Introducing Reverb, an MPR News initiative covering younger Minnesotans
MPR News is launching Reverb, an initiative focused on serving younger (and young-at-heart) Minnesotans.
We know Minnesota is changing and younger adults want news in new ways. So we’re delivering news content that centers their perspectives, answers their questions, celebrates them and explores how they’re impacted by issues in a changing world, and all accessible where they are — on mobile, online and on social media.
What you can expect from Reverb
Reverb includes reporting from trusted journalists across MPR News and is led by a core and growing team you’ll get to know: Feven Gerezgiher, a St. Paul native who keeps an ear to the street at all times; Nicole Ki, who uses her hard-news chops to get exclusive stories and angles that matter to younger adults; Anne Guttridge, who can tell stories in a matter of seconds on TikTok; Sam Stroozas, who finds and covers delightful only-in-Minnesota stories when she’s not busy running the @mprnews Instagram; and me, Kaila White, an editor with a passion for connecting with and serving new audiences across platforms and mediums.
Some of our news is light and fun, intended to delight and join in on moments that have everyone talking (like when we got the gossip on if reality TV show “Love is Blind” was filming in Minneapolis).
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When it’s appropriate, we sometimes use a more casual tone than you might be used to seeing from MPR News (like when Feven talked to Taylor Swift fans in the merch line before her Minneapolis concerts).
Other coverage works to explain complex news events and topics to help you get essential information quickly and easily (like this TikTok of Gov. Tim Walz legalizing recreational marijuana or this Instagram about the turnout of uncommitted voters).
We know that younger Minnesotans care about getting in-depth news and varying perspectives, too. That’s why we cover hard issues shown to matter most to younger adults (like inflation and jobs) and add context that helps make sense of hot topics (like when we visited a St. Paul school that decided to make all of its bathrooms gender-neutral way back in 2016).
It’s also why we work to get exclusive, impactful reporting on young-adult communities and issues that matter to them (like a suicide cluster among students at University of Wisconsin-River Falls).
We’ve been publishing this work on our website, social media and airwaves since late 2022, but now we’re bringing it together under one recognizable brand, Reverb, so that you can engage with it and us more easily.
Why is MPR News launching Reverb?
It’s past time to rethink what news is and how it’s delivered so that we can better serve our communities every day.
In an information age of distrust and divisiveness, Reverb aims to provide value and connection, especially for the growing group of diverse, younger adults in Minnesota who source news they care about on the go.
In fact, half of Americans say they get news on social media, and about a third of U.S. adults 18 to 29 say they regularly get news from TikTok. Many young adults use TikTok or Instagram as their primary search engine.
There also are valid concerns about social media promoting inaccurate or biased material.
Expanding our ability to deliver trusted news with convenience and speed on social media is an important way to fight misinformation and, we hope, boost trust in us, too. Social media also lets us be in conversation with our audience, so every day we can hear what you think and want to see and hear.
Check out this top comment on our award-winning TikTok about the design of the new Minnesota state flag: “This TikTok actually changed my views.”
MPR News and Reverb are nonprofit public media, meaning our work is always free and our mission is public service, not profits. It’s our duty to evolve alongside Minnesota and serve you as best we can.
Why is it called Reverb? It’s about reflecting our world
Reverb is an echo effect that happens when sound reflects off surfaces. It happens everywhere, all the time, but is known for its role in music.
It’s a nod to MPR’s roots in radio and sound.
As music giant Fender puts it, reverberation “is a reflection of the world around us.” It can make music “more expressive.” It adds space and depth. Those concepts matter in your news, too.
Reverb reflects the wide range of Minnesotans. And it doesn’t only go one way: We want to hear from you, too, and amplify your voices and perspectives in return.
How to follow and support Reverb
Everyone is welcome in Reverb. We know that coverage of and for younger generations is important and entertaining to anyone.
Check out @mprnews and #ReverbMPR on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube or all the news at mprnews.org/reverb.
MPR News, including Reverb, is free. You will never have to pay to get high-quality journalism. (Of course, we would love your support when you’re up for it by donating to MPR once or regularly!)
If you’re enjoying Reverb, consider mentioning it to a friend and encouraging them to follow #reverbmpr and @mprnews on social media.
Most importantly, we want to hear from you! Do you have a story idea about younger adults or know someone you think we should talk to? Or have an idea of what Reverb should do next? Send your ideas to tell@mpr.org with the word “Reverb” in the subject line, or let us know in the comments on social media.
