From the Newsroom
Public Press Reporters Win Excellence in Journalism Awards
San Francisco Public Press reporters were among the winners announced by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Media
PBS Public Editor Says Complaints Can Spark Community Conversations
With the proliferation of social media channels, misinformation and disinformation now spread as fast as the click of a trackpad. Even for a trusted outlet like PBS — nationally recognized for its family friendly programming and sober, nonpartisan news coverage — this era has brought a flood of digital rumors to quell.
As the public editor at PBS, Ricardo Sandoval-Palos fields complaints for the organization and uses community feedback to cultivate conversations between viewers and PBS’s creative teams.
Coronavirus
How This Pandemic Year Has Changed Us
A year ago, it seemed all of San Francisco was making one last trip to the store, as if preparing for a hurricane or blizzard. At the San Francisco Public Press, we had started transitioning to remote work two weeks prior. We had no idea then how challenging the coming year would be for us professionally and personally, and for the whole world.
Community
Nonprofit Sector Expected to Shrink Due to Pandemic
George Koster, host of the podcast and radio show “Voices of the Community,” returned to “Civic” to talk about new research on how the nonprofit sector is faring during the pandemic and share stories from nonprofit leaders he has interviewed about how they’re handling current economic challenges. Nationwide, nonprofit organizations represent the third largest job sector, with 1.3 million nonprofits employing more than 13 million people. According to recent research by Candid — an organization that conducts research about and manages databases and other tools for nonprofits and the philanthropic sector — based on a several scenarios, some 34,000 nonprofit organizations are likely to close due to the pandemic, with a worst-case scenario projecting nearly 120,000 closures across the U.S. Koster spoke with representatives from Candid about their research. “In California, the median is around 1,525, nonprofits that would go out,” Koster said. “And then in their worst-case scenario, around 42,013, nonprofits would go out — would just literally go away.”
Koster looked into research on local nonprofit arts organizations.
From the Newsroom
Public Press Reporter and Editor Honored With SPJ NorCal Excellence in Journalism Awards
For its 35th Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards, the Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California chapter, recognized Public Press reporter Brian Howey with an Ongoing Coverage award for his reporting and critique of San Francisco’s systems supporting the homeless during the coronavirus pandemic.
Elections
San Francisco Results for Nov. 3, 2020, Local and State Elections
We will update election results here as new information becomes available from the San Francisco Department of Elections. See our San Francisco November 2020 Nonpartisan Voter Guide for background information on these local measures and candidate races.
Community
‘Voices of the Community’ Begins Airing on KSFP
A new radio series examining how nonprofit organizations in San Francisco are managing challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic begins broadcasting today on KSFP 102.5 FM in San Francisco. “Voices of the Community” is produced by George Koster and will air Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Arts & Culture
KXSF Audience Grows During Pandemic
When you tune your radio to 102.5 FM in San Francisco, depending on the time of day, you might hear public radio style talk programming, or you might hear music from local artists. That’s because two radio stations share the frequency — KSFP, from the San Francisco Public Press, and KXSF, a project of San Francisco Community Radio. Carolyn Keddy and Ellie Stokes, two DJs at KXSF, joined us on “Civic” to talk about their experience working with scores of volunteers who bring a broad array of music and cultural programming to the airwaves and to the station’s live stream at kxsf.fm.
“Civic” Podcast
‘Civic’ Marks One Year of In-Depth Community Radio Reporting
One year ago The San Francisco Public Press launched Civic, its flagship radio program and podcast, on our low-power radio station KSFP at 102.5 FM. Since then Civic has delivered in depth election reporting, interviewed community leaders, and explored the homelessness crisis, the housing shortage and inequality.
‘Into the Streets’ Shows How Recent Demonstrations Echo Historic Protests
The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of people to stay home from work and school, but it has not suppressed a deep cultural impulse for expressing frustration, solidarity and demand for change through public protest. This year, that impulse has come from across the political spectrum, with early statehouse demonstrations decrying economic shutdown, followed by a national wave of protests against racism and police brutality. Marke Bieschke gives the conversation about these events and an even broader range of actions historical context with his new book, “Into the Streets: A Young Person’s Visual History of Protests in the United States.”