Cascade Public Media

Annual Report 2024

Fiscal Year: July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024

Previous Reports
Cascade PBS Annual Report

CEO Message

A Message of Thanks from Rob Dunlop, President & CEO

Highlights

New Unified Brand

Cascade PBS

After nearly 70 years as KCTS 9, we look to the future with a new brand: Cascade PBS. This new name reflects our enduring commitment to serving the Cascade region with quality independent journalism, local series and community events paired with the best PBS programming. While the name is new, be assured that the quality programs and trusted reporting you know and love remain the same. Cascade PBS continues our longstanding commitment to providing you with unrivaled science, history, arts, drama and kids programming.

Seattle International Film Festival

Cascade PBS podcasts

In FY24, we produced several Cascade PBS podcasts. Our news podcast Crosscut Reports became Northwest Reports, Cascade PBS Ideas Festival (also under a new brand name), Mossback's Northwest and Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle.

Your Last Meal Podcast

Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle

In fall 2023, we welcomed the Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle podcast. Your Last Meal was a James Beard Award finalist for Best Podcast and is hosted by Seattle-based, National Edward R. Murrow award-winning reporter Rachel Belle. In each episode, Belle asks a celebrity (Jewel, Isaac Mizrahi, John Waters, Jenny Slate, Jack Johnson, etc.) what they would choose to eat for their last meal. Then the podcast digs into the history, culture or science behind a dish with experts from around the world. The episode catalog features interesting conversations with all kinds of characters — from the designer who created Lady Gaga's infamous meat dress to the magicians who invent flavors for Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Acquisitions

Cascade PBS has continued to build our digital footprint and support for our apps through a curated collection of international and local acquisitions. With a Cascade PBS Passport membership, viewers can access an extended library of streaming programs specially selected by Cascade PBS.

Three-Body on Cascade PBS

Three-Body

In October 2023, Cascade PBS premiered international sensation Three-Body. The Chinese sci-fi series, based on Cixin Liu's book of the same name, was making waves ahead of the premiere of its English-language adaptation. We were able to provide Cascade PBS passport members and broadcast viewers the opportunity to watch the series ahead of this hotly anticipated Netflix premiere. All 30-episodes ran on broadcast with a marathon streaming opportunity for Passport members. The Mandarin-language series explored complex scientific and philosophical themes.

Ice Mermaid Cold Resolve on Cascade PBS

Ice Mermaid: Cold Resolve

We also offered Cascade PBS passport members a program from our own backyard, Ice Mermaid: Cold Resolve. This documentary set in Washington state follows Melissa Kegler's journey to achieve the first U.S. ice 2.2K swim. Beyond the physical challenge, it explored body image, self-acceptance and community in extreme sports. The film showcased Washington's natural beauty, celebrating the connection between swimmers and their environment.

PBS Programming

PBS continued to provide an abundance of entertaining storytelling as well as essential news and programming across a diverse range of topics.

Funny Woman on Cascade PBS

Dramas

In January 2024, our favorite Masterpiece programs All Creatures Great and Small and Miss Scarlet and the Duke continued to delight viewers. We also offered exciting new Masterpiece series like Funny Woman, about a fictional Lucille Ball-type, and Nolly, starring Helena Bonham Carter. Viewers also embraced the gripping drama Little Bird in fall 2023, which shed light on the lasting impact of the Sixties Scoop in Canada — when Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and placed in non-Indigenous homes.

American Buffalo a film by Ken Burns on Cascade PBS

Ken Burns

Directed and executive produced by Ken Burns, The American Buffalo was a quintessentially American story that served as a biography of the continent's most magnificent species, an improbable, shaggy beast that nonetheless found itself at the center of many of our nation's most thrilling, mythic, and sometimes heartbreaking tales. But it was also a morality tale encompassing two important and historically significant lessons that resonate today. The series explored the startling swiftness of the species' near extinction in the late 19th century and the lesser-known story of the people who set out to save the species from extermination.

