For the Love of Community

By Cameron Settles, Marketing & Communications Manager, PBS12

Two out of every three Americans struggle with loneliness.

Ever since Robert Putnam’s seminal essay, Bowling Alone, have we known about what the Biden Administration declared a “loneliness epidemic.” The reasons have been debated—the rise of cable television, then the internet, and now social media. The existence, however, of this feeling of widespread loneliness and isolation is evident.

I don’t claim to know the reasons why we have collectively come to feel so lonely, nor do I necessarily know the best solutions, but I do have some ideas.

How do we make friends? How do we connect? How do we find community?

Well, a good place to start is by interacting with people who share your interests.

I look at the list of our Members and see a diverse cross-section of Coloradans. I know, however, that you all at least share an interest and passion for public media.

Whether it’s because you grew up watching Sesame Street or your kids watch it now. Whether it’s because you’re a Ken Burns loving history buff or an aficionado of Masterpiece classics. Whether it’s because you remember the good ole days of Teletunes and Home Movies or you’re just hearing those names for the first time.

Whatever the reason, you clearly care enough about public media to have shown support for our station.

So, here’s what I want to do: I want to give you all the opportunity to meet each other and get to know us.

I want to host Member events at our station in Five Points, at local businesses and parks, and across the state of Colorado.

I don’t want to create community, necessarily, but I want to facilitate the conditions for community to exist.

I want you to create it.

What does this have to do with a newsletter? Well, it’s step one. Step one of … like a billion. But an important one, as first steps always are.

We’ll do a few things with these newsletters:

  1. We’ll talk frankly and transparently to you, like I’m doing now.
  2. We’ll provide an inside look into our world, so you can get to know the folks who make this station possible.
  3. We’ll promote Member exclusive events, happenings, offerings, and opportunities.
  4. And anything else we can think of that will be interesting to Viewers Like You that can’t already be found a hundred other places.

On that note, let’s kick this thing off with you telling us what you want to see from this endeavor.

Let your imagination run wild with what would make you feel more connected, what events you’d like to see happen, and anything else you can think of that would be fun.

Fill out this survey and tell us your ideas!