6.1 Describe your overall goals and approach to address identified community issues, needs, and interests
through your station’s vital local services, such as multiplatform long and short-form content, digital and inperson engagement, education services, community information, partnership support, and other activities, andaudiences you reached or new audiences you engaged.
WXPN responds to the needs and interests identified by our diverse community by providing music discovery andexperiences. Our commitment is fostered by making great radio and creating compelling digital content, toconnect with audiences and local community and national organizations. This responsibility drives us to advanceour efforts toward new technology-driven distribution to maximize the impact of the events we produce, tell ourstory and the stories of the musicians, clients and audiences we serve, as we build our national brand, listenershipand membership. As an important contributor to the culturally diverse Philadelphia metropolitan area, thestation’s on-air, digital and in-person engagement efforts reflected sustained involvement and growth in FY19.
WXPN’s goal of deeper engagement with a wider audience was explored further as we continued to tell the storyof the Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul. Our multi-faceted project completed in FY19 told the story of gospel music
and its enduring influence on soul, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, hip-hop and other forms of popular music.
Gospel Roots was first introduced to the community with a free screening of the documentary film, How They Got
Over, followed by a series of free concerts produced in churches and local venues. Local and internationallyrenown artists, who draw from gospel’s influence in their music today, drew new audiences to XPN. Seven live
performances, including a sold-out grand finale, along with a comprehensive website and a nationally distributed
documentary were the elements that conveyed this story to a new audience while inviting the interest of XPN
listeners. Partnerships that have contributed to the project’s formation included local church leaders and experts
in the field. Field research was conducted in the Philadelphia region, Nashville and Memphis. Additional details
about the Gospel Roots are found in section 6.3 of this report.
One of the most important ways, WXPN responds to the special needs of our audience is through the Musicians On
Call program. It is a program with which we are most proud to be involved. To help raise money to support it, we
produced our 5th Annual 5K Run for Musicians On Call on October 7, 2018. The event grossed just under $96,000,
surpassing our goal by $1600, with 600+ registered runners and funky-miler walkers. Refer to 6.3 for additional
information about the impact of the program.
A Phone-A-Thon to thank contributors to the fall fund drive was designed to show appreciation for members who
donated at all levels. Although it was often necessary to leave voicemail messages, when staff did connect withmembers they never hesitated to talk about their appreciation of WXPN and the many ways the station adds totheir daily lives.
Major donors are one of public radio’s greatest resources. To show appreciation for their support and to reinforce
our relationship with them, WXPN increased time spent celebrating these stations members by adding focusedstewardship events. On 11/13/18, 100 people attended a get-together at Yards Brewing Company in Philadelphia.
We received positive responses from the some in the group, including comments noting that it was affirming to get
acquainted with like-minded people who support XPN as major donors. Another way XPN responded to thisaudience when they expressed an interest in more connection was to invite them in to attend World Cafe artist
interview sessions. These Special Producers Sessions are intimate events between host and artists with small
audiences present. Heritage artists as well as emerging singer-songwriters were recorded for later airplay on World
Cafe. In all, 9 sessions were available by invitation only.
For those very special XPN members & music devotees, we offer the opportunity to engage with XPN World Cafe
staff and XPN General Manager to explore musical and cultural landscapes in countries around the world. The
World Cafe Travel Adventure Series explores these themes joined by approximately 40 station members. In FY19,
World Cafe’s calendar would include 2 separate excursions: Scotland and Ireland in the fall and London and Paris inspring. WXPN hosts a pre-trip get-together in the World Cafe Performance Studio so that travelers have a chance
to discuss plans and to connect prior to traveling together. For those members who seek a kind of insider
connection with WXPN, these trips provide an intimate music and travel experience, while also raising revenue forthe station. Past sessions are archived on World Cafe on NPR Music.
Music and interviews from the trip to the UK were broadcast in February and March 2019. In that same interval, on
2/7/19 World Cafe celebrated The Clash with the rest of the entire world for International Clash Day joining radio
stations, record stores and Clash lovers to spotlight the 40th anniversary of London Calling with great Clash songs,
Clash covers and music from Big Audio Dynamite and Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros! And indeed, London wascalling: In June 2019, Sense of Place hit local music hotspots in London and Paris with the World Cafe team andmember-travelers. Additional descriptions of these trips are found in section 6.4.
