VERMONT MAGAZINE Winter 2021 | Page 49

stories in all corners of the Green Mountain State . “ By working together , we ’ ll be able to put the microphone in the hands of more Vermonters , who will be able to tell their stories firsthand . We ’ ll also be able to bring our teams out to every part of the state , and bring the stories of the Northeast Kingdom , Rutland County , and Bennington County front and center . By incorporating the voices and perspectives of even more Vermonters into our programming , we can increase engagement in their communities , and spread awareness about their stories and causes .”

Ravlin says that although the merger will combine both organizations under a unified banner , “ the core pieces of both organizations aren ’ t going to change . You ’ re still going to be able to access amazing kids educational programming on Vermont PBS . While Jane Lindholm is stepping off of Vermont Edition to take on other duties at VPR , the program is going to continue . Things are continually evolving – and the exact specifics will really be more evident after July 1st – but nothing is going away . We ’ ll still be providing access to fantastic VPR programming , both on-air and online . We ’ ll still have our news programs , our popular VPR classical music station , our Brave Little State podcast , and our But Why ? children ’ s podcast , which has

developed an audience across international lines . If anything , we will be adding and working to make our programming more robust . The goal is to increase service and increase potential .”

Dibble says that due to unprecedented shifts over the past year , Vermont PBS and VPR have both had to adapt to unforeseen circumstances . Dibble believes that the upcoming merger will allow both organizations to become increasingly flexible , which will allow them to continue to provide exceptional content – even when confronted with rapid change . “ Vermont PBS has been able to do some really great work in terms of educational outreach over the past year . We ’ ve offered a lot of wonderful children ’ s programming through the secretary of education and the state ’ s education programs . We ’ ve provided in-home educational resources for kids all across the state that would have had a hard time accessing those things otherwise . We were also able to do some live Mr . Chris concerts . Mr . Chris broadcasted right from his home and reached thousands of kids through social media . I think our ability to quickly adjust and incorporate new mediums and distribution mechanisms serves as a good illustrative example of our flexibility . When we deal with unexpected , strange , big , unfathomable surprises , the best way

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