Gospel on Cascade PBS

Gospel

This multi-part documentary series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr. delved into the rich history and cultural impact of gospel music in America. The series traced gospel's origins in Black spirituality through its evolution and influence on other musical genres like blues, rock and hip hop and explored how this uniquely African American art form has been a constant source of strength in Black communities for over a century.

Local Video Series

Over Fiscal Year 2024, our team expanded our original series lineup in exciting ways, producing eight unique series and programs that cover history, the outdoors, science, art and so much more.

Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir

In season 2, host Alison Mariella Désir explored various outdoor activities and efforts to make them more inclusive for BIPOC communities. The series took viewers on diverse adventures across the Pacific Northwest, from downhill skiing at Stevens Pass to surfing on the Quinault Reservation. Désir learned birdwatching in Seattle's Seward Park, experienced her first camping trip at Lake Timothy in Mount Hood and discovered horseback riding while exploring the legacy of Buffalo Soldiers. She also addressed water-related fears common in BIPOC communities through swimming lessons focused on healing. Each episode featured conversations with BIPOC outdoor enthusiasts and community leaders, highlighting how these activities foster connection, healing and new opportunities for engagement in nature.

Human Elements

Human Elements returned for a fourth season, exploring stories about climate change in the Pacific Northwest. This season featured Indigenous communities creating resilient coastlines, scientists tracking how Canada lynx move through landscapes scorched by megafires and plant lovers searching for a home for one of Washington’s endangered wildflowers.

Mossback's Northwest

Knute Berger returned to uncover hidden stories behind the region's most interesting treasures and myths. This year, Mossback discovered the story of the first flight around the world that took off and landed in Seattle, learned what happened to the grizzly bears that once roamed the Cascades and found out about the catastrophic Cascade eruption that created an indelible mark across the Northwest.

The Nosh with Rachel Belle

This new series explored the eclectic and delicious culinary scene of the Pacific Northwest through lively and curious storytelling. It examined art, culture, trends and the outdoors, all through the lens of food and drink. Host Rachel Belle, known for fan-favorite podcast Your Last Meal and her work as a National Edward R. Murrow award-winning reporter, brought her expertise to this fresh look at the region's food culture.

Black Arts Legacies

For decades, Black artists have made key contributions to Seattle's cultural landscape. Black Arts Legacies, a Cascade PBS project, celebrates these lasting accomplishments with written, video and photographic portraits of the painters, poets, dancers, musicians and other Black creatives who have made Seattle sing. This expanding digital archive has showcased 40 artists (and counting) across eras and genres — from 1940s gallery curator Zoë Dusanne to 1970s television producer Nate Long to contemporary ballerina Amanda Morgan. Black Arts Legacies season 3 added 10 more profiles to the mix, further illustrating the region's vital Black arts ecosystem.

Nick on the Rocks

In its highly-anticipated fifth season, Nick on the Rocks returned to explore the region's most interesting landscapes. This season took a trip just outside Othello, Washington, where a labyrinth of canyons conjured images of the desert Southwest. It traveled high above Wenatchee, Washington, where a group of spires told the story of extreme volcanic activity and ancient vents of magma older than the Cascade volcanoes. It also discovered how the glaciers of Mount Baker carved away rock to reveal a surprising history of ancient volcanoes.

Made There

Made There season 2 focused on Central Washington's Yakima Valley. Each episode presented a unique guest, exploring their journey as an artisan or small business owner creating local art, crafts, snacks or beverages in celebration of the Pacific Northwest. From Yakima to Prosser, Made There highlighted the personal stories of each maker, offering an inside look at their success and providing a helpful tip for viewers.

The Newsfeed

With a new name, some of our programs and events underwent a few changes. Our on-air short news program Crosscut Now became The Newsfeed. The news series hosted by Paris Jackson continues to serve as a companion to our local, independent newsroom. The Newsfeed features news highlights, interviews and more from CascadePBS.org. More exciting changes to this show were rolled out in Q2 of FY25.

Top 10 Cascade PBS News Stories

Community Engagement

BLACK ARTS LEGACIES

Cascade PBS hosted a celebratory event featuring several of the artists recognized as a part of the Black Arts Legacies project. The evening included films, a conversation with featured artists, a retrospective gallery of influential artists, DJs and a live dance performance.