As each new project is considered we ask ourselves, “what’s the radio, what’s the digital, what’s the event.” XPN’s
multi-platform approach helps us lead and define community engagement. Our terrestrial broadcast reaches
400,000 listeners who enjoy a broadcast of curated playlists from a varied programming schedule serving
audiences in Philadelphia, Lancaster and York counties, Harrisburg and the Lehigh Valley, Worton Maryland andcounties in Northeastern Pennsylvania and Northern New Jersey. In FY19, WXPN delivered more on video, andproduced outstanding, unique live events. Our membership, business support, and marketing bases wereconnected through increased interactivity with Northeastern PA and Northwest NJ regions. All these advances
improved XPN’s growth in an evolving media environment. WXPN members enter the conversation with thestation and each other through the station’s Twitter, Facebook and the XPN weekly E-news. Visitors to the website
can find information about the station’s programming with a glance at the program guide and stream recently
archived specialty shows. In FY19 online streaming was available for WXPN, XPN2, and Folk Alley with occasional
streaming added for specialty shows, like Jingle Jams through the holiday season and in FY19 12 Penn Quaker
Basketball games were presented on the station’s stream. Visitors find music and cultural event schedules on thecomprehensive concert calendar. Members and listeners engaged with the video channel, VuHaus featuring local
events including WXPN’s biggest bash of the year, the XPoNential Festival, Free At Noon shows, archived footageof live performances from World Cafe, station event performances, and WXPN’s 2019 NON-COMMvention. Latin
Roots Live Series of free shows including Nuevofest produced in partnership with AfroTaino Productions arelocated on the website. The podcast, World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN takes the listener deeper than onair interviews. New features were added to The Key, the banner under which WXPN presents local musicians atconcerts throughout the city and through their unique series (refer to section 6.5).
WXPN hosts the annual AAA NON-COMMvention bringing public radio station and music industry staff from acrossthe country to Philadelphia. In FY19 NON-COMM partnered with the noncomMUSIC Alliance to build a more
inclusive conference for all public radio music stations including classical and jazz stations. The public-radiofocused conference sessions boast a diverse roster of live performances and significant conference sessions. XPN
members attend the music showcases at a special rate. XPN produced and broadcast the 25th Annual XPoNential
Music Festival Presented by Subaru July 27-29, 2018 at the Camden Waterfront at Wiggins Park and the BB&T
Pavilion in partnership with Live Nation (see section 6.2).
XPN’s scheduled programming is enlivened with engaging and unexpected productions. The popularity of big
broadcast events like #XPNAtoZ brings hits, misses, and deep tracks to a welcoming audience. In FY19, XPN
covered the 80’s with a 24-7 broadcast event that suspended specialty shows so that we could take the audiencethrough 3700 songs. For some listeners, the 80’s AtoZ experience was a time of music discovery, for others it was a
nostalgic event. Trending on #XPNAtoZ increased 30% over 2017’s 70’s A-Z and boosted listening throughout its
airing. The entire 80s A – Z playlist is available here.
Programming stunts designed to develop themes in music are built into individual daily programs. Listeners
respond positively and become more engaged on social media to the Morning Show’s Friday Morning Mix Tapewhere their song suggestions become part of this playlist. The summertime series Throwback Thursdays returned
with themed programming from 6AM-7PM. To execute one theme, DJ’s spun a carnival wheel in the control roomand played songs from Legendary Record Labels. Multiple themes keep the series interesting and the listeners
energized as they joined in the conversation around this popular series with #TBTXPN on social media and via The
Key. Audiences appreciate and respond enthusiastically to our forays into the unexpected. As with #TBT, they told
us they enjoyed the XPN 50/50 showcasing 50 musical years in 50 weeks of Saturdays in FY19 starting on 1/5/19.
Even as XPN strays from the playlist, each musical diversion is well-researched and structured to engage andbroaden our radio, online and social audience reach.
In FY19 our focus was to develop a digital strategy based on research conducted with Eastern Standard for a major
overhaul of the station’s website. The research that was conducted helped us to have a better understanding of
how people come to and use xpn.org, and to identify opportunities to improve it to achieve longer-term growth.
Ultimately the goal is to design a site to capture a sense of music discoveries and oh wow moments to equal our
on-air and event audience responses. From there, everything we do will be based on that strategic direction. In
FY20, wireframes for program pages and design principles and elements will be implemented for a FY21 launch.

6.2. Describe key initiatives and the variety of partners with whom you collaborated, including otherpublic media outlets, community nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions, thebusiness community, teachers and parents, etc. This will illustrate the many ways you’re connectedacross the community and engaged with other important organizations in the area.

WXPN values and cultivates relationships across the regions we serve in collaboration with an extensive number ofpartners including non-profits, government agencies, educational institutions and businesses. Each are important
contributors to the station’s success and outreach in the communities we serve. The annual summer XPoNential
Music Festival sponsored by Subaru is the biggest event the station produces each year. Approximately 300
volunteers bring their time, talent, and positive approaches to help produce the event. The Festival generates
opportunities to renew and deepen partnerships with the festival’s title sponsor Subaru, event promoter Live
Nation, and with the event partner, Camden County Board of Freeholders. XPN’s partnership with Live Nation
provides a higher profile for the Festival, and the agency to book national headlining artists. Like all the outreach
events XPN espouses, XPoNential builds on our bond with the community, and provides critical support to theartists who perform for thousands of fans over the course of the weekend. Featured artists can be found at NPRMusic Live Sessions produced by WXPN and distributed through VuHaus. In 2018, Valley Forge Tourism’s regional
brand, Arts Monto was XPoNential’s Marina Stage sponsor. Sponsors like Arts Monto which value XPN as part of
the Greater Philadelphia arts and culture community connect Philadelphia-adjacent residents to WXPN.
