Table.
How do American Public Media and the Public Insight Network connect with other newsrooms?
As a source in the Public Insight Network you have an opportunity to inform reporting at newsrooms around the country.
Public Insight newsrooms include:
Southern California Public Radio
The Center for Sustainable Journalism
- I have more questions. Who do I ask?
If you have questions that this FAQ didn't answer, please email us at publicinsight@harvestpublicmedia.org. You can also go to our sign up page to become a public source now. Thanks for helping us strengthen journalism by sharing what you know.
