KZYX&Z Mask Awareness Project

KZYX&Z, Countywide
KZYX is Community Public Radio for all of Mendocino County and beyond. We are news, information, culture and entertainment from around the globe and from just around the corner. We're a member-owned public radio nonprofit with nationally syndicated programs from NPR, PRI, APM and Pacifica and we are community radio with locally produced programs from friends and neighbors.  And when there are fires, road closures or other emergencies, we're the best place to go on the radio dial.

We are radio that is non-profit and non-commercial.  Our financial support comes primarily from our listeners and our community.  We are community radio in the sense that our local programs are of interest to our local community.  Those local shows are created and produced by volunteers in Mendocino County.

The Project
Before the Mask Awareness Project was formed, KZYX&Z was already doing COVID outreach: interviewing county officials and Dr. Colfax, a ER doctor in Ukiah; creating PSAs; and more. The mini grant has enabled the station to expand the reach of the programming by creating a podcasting element to their programming to archive all COVID-related programming as well as public affairs programming. This is a great way to access people under 25 who do not normally build their schedule around listening to live radio show. KZYX&Z can now track how many people are listening and downloading, as it is impossible to track listeners tuning in from their radios. The station hired  an intern to create the podcast element and she has also been creating her own COVID related content to reach youth.