WXPN hosts the annual AAA NON-COMMvention bringing public radio and music industry staff to Philadelphia,
where for two almost 2 decades, these non-commercial radio music programmers and managers, music industry
representatives, and music media from across North America have come together to uncover the very best in newmusic from emerging and established artists. In FY19 NON-COMM partnered with the noncomMUSIC Alliance tobuild a more inclusive conference for all public radio music stations including classical and jazz stations. On
5/10/19 This new partnership brought these professionals to Philadelphia jazz music venue, South, for an eveningof interviews with a musical performance from a high school band from Camden NJ, Trumpet Chics. This was aunique kick-off for the annual conference. A new cadre of attendees was being formed by the partnershipchanging participants from almost solely AAA to a more inclusive representation of public media partners.
For WXPN’s most significant exploration of music and culture spanning FY18 and 19, the Gospel Roots of Rock andSoul XPN was a collaboration among significant organizations, media partners and community leaders, members
and experts int the field to illuminate the connections and intersections of gospel and secular music that would
define gospel's central place within the history of American popular music. The project included 7 free live
performances, radio programs, an interactive website featuring exclusive contributions from authoritative voices
in gospel and popular music, and a documentary told in 4 one-hour long segments. The documentary was
distributed nationally by NPR in FY19. The Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul was supported with a grant from The Pew
Center for Arts & Heritage and is described fully in Section 6.3.
World Cafe Live and WXPN share resources to produce weekly free shows, Free At Noon, with local and nationalmusical artists. World Cafe Live provides the venue for the productions and WXPN books the artists and produces
this Friday afternoon event attended by registered listeners. Underwriting support has continually grown on
WXPN. Initially, Comcast underwrote with WXPN in the Philadelphia region and later grew in terms of their market
reach with WXPH in Central PA. Reflecting the reach of WXPN and the value of the station’s listeners as
customers, their spots are broadcast to Northeastern PA and Northwest NJ on the station’s WXPJ signal.
WXPN has built a strong relationship with businesses and organizations in Central PA. In FY19, Club XL opened in asomewhat blighted area in Harrisburg and expressed to an XPN business support rep that they wanted to reach awide audience. The Club has become an important foundation in that part of town; XPN helped to bring in newclientele for them. XPN’s business support relationship was enriched with the Harrisburg University Concert
Series. Harrisburg University is a vital economic anchor in downtown Harrisburg. This important partner brought in
XPN artists for the Series we helped promote, connecting the artists and XPN audience, and raising awareness of
the University’s event. The station also provided volunteers through XPN Welcomes bringing further familiarity andartist promotion at the various venues they played. The Harrisburg financial firm, Roof Advisory is an importantbusiness client to have brought on to help build a stronger vertical market for the station. WXPN brought on a newpartner in York PA in 2019, The Gusa World Music Festival, which sought to expand their audience and ticket sales.
The event aspired to galvanize the York community and featured world music with a message of harmony.

Lancaster Central Market is part of the fabric of the community in downtown Lancaster. Having local landmark
institutions on the air adds to the station’s presence.
Kids Corner Host Kathy O’Connell and Producer Robert Drake are frequently featured as guest hosts and panelists
at community and educational events with Philadelphia’s arts and educational organizations events for kids andtheir families. On November 7, 2018 Robert Drake was invited to DJ at Paint The Dance Floor for University ofPennsylvania’s Homecoming event at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). The event showcased thesignificance of visual arts and music. Robert Drake is the host of XPN’s monthly 7p-11p.m. program that explores
80’s music. Robert interprets 80’s music as the great unifier as he observed for Penn Today, noting that the musicthat came out of the 80s and influences the kids who are adults today, doesn’t isolate age demographics andsounds modern to 21 to 35-year-olds. The 80s were the dawn of combining video and computer graphics withmusic. The medium found a home on the television channel that played music videos. Audio music with a visualelement was embraced by the 1st generation of artists that brought these means together.
WXPN dance parties are well-attended by XPN members and listeners. A series of upbeat Funky Friday dance
parties (11/1 to 11/3/18) celebrated the popular program’s 25th Anniversary across XPN’s community of listeners
throughout the station’s broadcast regions. The best way to connect with the show’s ardent audience of funksters
was to bring the party out to them. On 11/1, David Dye spun records in the local 88.5 region at the Ardmore MusicHall for a packed house of 400. As with the 10th Anniversary of WXPN’s broadcast in Lancaster County at Tellus 360
the previous year, listeners in the Lancaster and York PA area came out to celebrate with a crowd of about 500
people. This show was broadcast live with the background sound of the excited crowd enlivening the airwaves on
11/2/18. The 3rd was a party inside of a party at the State Theatre during the annual PA Bacon Fest in Easton. The
event provided an opportunity to improve the station’s visibility in the region and to connect with a nascentaudience. As part of the show’s 25th anniversary celebration, Dye has put together a “Funk Essentials” Spotify
playlist and provided “Top Five” list of funk songs that are guaranteed to get the party started.
