Dear readers and listeners,
We’ve written the words and relayed the sentiment so many times over the past few months: We’re in this together.
Think of all we’ve shared since then — and lost:
Grief for those who are gone, awe for heroes on the front lines of the pandemic, deep concern for some of our most vulnerable populations, sadness for lost jobs and graduations and weddings, a strong desire to maybe just go to a baseball game.
Socially distanced maybe, but together.
If there’s ever been a time for Kansas City’s biggest and best news organizations to work as partners, it’s now, when Kansas Citians need critical information about how our metro area is making its way back to being a thriving community.
That’s why The Star and KCUR are joining forces to focus on the city’s recovery from COVID-19, bringing our journalists together to present issue-based coverage across a range of topics.
Look for The Next Normal logo (attached to this letter) for collaborative coverage on our websites, in The Star’s newspaper, on KCUR’s news programming and Up to Date talk show. Our partnership will also feature community events where local experts will help citizens and small businesses find solutions to problems the pandemic has created.
By combining the strength of our teams, we’ll deliver more impactful, ambitious journalism and cover more ground — in more formats and on more platforms. Star readers will hear reporters on air at KCUR 89.3, and KCUR’s audience will recognize KCUR reporter bylines in The Star.
In the spirit of public service, we will spend months working on a State of Kansas City special report that will tell the story of how the metro emerged from the grip of coronavirus. To tell that story as richly as possible, we will bring our collective resources and audiences together.
Editors at both news organizations already have been busy planning the rollout of in-depth reporting in these areas:
Local economy
We will look at the pandemic's economic impact on Kansas City, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas — the staggering losses that are now expected and what that will mean for residents in terms of services cut and crumbling infrastructure. Each community will be hit in unique ways.
+ Pandemic May Force Kansas City To Change Expensive Ways
Health care
Kansas City often is recognized for its excellence in research and health care services, which have been center stage during the past few months. Our team of journalists will examine the metro’s readiness for a second wave of the virus and the challenges facing area health departments, the rise of telemedicine and the future of health practices in jeopardy.
Downtown
We’ll also turn our attention to downtown: the effect on apartment living and rents; businesses that won’t make it; hotels and restaurants that might have to close their doors; and what the recovery means for the Power & Light District and other downtown developments.
Leisure
Quality of life is one of our calling cards. As we enter next phases, we will view through a new lens the activities we went without for many months — shows and performances, sports events, visits to museums and libraries. And we will examine the hurdles that still remain.
Education
We want to be able to tell you what the rest of 2020 and 2021 will look like for educators, students and parents. From pre-K to college, we’ll explore the future of learning — and profile the most vulnerable in our schools.
Along the way, we are sure to discover more. Thank you for reading and listening.
Traci Bauer
KCUR/89.3
Editor Director of Journalism
Mike Fannin
Kansas City Star
President/Editor
