It’s a new year, but it doesn’t feel like we’re turning a page just yet.

Things were uncertain last March. But now it’s clear that we’ll be covering the pandemic and its aftermath beyond 2021. That’s a tough sentence to read. But we are endlessly thankful for your support and dedication despite our grim reality, and I do want to offer some sunshine: As a top editor at CapRadio, I will make sure we share stories that take us out of the pandemic headspace. Please email me if you feel that we are not fulfilling this promise.

CapRadio does not exist without our members — and because of you, the news team will be growing this coming year. We’re hiring a new Northern California Reporter to help tell these stories, covering the pandemic and reporting on other happenings in the region at-large. CapRadio was also selected for the prestigious Report For America program. This will be a special project in collaboration with The Sacramento Observer, the region’s legacy African American news source. We’re currently accepting applications for this new position, which will focus on the intersection of education and the Black experience in Sacramento.

Last week CapRadio's Visual Journalist Andrew Nixon put together a look back at his favorite photos and videos from 2020. Well, "favorite" may be too strong of a word for anything that happened in 2020, but it reminded me of where we were in January of last year (and 2020 is finally last year) and how much has changed since then. For us on the CapRadio Digital Team, these changes have made our mission even more important: provide vital information to you as efficiently as possible, no matter where you are.

Part of that is making sure what you need to know is where you'll see it. If you follow us on social media, like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you'll get the stories and information you need to keep up with the news as it happens, just as if you visited our website every day or listened to our broadcast.

Part of that is making sure the news is accessible and engaging on whatever platform you use. For example, in our interactive guide to new California laws, we worked to make laws easy to navigate and understand, providing ways to filter and find the information most relevant to you regardless of the device you use.

It also means respecting when you need a break and providing a way to get the information you need when you’re ready for it. Our coronavirus newsletter comes out periodically throughout the week and provides just what you need to stay up-to-date on the shifting story, without having to pay attention 24 hours a day.

But most of all, our digital content allows us to serve you in new and different ways, and it lets us engage with you directly by listening to you as much as you listen to us. We want your comments on social media and your questions about what interests you or what you want to know. Through your feedback and the information we receive on digital platforms, we can quickly understand where we’re succeeding in our mission and how we can make changes to serve you better.

At the center of all this is that core idea: What can we do to make it easier for you to get the information you need to live your life? The answer is always changing for our team, but the question — and our commitment to you — is the same.

I'd love to hear more about how you use our digital tools at CapRadio, through our website, app, social media, podcasts, wherever. Feel free to email me at any time, [email protected].

Chris Hagan
Managing Editor of Digital Content

Deeper Dive

History Of Medical Testing Has Left Many African Americans Hesitant About The New COVID-19 Vaccine

With More Vaccine Doses Coming, California Counties Scramble To Make Distribution Plans

CapRadio Visual Journalist Andrew Nixon captured significant events throughout the Sacramento area in 2020 with his camera. The COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrations for racial justice, and devastating wildfires are just a few.

Massive Car Caravan Supporting Farmers In India Overwhelms Sacramento As Clashes Between Proud Boys, Antifa Continue Near Capitol

New Nevada Eviction Moratorium Comes Too Late For Some

After Nearly 30 Horse Deaths This Year, California Regulators Take Action Against Los Alamitos Race Course

Sacramento Sheriff’s Office Released 52 People To ICE Deportation Agents Last Year — One By Mistake

What Are The Upside-Down Cones Stuck Under Sacramento Freeways? A Way To Save The Birds And Bats

After Drought And Wildfires, California’s Giant Sequoias Face A New Enemy: Bark Beetles

Join host Donna Apidone and author J. Ryan Stradal to discuss his national bestselling novel — The Lager Queen of Minnesota. 

An homage to midwestern values and family drama, Stradal's story spans 50 years and shares the story of three women whose family splinters when Helen and Edith's father leaves their entire shared inheritance to the younger, more business-savvy Helen. As each woman faces their own hardships, the complexities in both character and family become exposed. We find the optimistic belief that people can change through their stories, and resolution can be possible even if it takes generations.

You can purchase the book or audiobook online.

Latest CapRadio Reads Podcasts

Celebrating The Gift Of Reading

CapRadio Reads finds inspiration in Jolabokaflod, an Icelandic holiday tradition that celebrates books. In this episode, you'll hear from CapRadio Reads authors and CapRadio staff members on their favorite books to share.

Mary O'Hara's The Shame Game

Can you change a situation just by changing the narrative? Even if it is an age-old societal concern? Journalist Mary O'Hara says you can. In The Shame Game she urges us to change the way we talk to – and about – people who experience poverty.

CapRadio and NPR are accessible any time you want through your Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Apple Homepod smart speaker. To help you out, our digital products team put together a guide so you can easily stream the news and music you love.

In order to better serve our listeners, we now have a web page where you can check the status of our broadcast signals across our coverage areas. You can also report problems you're having and easily access other listening options through our online streaming, mobile app and more.