There was a robust response on the registration front from a broad age demographic for the XPN Decades Danceparty on 6/7/19. The event was held at World Cafe Live and kicked-off with a private volunteer appreciation event
in XPN’s World Cafe performance studio. Host David Dye started the evening off with a Funky Friday & 60s set,followed by hosts Robert Drake and John Vettese spinning sets from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
6.3. What impact did your key initiatives and partnerships have in your community? Describe any known
measurable impact, such as increased awareness, learning or understanding about particular issues. Describe
indicators of success, such as connecting people to needed resources or strengthening conversational ties acrossdiverse neighborhoods. Did a partner see an increase in requests for related resources? Please include direct
feedback from a partner(s) or from a person(s) served.
WXPN works with area hospitals and musicians to deliver 11 programs in 9 hospitals that bring live music to thebedsides of patients in the WXPN Musicians On Call program, a partnership between WXPN and the non-profit
New York-based Musicians On Call program. XPN volunteers are trained and participate as guides to accompany
local musicians at partnering health care facilities. Participating hospitals are Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Lourdes Health System,
Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Christiana Care
Health System’s Wilmington DE Hospital, Main Line Health System’s Bryn Mawr Hospital and in FY19, Lankenau
Medical Center was added.
WXPN fundraisers help the WXPN Musicians On Call program thrive. WXPN’s 5th Annual 5K Run for Musicians On
Call presented by Subaru on 10/7/18 raised support the non-profit program. The annual race attracts members
and listeners and race competitors to the course through the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Park. The event
grossed just under $96,000, surpassing our goal by $1600, with 600+ registered runners and funky-miler walkers.
In addition to Subaru, 5K sponsors included Team Rave On, Lourdes Health System, Jefferson Health, Main Line
Health, Penn Medicine, Pam Carter and Liam Rowe, World Cafe Live, and McKeever Event MGMT. “Be The Match”
was introduced at our 5K to bring awareness to the bone marrow transplant program which is part of the national
non-profit The National Marrow Donor Program founded by the Federal Government. Runners aged 18 through 44
could visit an information tent to consider adding their names to the registry to help thousands of patients insearch of life-saving bone marrow donors. WXPN brought the 5K back in FY20 on 10/6/19.

On 12/2/18, Helen Leicht hosted local artists, some of whom participate in the Musicians On Call program, for
XPN’s annual Home for the Holidays live show at World Cafe Live. Over 100 of the guests who registered for theshow enjoyed studio tours guided by station membership staff.
In FY19, through live performances, a radio documentary series, and a media-rich website, WXPN completed theGospel Roots of Rock & Soul project that began in FY18. WXPN’s success with earlier long-term projects, Mississippi
Blues, Zydeco, and Latin Roots provided inspiration to develop and explore the roots of gospel and its influence on
secular and contemporary music through the decades. As essential as each of these genres are to the Americanmusic story, they are often less commonly shared between audiences; WXPN committed to bringing new
audiences to experience them and hear their stories. The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage awarded WXPN a grant
to research and evolve the project. Some of the story reveals gospel music’s influence on generations of musicians
who evolved the brand away from its exclusively spiritual roots into secular and popular music. While gospel musicartists modeled the sound and performance styles that manifest in rock and roll, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues andother innovative musical blends, the Gospel Roots project also shows that while gospel connected and continues
to connect across generations and styles, gospel music retains its own brand, role, and importance. As the Gospel
Roots of Rock and Soul project was launched, field research was undertaken in Memphis, Nashville andPhiladelphia with a team of staff, producers, and experts in the genre. These teams scheduled interviews andevents with gospel artists and influencers in the industry.
On 2/25/18 the project began with two free screenings of the documentary film, “How They Got Over.” Throughthe end of FY18, 3 shows were performed. The kick-off concert on 3/8/18 featured the combined choirs of the First
Unitarian and Mother Bethel Churches at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. On 3/29/18 The Fisk Jubilee
Singers performed at World Cafe Live and on 6/9/18 The Campbell Brothers and The Fairfield Four performed.
