KUOW’s 2019 Annual Report.

Here’s what you made possible in 2019.

Our Mission

To create and serve a more informed public.

Our Vision

Broaden conversations. Deepen understanding.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

More and more, I hear that phrase or another like it when I step out of the station and into the community.

As someone who works in public media, it pains me...but I get it. From the beginning of modern memory, we’ve lived with a general set of accepted facts. Even if we disagreed about a great many things, observable reality generally wasn’t up for debate. Now in society, we look at reality and see different things. Say different things. People in power blatantly lie, citizens heedlessly repeat and spread unsubstantiated claims that placate their worldview and facts don't seem to matter anymore. It's no wonder we "don't know what to believe anymore."

When our lens on reality becomes so warped, trust and stability are shattered. I believe the work of journalists is critical to building them back up.

Caryn G. Mathes President and General Manager

I keep coming back to a simple truth: Trust is about relationship. You won’t earn, restore or sustain it in a societal sense without doing what you would do in a personal, healthy relationship. You have to be available. You have to show up, every time—listen with your whole being and dig deep into your repository of experience and knowledge to offer what is useful. And you have to tell the truth—even when it’s hard to hear.

Looking back on 2019, I’m especially proud of the work that KUOW did to strengthen our relationship with our community. We sought truth for our audience everywhere we went, whether it was tracking down answers to your lighthearted questions about berry picking, or your heavier ones about the homelessness crisis.

We met you face-to-face, facilitating lively and meaningful conversations in theaters and at dinner tables. And, knowing that few things can transport us like the intimacy of audio and the power of the human voice, we pursued stories that showed all of us our shared humanity.

I’m not quite sure if this work stands out to me because it was, in some ways, a break from a relentless political news cycle or because human, personal engagement offers the primary hope to heal our divided society. In a world of such division, we sought in our hearts to connect, learn and empathize. And after all, that’s what public media does best.

For those of you exasperated at trying to figure out what to believe and finding yourselves overwhelmed at times—it's ok to rest. It's ok to take a break. But know that you have to come back. The obligation of living in civil society is paying attention, listening and acting. The forces that push us toward distrust and division are tireless, so we must be tireless as well.

As we enter 2020 together, count on KUOW to help you listen even when it’s hard, speak truth to power even when it takes extraordinary courage and stay open even when you want to shut down. You are why we’re here, however you choose to listen and engage. We thank you for being here for us.

Above all, thank you for putting your trust in us. We will work tirelessly to keep earning it.

Caryn G. Mathes
President and General Manager

I keep coming back to a simple truth: Trust is about relationship

YEAR IN NUMBERS

413,600

weekly broadcast
listeners

47,618

CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS

28,000

NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS

238,500

MONTHLY PODCAST DOWNLOADS

748

YOUTH IN RADIOACTIVE JOURNALISM WORKSHOPS

252,490

MONTHLY STREAMING AUDIENCE

6,249

KUOW EVENT ATTENDEES

AWARDS

The Next Generation of Radio

This year, KUOW’s RadioActive Youth Media program found a home of its own, complete with its own recording studio. Among youth’s best work yet was a top-performing podcast on the racist practice of mispronouncing names and a story about politics in the family that garnered the attention of Representative Ilhan Omar.

Stealing for Survival

KUOW analyzed hundreds of Seattle theft cases. Two surprising facts emerged: 1) Seattle charges people for stealing from Goodwill more than any other retailer. 2) Almost one in three are homeless. Reporters spoke with public defenders, Goodwill spokespeople and others to understand the reasons and the impact.

Tradition on the Table

Sometimes cultural customs come up against the law. For soju, the popular Korean spirit traditionally served by the bottle, it’s the U.S. law that allows distilled spirits to be served only by the shot glass. KUOW took a look at why Korean restaurants in Seattle, Bellevue and Washington at large are fighting for tradition.

ICE in Tacoma

Far from the U.S.-Mexico border, KUOW uncovered the impact of the Trump Administration’s immigration policies here in the Pacific Northwest. Reporters went to the ICE detention center in Tacoma, where stays in solitary averaged 51 days. They found that 1 in 3 detainees in solitary have had documented mental health flags.

Battle Tactics for Your Sexist Workplace

In the second season of KUOW’s Battle Tactics for Your Sexist Workplace, hosts Eula Scott Bynoe, Jeannie Yandel and guests dug into topics including gender performance, bias-awareness and better allyship. Sexism is prevalent and insidious, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to tackling it.

WAYS TO LISTEN