Hello, again!
It’s Cameron.
I wanted to give some updates on where things stand with the… I’m going to go ahead and give it an official sounding name… Membership and Community Enhancement Initiative or MCEI… no, wait, that’s for cell phones. How about the Member Program Improvement Plan or… dang, that one’s taken, too.
Anyway, you get the idea.
We’re trying to make our Membership Program better by doing a few things: connecting with you all in new ways and opening the doors for two-way communication, creating spaces for community to form naturally, enhancing/highlighting the benefits already provided through our MemberCard app, and finding ways for you to show your PBS12 pride.
On that last note—sticker update!
I picked up the stickers this morning from the local union print shop, Artist Proof Collective. They look fantastic, and I’m so excited to get these out to you all! If you’d like one, fill out this form.
Survey Results
Last month, we asked you for input on what you’d like to see from our Membership Program. I wanted to share the results with you and explain how we’re taking them into account in our planning.
If you’d like to take the survey, click here
Events
First, we asked you what types of events you’d like for us to offer, and the winner was…
…Film & TV Screenings!
I want to assure you that I am working on getting our first TV or Film Screening set up. I am also working on event ideas for those other categories and brainstorming ones that can tick multiple boxes. So, stay tuned for more updates!
Online Group
Next, we asked which platform you’d like best for an online group:
Facebook was the winner on this one, with a lot of people in the “Other” section stating their moral or personal opposition to the platform (or social media in general). I understand that perspective, and I have personally backed off on my own use of social media in recent months.
However, given the votes on the survey, we’re going to move forward with a Facebook Group in the coming weeks.
(We’re proceeding cautiously before launching, so that we can have an effective set of rules/procedures in place beforehand and foster a positive community culture within the group.)
Don’t worry, though!
Joining is completely optional, and all information shared by us on there will also be shared in these newsletters. We’ll reassess periodically to see if other platforms make more sense as this initiative and the online landscape continue to evolve.
Value-Added Benefits
Next, we asked about what benefits would add value to your Membership from your perspective.
In a hit to my “I should design a really cool custom enamel pin for Members” idea, Custom Member Gift and Exclusive Merchandise came up in last place here. (I still might do that, just lower on the priorities for now.)
In exciting news, though, Exclusive Content came in first with Member Events following right behind!
I want to assure you that we hear you, and we’re talking about ways to create exclusive member content that won’t bog down our small but mighty production teams.
So, all I can say for now is stay tuned, but we’re working on it!
As for discounts, those answers came up somewhere in the middle, which is good news because that does mean they’re somewhat impactful to you. And the good news is, they already exist!
You can get all kinds of discounts for food, entertainment, travel, and more through the MemberCard app—included with your PBS12 Membership.
If you missed last month’s breakdown of the MemberCard app, you can read it here.
This month, I wrote about how I used my MemberCard to book a 3-day stay in a suite near Disney for $63/night! Check it out here
If you’re a current Member who wants to request a MemberCard access code, fill out this form.
Direct Responses
Lastly, I wanted to directly respond to some of the comments we received in the final response box of the survey. So, here it goes…
Question: What other ideas do you have to enhance PBS12 Membership?
Answer: More history programming, archeology, more about local artists and writers, a way to submit work.
Cameron’s Response: As a former history teacher, I hear you on that. We do try to incorporate Colorado history in a lot of our pieces, such as this recent segment on the Molly Brown House, but there’s always room for growth! I have a feeling that with the state’s upcoming sesquicentennial, there will be a natural inclination to look back at Colorado’s past even more.
As for local artists and writers—love the idea for a way to submit work! We do try to feature local artists as much as we can, check out our Heart of the West and Sounds on 29th series, but again, we can always grow.
Answer: I like the idea of in person book club meetings, a PBS chorus, and identity badges as a way for members to identify each other at social events.
Response: As the proud husband of a librarian, I respect the book nerdery. A book club is definitely on the list of things I’d like to get going.
A PBS chorus, I could see that, as long as no one ever has to hear me sing. If anyone else would be interested in a chorus, let us know in the survey!
Ohhhh, I like the identity badges idea…can I combine this with my “design a really cool enamel pin for members” idea? Perhaps…🤔
Answer: I’m a collector of paper ephemera: theater programs, postcards, books, and old magazines. I’d love to find a group who would talk about specific subjects in old magazines.
Response: Man, I love this. I just love hearing about people’s passions for unique things. I am working on an event that would suit your specific collecting interest while also expanding it to collectors of other types. Stay tuned! (Sorry to keep saying that, but I’m working on it.)
Also, we’re reorganizing a lot of old stuff in the Five Points Media Center basement, so I’ll keep an eye out for cool paper ephemera we could send your way!
Answer: Clay art in the park
Response: Love it! I’ll add it to the list, but like the idea above, I’ll most likely expand it to include multiple types of artwork. At least for the first time.
Answer: No specific ideas but I appreciate this endeavor and look forward to what’s next.
Response: Thanks!!!
General responses to a few themes that came up in multiple answers:
Theme: Don’t forget about the rest of the state outside of Denver.
Response: We talk about this at the station all the time. It can be hard sometimes, since we’re based in downtown Denver, to see the forest for the trees when it comes to the rest of the state. So, just know that we hear you and are working on it. Personally, I’d love to go all over the state hosting events!
Theme: An inability to attend in-person events due to physcial or other restrictions.
Response: As we move forward with this endeavor, we’ll always look for ways to make events as accessible as possible. I can’t promise they will always be accessible to everyone, but we’ll do our best. Additionally, we’ll have events that are meant to be virtual worked into the mix.
Ok, if you made it this far, wow, thanks for reading!