Content from these live shows was compiled. In FY19, the Dixie Hummingbirds performed for a standing room only
audience at World Cafe Live on 8/19/18. Philadelphia’s African American Museum provided support to promote
the 9/22/18 performance by the gospel quartet, The McCrary Sisters at World Cafe Live. The Sisters would returnin July 2019 to ignite a crowd during their Marina Stage performance at the XPoNential Festival. On 10/20/18,
WXPN presented "An Evening of Spirituals and Spiritual-Inspired Song" with Mother Bethel AME Mass Choir andthe First Unitarian Church Choir at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. The St. Thomas Gospel Choir
consists of sixty musicians and singers, who share their music at over one hundred services, programs, concerts
and celebrations every year. Four hundred people packed the church for the performance.
The grand finale brought the live performance segment of the Gospel Roots project to a close at the Bright Hope
Baptist Church in North Philadelphia under the artistic and musical direction of Arch Street Presbyterian Church’s
Minister of Music and Arts, Dr. Donald Dumpson. The evening performance included gospel, spiritual, and gospelinfluenced R&B and blues songs by the Gospel Music Preservation Alliance Choir, the Philadelphia Heritage
Chorale, The Gospel Blenders, and the Henderson Sisters with a special guest appearance by Sarah Dash ofPhiladelphia’s legendary group Labelle for a show that filled the church to capacity.
Packed houses and diverse audiences attested to the appeal Gospel Music has to contemporary audiences in the
Greater Philadelphia region. To connect the message of the genre’s place in musical history to a national audience,
WXPN worked with producer Alex Lewis and his team to produce the Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul documentary,with narration by Grammy Award winning Gospel singer CeCe Winans. The team compiled more than 50 original
interviews from musicians and gospel music historians and experts. The documentary depicts how crossover fromgospel to pop paved the way for generations of singers and musicians to follow. These histories are explored withearly music samples and music compiled from the shows WXPN and partners produced. Archival audio sources
included WHYY’s program Fresh Air, and from The WFMT Studs Terkel Radio Archive. Among the contributors andexperts in the field of gospel music that XPN partnered with were Peabody award-winning producer and host of
the Sunday Afternoon Gospel music program on 96.3 WHUR, Jacquie Gales Webb; producer and narrator of the2018 film How They Got Over-Gospel Quartets, and the Road to Rock 'n' Roll, Jerry Zolten; host of Philadelphia’s
Gospel Highway 11 and the Martin Luther Medal of Freedom winner, Linwood Heath; host of American Routes andfolklore specialist in the cultures of the Gulf South, Nick Spitzer; and NPR music critic, journalist and author Ann
Powers. The Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul documentary consists of four one-hour radio segments. Locally, WXPN
scheduled broadcasts of the documentary in 2019 on February 4, 5, 6 and 7 beginning at 8 p.m. Philadelphia’s Jazzand Classical music station WRTI scheduled broadcasts February 10, 17, 24 and March 3 at 8:00 a.m. WHYY, thepublic media radio station made the documentary part of its 8PM Radio Sunday Specials series to run in 2019 on

February 17, 24 and March 3. NPR was the series national distributor. Response to the documentary were strong.
The African American community accounted for 25% of the project’s audience. A list of stations’ air times can befound at http://xpngospelroots.org/stations/. In FY20, interest has been expressed in airing the series again thisFebruary.
6.4. Please describe any efforts (e.g. programming, production, engagement activities) you have made toinvestigate and/or meet the needs of minority and other diverse audiences (including, but not limited to, newimmigrants, people for whom English is a second language and illiterate adults) during Fiscal Year 2019, and anyplans you have made to meet the needs of these audiences during Fiscal Year 2020. If you regularly broadcast ina language other than English, please note the language broadcast.
WXPN’s programming reflects the station’s commitment to meet the needs of minority listeners and other diverse
audiences on air, online, in the community and the world. Latin music has a presence on the World Cafe websitethat explores the variety of music from Spanish-speaking countries and connects local and national audiences to
the genre’s music and artists. On 7/15/18 seven Latin American artists, Delaporte, Dos Santos, Elena Y Los Fulanos,
Femina-X, Ife, Orquesta Akokan, and Be Very Be Careful performed at the 5th annual Nuevofest. New sounds of
Latin alternative, punk rock, electronic beats, mariachi, son, cumbia, salsa, and classic Cuban were performed at
World Cafe Live Philadelphia hosted by WXPN in association with Afro Taino Productions. Live streaming on
VuHaus was sponsored by Subaru. Y La Bamba with lead, Luz Elena Mendoza performed for thousands at thestation’s annual XPoNential Festival On 7/27/18. Mendoza’s traditional Mexican music forges with modern Chicana
feminism. Y La Bamba was a headliner at the 2019 NON-COMMvention on 5/14.
As with our recently completed Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul project, WXPN will explore Haitian music andtraditions in FY20. This deep dive into musical discovery will begin with the launch with the Kanaval project’s
website in February 2020. With research underway and a documentarian hired, WXPN’s project begins in New
Orleans with partner WWNO to produce the 1st live shows featuring Haitian Musicians.