ORIGINS SCREENING: LOST AT SEA

Cascade PBS hosted a first look at the new documentary series Origins: Lost at SEA at SIFF Uptown, which explored deeply personal experiences of growing up Black in Seattle. The evening celebrated the second year of the Origins docuseries initiative from Cascade Public Media and included a discussion with Lost at SEA filmmaker Lady Scribe.

EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS FAMILY FAIR

Alison Mariella Désir hosted this free community event featuring organizations advocating for BIPOC reclamation of outdoor spaces. Attendees learned more about engaging with nature in fun and healthy ways through games, treats, workshops and interactive opportunities. The event also included talks from the host and outdoor enthusiasts featured in the original series Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir.

CASCADE PBS IDEAS FESTIVAL

The sold-out Cascade PBS Ideas Festival featured thought leaders Malcolm Gladwell, Lindy West and Heather Cox Richardson, among others. It included live podcasts and TV tapings from The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Vox, Slate and NPR. Attendees engaged in thought-provoking discussions on current affairs and future trends and left inspired and more connected to the world.

MOSSBACK NORTHWEST SCREENING

Knute Berger hosted an event at Fremont Abbey Arts Center in Seattle, offering a sneak peek at season 9 of Mossback's Northwest. The event included a conversation about the upcoming season, a debut screening of a new episode, behind-the-scenes information and Mossback-themed prizes. Members were invited to a special cocktail pre-reception with the opportunity to chat one-on-one with Knute.

YOUR LAST MEAL WITH RACHEL BELLE LIVE EVENT

Your Last Meal with Amanda Knox

Rachel Belle hosted a live taping of her podcast Your Last Meal featuring guest Amanda Knox at the Great Hall at Green Lake. Rachel invited Amanda to join her on stage where she was invited to share her experience, in her own words. Amanda talked about what prison food was like and why she chose Italian food for her last meal, despite her traumatic experience in the country. Members were invited to a private pre-reception hosted by Rachel Belle.

THREE-BODY SCREENING

Three-Body Screening

Cascade PBS hosted a special screening and celebration of the sci-fi series Three-Body at the Pacific Science Center. The event featured a showing of the landmark first episode, exclusive bonus footage and a panel discussion with local sci-fi experts about the series. Members were invited to a pre-screening event with themed cocktails and bites. The event was presented in partnership with SIFF, Pacific Science Center and MoPOP.

2024 Awards

2024 Awards

Cascade PBS wins two Northwest Regional Emmy® Awards

We are proud to announce that Cascade PBS won two Northwest Regional Emmy® Awards on June 1, 2024 from the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.


Cascade PBS is devoted to providing quality journalism and compelling stories to the public. We are honored to have our work in environmental, cultural and civic reporting recognized.

Historical/Cultural - Short Form Content

Mossback's Northwest: "The Day Germany Bombed Seattle" • Michael McClinton, Senior Producer • Knute Berger, Writer • Resti Bagcal, Photographer • Madeleine Pisaneschi, Graphic Designer • Sarah Menzies, Producer • Alegra Figeroid, Artist/Illustrator • David Quantic, Editor • Matthew Jorgensen, Composer

Environment/Science - Short Form Content

"The Range Rider" • Sarah Hoffman, Producer • Bryce Yukio Adolphson, Photographer • David Quantic, Editor • Sarah Menzies, Producer

2023 SPJ Region 10 Excellence in Journalism Awards

We are excited to announce that the Cascade PBS newsroom won several SPJ Region 10 Excellence in Journalism Awards. We congratulate our winners and our newsroom staff for their excellent work. The winners are:

Audio - Large: Investigative Reporting

First Place - Sara Bernard, Farah Eltohamy, Mai Hoang, “After a takeover, mobile home tenants are fighting back”, Cascade PBS,

Audio - Large: Technology & Science Reporting
Second Place - Sara Bernard, Brandon Block, “The gray areas of surveillance tech in WA police forces”, Cascade PBS,

