Dear listeners,
Stepping into the role of News Director at Aspen Public Radio at a time when the federal government is targeting public media funding, local newsrooms across the state are shuttering, and artificial intelligence looms over creative professions — it’s daunting. But it’s the phenomenal reporters on our staff, a growing network of newsroom partners and the honest feedback we get from you that will keep our teams on their beats and on the air, regardless of the circumstances.
Aspen Public Radio plays an awesome role in the Roaring Fork Valley’s media ecosystem. Beyond the headlines, we broadcast the voices of people most affected by local government decisions, celebrating personal triumphs and developing solutions to global problems. Just this week, you heard voices from volunteers and recipients at a mobile food bank dealing with the rising threat of food insecurity, local leaders debating whether to formally recognize Pride Month, and a deep dive into recreational water rights from The Water Desk, KUNC and Aspen Journalism.
These kinds of collaborations are not only beneficial but critical, and a big component of our vision for this newsroom. By collaborating with Aspen Daily News reporters, your newscasts include more local content. Our joint Social Justice Desk with Aspen Journalism, staffed by reporter Eleanor Bennett, investigates issues affecting historically underrepresented communities. We’re translating our biggest stories for Sol del Valle, so Spanish speakers can also benefit from our reporting service.
We’re prioritizing stronger, well-rounded journalism from Aspen to Parachute, rather than competing over the same stories. It’s an evolution our industry demands, and I’m thrilled to make it happen.
You may know me as the host of All Things Considered for the past three years, but I began at Aspen Public Radio as a freelancer. Since then, I’ve done just about every job in this newsroom: host, reporter, producer, moderator, and editor. Before that, I was teaching youth radio with Carbondale’s Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program and educating third graders about different habitats with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. The Roaring Fork Valley has been my home for the past eight years. I’m not parachuting in; rather, I’m approaching the job with a lot of love for this community and a deep respect for the power of audio storytelling.
But it’s a team effort, not just within the newsroom. We need your eyes, ears, and lived experience to inform our coverage. The people in your circles are living through problems unique to the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys, representing the human impacts of national, state, and local policy changes. We want to hear from you. Shoot us an email. Stop by the station. Say hi at the farmer’s market or on the chairlift.
Above all, thank you for listening and trusting us to deliver reliable, nuanced stories. We won’t let you down.
Warmly,
Halle Zander
News Director, Aspen Public Radio