Kids Corner is XPN’s Peabody Award and Major Armstrong Award winning program for kids. The call-in radio
program provides a rare radio space for children to engage. Kathy O’Connell’s and Robert Drakes’s community
outreach and appearances bring awareness and exposure to the Kids Music genre and the artists working in the
Kindie music industry. To foster the program’s outreach goals, the biennial family music industry conference,
KindieComm will return to WXPN and World Cafe Live Philadelphia from 4/3 to 4/5/20. Kids Music Independent
artists from across the country apply to be selected to fill 15 Showcase slots; 8 are Industry Showcases, and 7 are
Solo Spotlight slots. KindieComm connects Kindie artists to share their work with a full itinerary of sessions related
to podcasting, songwriting, and business with a segment about the successful Australian launched Kinderling Kids
Radio. The conference schedule is available on the KindiComm website.
Kids Corner matured with technology, learned from the talent they interviewed and introduced, and from speaking
with their young listeners. Kids are a too-often overlooked radio audience and in recognition, the program
innovated its format to bring meaningful, relatable social elements to the call-in format so that kids have a place
online and on-air to exchange ideas and be heard. Monthly guests like the Schuylkill Center for Environmental
Education’s Mike Weilbacher, the Franklin Institute’s Derek Pitts, veterinarian Mindy Cohan, VMD and librarian Joe
Hilton bring interest, entertainment, and educational features to the hour- long program, Monday-Thursday nights
at 7PM. In FY19 a series of audio on demand segments were produced which are hosted on the Kids Corner
website. The series was developed to capture the spirit of Kids Corner while exploring topics more deeply thanduring the radio program. Kids Corner enables children to be involved in interactive radio segments todemonstrate their knowledge, talent and abilities. In addition, it serves as a resource for parents, educators andprofessionals in child-related fields. As with every topic Kids Corner explores, young listeners learn through the artof radio uniquely created to engage with them and provide something important in a little space of time that they
can share with their parents.
World Cafe Sense of Place Travel Series provides an experience of history and music connection for station staff
and XPN members. In FY19, the Series hosted two trips. General Manager Roger Lamay traveled with World Cafe
On-Air Host Talia Schlanger and World Cafe Senior Producer Kim Junod to lead a group of 40 WXPN members toexperience the history and music of Scotland and Ireland (9/27 to 10/7/18) where they interviewed and recorded
heritage and emerging artists and bands. In a basement studio in Edinburgh, Scotland where Young Fathers madeits Scottish Album of the Year Award-winning record Cocoa Sugar, the band members discussed their unique bond,addressing systemic racism and the refugee crisis in their songs and how living in Scotland shapes their relationshipto the idea of being special. While in Dublin, World Cafe recorded the sounds and stories from legendary band, The
Chieftains and Paddy Moloney’s reminiscences and reflections and touring at 80 years old. All of the artist’s stories
and music were enriching and compelling to the assembled travelers and World Cafe team. These distinctive andilluminating sessions are recorded for broadcast. The World Cafe’s impactful broadcasts of these worldviewexpanding visits are an important feature and accompaniment to the travel experience. The Series website
provides insights from a notable range of artists from the music venues visited at http://playlist.worldcafe.org/.
The program is funded by the Wyncote Foundation and will advance its mission to connect with diverse culturesand music in FY20 when the Series visits Japan.
WXPN has always demonstrated the station’s commitment to the area’s diverse student population throughcollaborations with the University of Pennsylvania and other universities and schools in the Greater Philadelphia
region. In FY19 XPN continued to foster ongoing relationships with students through an internship program and
Penn’s work study program. Live at The Writers House is a collaboration between Kelly Writers House at the
University of Pennsylvania and WXPN. Six episodes of the program are recorded at KWH in front of a live audiencefor broadcast on WXPN. Audio for each of these episodes featuring a musical guest is available on Kelly Writers
website.
WXPN staff provide tours for organizations, community groups, members and educational institutions. Outreach to
student groups has been WXPN’s ongoing commitment. We participate annually in the nationally recognized Take
Our Children To Work Day. On 4/15/19 WXPN Associate Program Director and Dan & Dan Podcast Producer Mike
Vasilikos hosted a guided a tour with a group of students from the Wardlaw & Hartridge School of Edison, New
Jersey. Mike was joined by World Cafe Production Director Chris Williams and World Cafe Producer John Myers to
speak with 20 students about recording audio and podcasting.
Seeking greater connection with students, WXPN strategized to find opportunities and evolve meaningful
engagement activities. Through a networking partnership with the high school radio station that broadcasts WXPN,WKHS in Maryland, WXPN staff members Broadcast Engineer Jared Styles, Director of Development Sachi
Kobayashi and Program Director Bruce Warren participated in a workshop presentation at WKHS, the student run
radio station at Kent County High School with 29 students (12/6/19). WXPN plans to continue their station
involvement with WKHS and will host the students for a day of engagement activities at WXPN in spring 2020.
