Introducing the Civics Radio Network
The Civics Radio Network came out of a collaboration between Carrie Kaufman and Ashton Ridley to develop programming for KUNV Radio that had to do with civics and young people. They hit upon a 2-step process: a bootcamp to teach students civics and journalism, and a podcast for them to share what they learned. Ashton and Carrie talk about the process while sharing clips of students' reactions at the end of the bootcamp.
Creators and Guests
Producer
Carrie Kaufman
Carrie Kaufman is the director and driving force behind the Civics Radio Network, which came about when her then-teen daughter exhorted her to do a better job teaching young people about the city we live in. She is veteran print and radio journalist who has always been more interested in what people are avoiding than what they are talking about. She founded and published PerformInk, a Chicago theatre and film industry trade paper, which covered economics, jobs, politics, racism, sexism, power, real estate - all through the lens of the artist. She then moved on to public radio, where she hosted talk shows in Vegas and Wisconsin, which is when she realized she was too old to do bad journalism. So now she is helping students understand that good civics makes good journalism and good journalism makes good civics. She also writes a Substack, "You're Overthinking It," that looks at the rules we live by and explores who benefits.