Photo & Design - Large: General News Photography
Second Place - Amanda Snyder, “New mothers can stay with their babies at this Washington
prison”, Cascade PBS,

Writing - Extra Large: Arts & Culture Reporting
First Place - Margo Vansynghel, “A Seattle artist and the auction frenzy that sparked an FBI tip”, Cascade PBS,

Writing - Extra Large: Investigative Reporting
First Place - Farah Eltohamy, Mai Hoang, Genna Martin, “WA mobile home communities organize against 'economic eviction'”, Cascade PBS,

Writing - Extra Large: General Excellence
Cascade PBS Staff, “Cascade PBS 2023 General Excellence Entry”, Cascade PBS

Writing – Extra Large: Series
Second Place – Joseph O’Sullivan, “Coverage of “‘Legislative Privilege’,” Cascade PBS.

Staff reporter honored with WashCOG Bunting Award

For its Kenneth F. Bunting Award, the Washington Coalition for Open Government (WashCOG) has jointly recognized state government reporters Shauna Sowersby of McClatchy and Joseph O’Sullivan of Crosscut for their collaborative and comprehensive reporting on the state Legislature’s latest move to hide its work from the public with “legislative privilege.” Sowersby and O’Sullivan published more than two dozen stories on Statehouse transparency – stories that alerted the public to lawmakers’ secrecy maneuvers.

The Bunting Award recognizes journalists and media outlets for work that uses or advances Washington state’s open government laws or educates citizens about them. The award honors the memory of the late Ken Bunting, an executive editor and associate publisher with The Seattle Post-Intelligencer who helped found WashCOG in 2002.

Capital Campaign

Cascade PBS HQ

Thanks to an outpouring of community and institutional support, we were able to complete our capital campaign and move to our new home. Over 4,000 donors made this critical move possible. We are so grateful for the investment placed in your local public media station and can't wait to invite you to visit us!

Our Donors

Thank you for your support

Cascade Public Media expresses sincere gratitude to the many individuals, families, businesses and organizations that invested in our organization between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this list. If your listing is incorrect, please accept our apologies and call us at 206.443.6768 so that we may correct it for future lists.

2024 Financials

Total$46,368,144
Total$29,434,783

Net Income

Operating Income, less operating Expenses$8,167,670
Planned Giving (Capital Campaign & Endowment) Contributions$8,765,691
Depreciation and Amoritization( $1,864,468 )
Total$15,068,893

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging at Cascade PBS

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging at Cascade PBS

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging at Cascade PBS

Cascade PBS is committed to building a team that represents a diversity of thought, experience and personal background, which is necessary to fulfill our mission to inform and inspire our community to make the world a better place.

Diversity has many dimensions. It describes the myriad ways in which all people differ, including psychological, physical and social differences such as race, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, religion, economic class, education, body size, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, mental and physical ability and learning styles. As part of our commitment to diversity, we are dedicated to advancing racial equity in our organization and the community we serve.

We enrich our community, our organization and ourselves when we celebrate and leverage the varied experiences and ideas that each individual brings. We will invest our resources and hold ourselves accountable to increasing the diversity of team members, Board of Directors, Community Advisory Board and content contributors.

DEIB COMMITMENT STATEMENT

Difference is Our Strength

The strength of our community, team, content and organization

Team members who reflect the diversity of our community drive our relevance, innovation, performance and success.

We commit to:

– Recruit and retain a diverse team and board.
– Identify and address systemic barriers to full inclusion.
– Ensure a culture of collaboration, flexibility and belonging.
– Reflect the diversity of our community through programming, journalism, events and partnerships.

CASCADE PBS DEIB STRATEGIC PLAN

The above commitment statement influenced Cascade PBS’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) strategic plan, which was created both to uphold this commitment and to improve our organization and our service to the community. There are objectives, key results, measures of success, accountable parties and deadlines within the plan. The first plan was released in 2020, updated at the beginning of 2023, and the third iteration is being developed to align with the organization’s overarching strategic plan. Each goal falls within one of the three pillars within the organization’s strategic plan:

- Build, Engage, & Convert Audience
- Grow Talent & Strengthen Culture
- Pursue Operational Excellence

Our entire organization has embraced the importance of furthering our DEIB mission. Every department has set annual goals to move us forward, from vendor selection to hiring practices to programming and event curation.