WXPN is one of the lead sponsors of the new REC Philly Co-Creator space in the Philadelphia Fashion District
shopping mall, formerly known as The Gallery in the City’s downtown. The site features audio and video recording
studios and equipment, event space and a WXPN Podcast Studio. Our partnership with REC Philly will bring
opportunities for WPXN to provide membership for musicians and selected Penn students to the podcastingstudio. REC Philly has a track record of empowering young creatives and WXPN can help to bring this opportunity
to a wide audience through the station’s sponsorship and engagement. WXPN can benefit from discovering new
local talent that this association will draw to its doors.
In FY19, Meggie Schaeffer WXPN’s Community Outreach Coordinator and Membership Manager Emily Pavie
worked across departments with Managers with to create, formalize and propose a new committee comprised ofyoung adults. Together, WXPN staff and the Committee are working on an initiative to cultivate a younger
audience to grow and preserve XPN’s future. Monthly meetings to strategize and develop goals have been held at
XPN since July 2, 2019. A half day retreat in FY20 is planned to strategize the committee’s work for the year ahead.
In FY19 we were able to engage more meaningfully with major donors to allow those members who provide
extraordinary financial support to the station to meet and spend time with XPN staff, on-air hosts and each otherin social settings. We are creating better experiences to say thank you to the people who put it on the line to show
us how much they care about WXPN with their financial contributions so that we can continue to improve ourwork through broadcasts and improved communication via our website, which encourages musical curiosity. This
special group of informed and involved members enjoy being part of the expanding landscape of the musicexperiences that XPN provides. Growing our major donor base is an important objective in the coming year. To
that end, WXPN is building a campaign to ensure that there is a WXPN for future generations, neXtPN. The aim of
the campaign will be to grow our significance, impact and sustainability. A key to the campaign’s success will beusing new voices and platforms to reach the new audiences we want to acquire.
CPB funding is an important part of sustaining the unique experiences that attract a range artists and listeners,
including the members and new audiences in the community, and XPN’s major donors. It is vital to XPN to appeal
to people who nurture the station’s mission with their presence and financial support.

6.5. Please assess the impact that your CPB funding had on your ability to serve your community. What were
you able to do with your grant that you wouldn't be able to do if you didn't receive it?
CPB funding helps to support WXPN’s general operations and gives us the opportunity to devote assets to seekother resources to help pay for new and creative initiatives and services. In FY19 WXPN received $443,193 from
CPB or 5.1% of the station’s total revenue. This support helps XPN accomplish programming, membership,
marketing, community engagement and digital expansion goals. CPB support allows XPN to focus on connecting
artists with audiences and to give exposure to artists who aren’t recognized by commercial radio stations. This
support allows us to take chances and play new music, not just the music of established and well-tested artists.
This is also reflected in WXPN’s music discovery outreach that benefits local artists. As a community resource, XPN
brings local musicians into partnership in support of XPN Musicians On Call, furthering our mission of connection.
The artists involved with XPN Musicians On Call, along with program volunteers bring live music to participating
hospitals and comfort to patients and their families as they face some of the most difficult health challenges of
their lives.
CPB support has allowed XPN to connect with families for over 30 years with a show for children, Kids Corner. The
show provides a space for kids music artists to be heard by a receptive audience, and delivers expert knowledge
with guest scientists, authors and historians to name a few. The call-in format gives kids a connection with the hostand radio audience on any number of topics designed with families in mind. The show’s program and format
provide a space where kids can share their thoughts and opinions. The program and audience together strengthen
the community providing a deeper level of communication, understanding and fun.
WXPN has an excellent record of fundraising for operations, as well as for targeted projects, but a decrease in CPB
funding could impact the number and duration of on-air fund drives conducted annually. XPN produces 3 on-air
fund drives each year in addition to targeted fund drives for Giving Tuesday and the year’s end. Losing nearly thehalf million dollars in CPB funding would force us to fundraise for several additional weeks. Increased fundraisingtime would negatively affect station staff resources, too, as staff time would be redirected to performing
fundraising alternatives. Other options could include charging fees to events that we currently provide free ofcharge to registered members and others in the community. If XPN had to provide added activities to this end,
financing these activities would also add to the station’s operating costs.
CPB’s funding is effectively managed to encourage XPN’s growth and sustainability. WXPN’s Sustaining
Membership program is very strong, with 72% of members participating in the program and contributing over 50%
of member revenue. While the program remained robust in FY19, we strategize to advance our membershipprogram and increase member numbers. Our loyal donor portfolio provides a sustainer base that is willing tosupport the goals, innovations and projects XPN identifies. Members increased their average annual gift amount
by $14 in FY19 as a result of our cultivation efforts. Our stewardship efforts have been diversified and increased tostrengthen our major donor program and to illustrate our appreciation of their support. CPB funding is an
important part of sustaining the unique experiences that attract a range of listeners, from members and new
audiences in the community to the station’s major donors. It is vital to XPN to appeal to people who nurture thestation’s mission with their presence and financial support.
