BPR's audience engagement following Hurricane Helene

A recap of the ways BPR News interacted with the community in the days and weeks after one of the state's worst natural disasters.

Western North Carolinians gathered around a hand-crank radio listening to BPR. — Western North Carolinians gathered around a hand-crank radio listening to BPR in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

When Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina on September 27, 2024, BPR’s small team moved to 24-hour coverage of the storm. More than 14-inches of rain washed out roads, decimated communities and flooded homes and businesses.

The storm claimed more than 100 lives and displaced more than 16,000 people. Thousands of survivors were left without power, water, cell service and wifi.

With widespread communication outages, many residents were cut off from the rest of the world.
In addition to traditional radio broadcast throughout the day, BPR pivoted to create mechanisms of distribution to ensure wide reach of vital information in challenging circumstances.

Text-Lite Site

To address the connectivity challenges, BPR worked with the NC Local News Workshop and Blue Lena to create a text-only version of the website for audiences with limited cell or internet access.

Readers used the information provided by BPR to find access to drinkable and nonpotable water, health care facilities, shelters and wifi connectivity sites.

Less than a week after the storm, BPR’s text-lite site provided a much-needed resource for those with slow cell or internet service.

The site became a model for other outlets and local governments.

"You all have been a lifeline to me and my entire neighborhood." -Asheville resident Shelly.

Text Messaging

BPR also launched a text messaging platform in the immedite aftermath of the storm. Using Subtext, BPR offered an interactive service for crucial information on basic needs for community members.

Every text message was written in the first-person in a friendly, conversational tone. The messages invited readers to respond with their insights, questions and even photos.

BPR responded to every message within 24 hours of receipt.

Social Media

BPR expanded its use of social media following Hurricane Helene to provide crucial information to community members.

Through nightly updates in Spanish and English, BPR gave Instagram users information on basic necessities such as water system restoration, shelter locations and road closures.

A sample of Instagram posts from the BPR account following Hurricane Helene.

The team also reached out to the growing Instagram audience to ask what they needed most. Community members responded by asking questions, offering story ideas and providing feedback. Their replies served as the basis for future reporting efforts.

"I am blown away at how good BPR is. You truly own the community commitment. Bravo." -Instagram user @Mumball

'After Helene'

Following the storm, BPR built and sent “After Helene," a daily email recapping the current fatality count, where to apply for FEMA assistance, updates on the state of the city’s municipal water system and more.

Each email included five to six updates on storm conditions and recovery, a featured article, and a question/answer section where readers submitted questions to BPR to have answered in a future edition.

For more about the work, check out "A beacon during crisis: How BPR reinvented news coverage during Helene."