Wyoming Public Media is Wyoming’s statewide public radio/media network covering general Wyoming news, state government, and public/cultural affairs. The news department is a regular award recipient, receiving two national Murrow Awards and two national Public Radio News Directors, Inc. (PRNDI) Awards in 2018 alone. Wyoming Public Media’s mission is to cover Wyoming with vital news to Wyomingites.
Position: Wyoming Public Media covers Wyoming’s main issues, but there’s a gap on the Wind River Reservation. One of the largest U.S. reservations, it’s unique in that it has two historically warring tribes mandated to live on this one appropriated area of Wyoming. Over the decades, the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe people forged a relationship that is difficult to maintain. This situation compounds problems in education, health services, living conditions, land and wildlife management, revenue generation, among other issues. The RFA reporter is based in or near the Wind River Reservation covering issues that are critical to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe populations. Topics include health delivery, education, homelessness, legislation and Native sovereignty topics, the justice system, the plight of unemployed or underemployed youth, and historical trauma, among others. The reporter works at the direction of our current reservation reporter as well as the Wyoming Public Media news director.