With strong operational support from our members and CPB’s commitment to XPN, we can explore stimulating
genres of music in long and short form. Special projects like the Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul, completed in FY19,
demonstrated XPN’s commitment to musical diversity and the station’s ability to communicate the significance ofthe genre. As a recognized leader in public radio, XPN’s influence helped secure collaboration with significant andvaried partners. Donors are attracted and responsive to XPN’s reliability and openness. Our mission enriching
projects illustrate important cultural trends and histories to the public and build confidence that member support
is meaningful. In FY20, the Haitian community’s traditions and music will be the focus of a year-long project withpartners in New Orleans, media partners at home, as well as our own Haitian community in Philadelphia. The
production will include live performances and a documentary series among its elements. These immersive efforts
reinforce community involvement and connect the station with members who embrace and support the depth ofour vision.
Growing our major donor base is an important objective in the coming year. This special group of informed andinvolved members enjoy being part of the expanding landscape of the varied musical experiences that XPN
provides. They also have the benefit of access to limited performances at XPN’s invitation. It is vital to XPN toappeal to people who nurture the station’s mission with their presence and financial support. To that end, WXPN isbuilding a campaign to ensure that there is a WXPN for future generations, neXtPN. CPB funding is an importantpart of sustaining the unique experiences that attract a range of listeners, from members and new audiences in thecommunity to the station’s major donors.
Philadelphia is recognized as city with a great music tradition. WXPN is a standout among the Philadelphia region’sradio stations. CPB funding helps XPN to program great music in an eclectic fusion of genres. Listeners on-air andonline are familiar with our AAA sensibility woven with rock, soul, funk, rap, hip-hop, Latin, pop, classical, jazz,
blues and Americana. In August 2019, we reprised the 1969 Woodstock event as it occurred on Yasgur’s Farm.
Beginning at 5:07 pm ET on Thursday, August 15 on WXPN, “Woodstock - As It Happened - 50 Years On”
transported listeners to the festival for four days with music performed by 32 artists. The replay was broadcast at
the exact time it took place 50 years ago and aired exclusively on WXPN. Visitors were encouraged to tune in to
WXPN over the air, online, on mobile devices, or smart speakers and via social media at #XPNStock. Increased
audience engagement was seen across platforms. Pageviews on The Key increased 7% in 2019, and for the
Woodstock playback pageviews surged 23.19%. As mentioned in Section 6.1, Audiences appreciate and respond to
our trips into nostalgia. Themed programming like the XPN 50/50 that showcased 50 musical years in 50 weeks of
Saturdays in FY19 and Throwback Thursdays resulted in audience growth. We built on these themes with FY20’s
experimental weekly, January series Time Tunnel Tuesday which transported listeners back to a particular year toexperience the music, the news and the vibe from 6AM-7PM. To add depth to our diverse music roster, we addeda monthly hip hop show on Fridays with host and contributor to The Key, John Morrison.
CPB funding allows us to offer free live music every Friday for Free At Noon to local listeners in the Philadelphia
area. We’ve broadened our reach to connect a varied audience to artists throughout an expanded broadcast
region. Since XPN added 90.9 WXPJ in Northeast PA and Northwestern NJ, local concerts and dance parties
increased our connection to listeners increasing exposure for venues and musicians. Marketing resources wereadded to bring listeners attention to local artists and events. In an effort to build our presence with the local
community, we engaged with area businesses about promotional ideas like positioning XPN event announcementsin their shops and businesses. Fans have a place to find out what’s happening with XPN on Facebook posts toNorth Jersey, the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos. Regional sponsors support XPN’s unique blend of musical styles
and special programming features. Business Support clients found that cross promoting their products in the
Philadelphia region on 88.5 and on 90.9 are cost-effective with growth benefits.
Our engineers have completed the production and recording redesign in the Dylan studio. Plans are to do somelayout changes and freshen our other control rooms including new style mic booms to make our studios moreuser-friendly. In 2020, RCS will be updated on all servers and production rooms.
CPB funding strengthens WXPN’s mission to connect the community with artists and audiences online. XPN’s
online outreach is strong with awesome coverage of the Philly music scene on The Key. The online blog spotlights
local artists with new music, bringing bands in studio to perform for the Key Studio Sessions, and by covering
concerts in the region. The blog develops this mission at local events and online. In FY20 The Key added a newfeature, The 25 Best Albums of the Decade 2010-2019. The concept is based on the idea that collectively we are
more hyper-aware of all the music at our fingertips than any previous generation. Vettese and 45 passionate musicexperts including WXPN’s on-air staff, behind-the-scenes production folks and The Key’s staff of contributing
writers and photographers contributed the voting.
Thank you, CPB!