Next Gen Public Media
Toolkit for Stations
Public media is for all of us — and that includes tweens and teens.
Most young kids watch PBS, but “age out” of public media as they get older. What’s the role of the public media system for tweens and teens? Where can we provide unique value to their lives as they form their civic identities, develop opinions about the world, and find purpose in their lives?
This toolkit is a work in progress. It is being created through a process of research and collaboration with public media stations around the country who are innovating and adapting to answer these questions and play a consequential role in the lives of tweens and teens.
If you have feedback or suggestions, please let us know!
Who this toolkit is for
This toolkit is for public media stations that are interested in creating or improving their efforts focused on tweens and teens. Resources in this toolkit are designed for strategic decision-makers and program managers and collaborators in between. Many tween and teen efforts are cross-departmental (including education, newsroom, production, engagement, etc.), and the tools provided here are intended to be applicable with diverse teams.
How to use this toolkit
Everyone is at a different stage in their journey. We encourage you to select the tools and resources that are appropriate for your station.
The toolkit is organized in three sections to help you navigate to the tools you need:
- Making the case for focusing on tweens and teens
- Setting the strategy that fits your station’s priorities
- Building the program around best practices from the field
Across these sections, we provide tools to ensure a coherent strategy that leverages your station’s assets and priorities. A database of youth-focused projects from stations across the country provides examples and inspiration of what this work can look like in action.
Acknowledgements
This toolkit was funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as part of the By/With/For Youth: Inspiring Next Gen Public Media Audiences project.
The resources in this toolkit have been inspired, co-designed, vetted, and tested by our partners in the public media system. We offer special thanks to:
- The 12 stations in the 2022 Next Gen Public Media Accelerator
- Over 60 stations in the Next Gen Public Media Peer Learning Community
- And the Next Gen Public Media Youth Fellows in summer 2022
Interested in learning more?
Sign up for updates, join the Peer Learning Community, and learn more about the Next Gen Public Media initiative.