CLIENT
Maryland Public Television
PROJECT
HBCU Week National
Content Initiative
SERVICES
Project Design
Fundraising
Project Management
Partnership Development
Media Strategy
THE CHALLENGE
Maryland Public Television (MPT), the statewide PBS affiliate, sought to transform a local celebration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities on their local channels into a national content initiative for the PBS system.
HBCU Week, recognized by the White House each September, offers a unique opportunity for PBS stations to celebrate these extraordinary institutions while reaching an underserved audience key to the sustainability of the public television system.
IMP was engaged to create a national project that would attract the partnership of other PBS stations and national public television organizations, along with securing the investment of over $1.5 million to fund the initiative.
THE PROCESS
IMP conducted several deep-dive planning sessions with the client along with a number of consultations with likely partners and other stakeholders, including the likely primary funder.
These sessions informed the crafting of an innovative project plan with a focus on digital video, supported by national and local TV broadcasts, and a robust promotion and engagement strategy.
In partnership with our client, IMP initiated conversations with key funders, and managed a process of continued development and refinement of the plan to secure the needed support.
THE RESULTS
IMP was instrumental in securing funding for the project from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with an initial investment of $271,000 for the pilot year, followed by a robust investment of $1.2 million for the second and third years, based on our strong initial performance.
HBCU Week NOW, a growing public media partnership of PBS stations and other public media organizations, has produced a suite of short films that anchor a new eponymous YouTube Channel that has already garnered over two million views and counting.
Content commissioned for the channel has been edited and re-packaged into 30 and 60 minute programs for national and local TV broadcast, and a broad-based social media campaign is engaging a range of partners including HBCUs and affiliated cultural organizations. The project resulted in expanding the reach of PBS and public television into a new audience segment—notably younger viewers of color—had previously been an elusive demographic for public media.
In all, 30 short films and more than 10 national TV broadcasts—along with other online content across YouTube, social media, and partner websites—continues to reach new audiences for public media, and deliver strategic partnerships that will serve the system for years to come.