We maintain a DEIB Council comprised of representatives from across the organization. In 2024, the council underwent advanced training with an expert consultant and they are continually refining their approaches and measures of success.

Some highlights of our recent efforts include:

- An all-day, all-staff DEIB training annually. This year’s topic was “Identity, power dynamics, and psychological safety in the workplace.”
- All managers completed an inclusive leadership training and continue to implement what was learned.
- We conducted a series of Lunch and Learn events for staff on topics including dealing with grief, loss and change; body positivity; psychological safety.

Our efforts have yielded promising results:

- Employees of color have increased 12.9% since FY21.
- Managers of color have risen by 7% since FY23.
- 40% of our local series and events include diverse representation.

To learn more about our DEIB work, please visit https://www.cascadepublicmedia.org/diversity-commitment

Who We Are

Talent and Programming from Cascade PBS 2024

Who We Are

Cascade PBS is a publicly supported media organization with a mission to inform and inspire our community to make the world a better place. We serve millions of people throughout the Pacific Northwest each year – on air, online and in person – with the best of PBS programming, local investigative journalism, unique regional productions and community events.

Our vision is to be the most essential and relevant media organization in the region for important conversations, civic engagement and enriching entertainment. We are committed to creating the highest quality content, product and experiences that engage and grow a diverse audience, reflect the values of our community and make an impact on people’s lives.

We employ more than 115 talented and dynamic team members who work tirelessly each day in pursuit of our mission and strategy.

We are committed to building a team that represents a diversity of thought, experience and personal background. Along with race, gender and physical ability, we believe that one’s ethnicity, national origin, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identification and age are other dimensions that strengthen us. Such diversity enhances the relevance and substance of our work.

Our Team

Cascade PBS Staff

Cascade Public Media is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. They are responsible for the strategic, operational and financial performance of the organization.

The volunteer Community Advisory Board is responsible for informing Cascade Public Media management and staff about community issues and stories appropriate for content development and engagement to support the communities we serve.

We are grateful for the time and talents board members share with our organization.

Cascade Public Media Board of Directors

During the period July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024

OfficersAffiliation
Barbara Bennett - ChairFormer President & COO, Vulcan Inc.
Karli Barokas - Vice ChairManaging Partner, FINN Partners
Robert Moser - TreasurerRetired, President & CEO, Laird Norton Wealth Management
Essex Porter - SecretaryRetired Television Journalist
Lynne Varner - Immediate Past ChairChief Executive Officer, Washington STEM
DirectorsAffiliation
Sacha R.F. McLeanChair, McLean Group
Christopher ParkerStuart A. Scheingold Prof. of Social Justice and Political Science, Department of Political Science at University of Washington
Linh HoMarketing Executive
Mona Lee LockeFormer Chief Communication Officer, Swedish
Carole TomkoOwner, Peanut Productions
Tammy YoungChief People Officer, Prescryptive Health, Inc.
LaNesha DeBardelabenPast President & CEO of the Northwest African American Museum
Andrew SundPresident of Heritage University
Sonny WongMarketing Executive
Rob McKennaPartner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Rebecca LovellCOO, Greater Seattle Partners
Brenda AnibarroVice President of Learning and Community Engagement, Inatai Foundation

Community Advisory Board

Cynthia Rekdal - Chair

Krista Edwardson - Vice Chair

Tom Conlon
Charro Cruz
Scott Fraser
Candice Gibson
Nimisha Goyal
Mytyl Hernandez

Ana Ruiz Kennedy

Dori Peralta Baker
Son Michael Pham
Dr. Susana Reyes
Mary Ellen Robinson
Gregory Ryan
Jon Shellenberger
Paul Sontz

Our Staff

Cascade Public Media employs 115 staff members who are dedicated to bringing you stories that will educate and inform as well as entertain – both on television and online. Today, we find ourselves even more committed to providing essential public media services to everyone in our community.