West Virginia After Coal, Huntington, WV 2000

Partners:

The (Huntington) Herald-Dispatch
West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The partners made economic revitalization the dominant issue in West Virginia legislative and political debate with "West Virginia After Coal," a far-reaching exploration of the state's prospects if it continues to rely solely on coal for its economic well-being.

The project provided a number of features to educate citizens and generate discussion including a newspaper series, a live town hall meeting and a dedicated website.

The Herald-Dispatch kicked off a six-part series, Sept. 17, 2000, with a ground-breaking investigation of how local governments were using coal severance taxes. The paper found virtually none of the money being used for economic development. Instead, it was being used to underwrite normal budgetary items such as postage and animal shelters.

The series also included results of a Pew-funded poll of 400 West Virginia residents, showing a large majority thought the state should reduce its reliance on coal.

The paper made the series available to any paper in the state and all or part of it ran in six of the state's papers.

Public television and radio simulcast a live three-hour town hall meeting with more than 200 citizens participating at 10 different sites around the state. The partners' Web site allowed users to chat live during the meeting. The site also features a searchable database of severance tax spending and it allows users to take the poll and see where they stand in relation to other West Virginia residents.

The project won the James Batten Award in 2001.

Contact:

Len LaCara
Former Managing Editor
Herald-Dispatch
Huntington, WV
Phone: (304) 526-2779
Email: llacara@aol.com

Beth Gorczyca
Reporter
Herald-Dispatch
946 5th Ave.
Huntington, WV 25701
Phone: (304) 526-2772
Email: bethg@herald-dispatch.com

Home for Good, Huntington, WV 2001

Partners:

The Herald-Dispatch
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
WMUL-FM

The out-migration of young people from West Virginia was as accepted as the export of its coal until the partners explored the consequences in "Home for Good," a project that included a six-part newspaper series, radio reports, a televised public forum and an interactive Web site.

One of the initial challenges, finding those who had left, was nearly solved with a virtual focus group online. The Herald-Dispatch persuaded papers statewide to run an ad around Christmas Day 2001 - when former residents would most likely be visiting - asking them to contact the paper and fill out a brief questionnaire. Four-hundred people responded, creating an instant database of the diaspora. The paper emailed each one a link to a longer survey, asking why they left and what it would take to get them back; 147 people answered.

A scientific survey of 404 West Virginians added more information about how young people view the state. The paper met with two advisory panels - one made up of state and university officials, the other composed of young adults ages 18-34 - to help shape the series. Newspaper and radio reports began April 28, 2002 and ran daily until May 3, 2002. They included stories about why young people leave, where they go, why some return, how West Virginia culture and stereotypes affect their decision and measures the state could take to stem the migration. The Herald-Dispatch offered the series to papers statewide; all or part of it ran in 11 other newspapers.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting televised a live forum featuring young West Virginians and a special Web site, www.homeforgood.org, featured forums, live chats and interactive graphics that charted migration patterns.

State officials responded to the series, drafting legislation to encourage young people to stay, such as tax credits to help offset student loans. The project also gave new energy to a five-year plan the state devised to diversify the state's economy, after the series showed many of the measures in the plan had stalled.

Contact:

Len LaCara
Former Managing Editor
Herald-Dispatch
Huntington, WV
Phone: (304) 526-2779
Email: llacara@aol.com

Beth Gorczyca
Reporter
Herald-Dispatch
946 5th Ave.
Huntington, WV 25701
Phone: (304) 526-2772
Email: bethg@herald-dispatch.com