The centerpiece of this project is a daily audio podcast-young, snappy, and fresh with the African-American experience prominent in its multicultural orientation. These will be linked to bi-weekly video podcasts in the format of teleconferences. These will explore in depth key scientific developments with panelists made up of researchers, emerging scientists and the general public. The target audience is 18-30 year old minorities. 3rd Rock Reality will be produced in cooperation with Howard and Clark Atlanta Universities that will provide leadership for a broad consortium of institutions linked to the project which will identify emerging topics and scientists, and provide additional dissemination and outreach. Additional collaborating institutions include Woods Hole Research Center, Boston College, Hunter College, Harvard University and Yale University. RMC Research Corporation will conduct the evaluation
has not been an exception. The centerpiece of this project now known as Planet Harmony (www.myplanetharmony.com) was originally intended to be a daily audio podcast with a multicultural orientation. Devoted to news and information about the environment, it employs young, snappy voices to reach a target audience of 18-30 year olds, produced in cooperation with PRI’s Living on Earth. As 3rd Rock development progressed, it became clear there was more demand for culturally specific design, and that the audio broadcast model for podcasts as originally conceived was too narrow. Our team then shifted to add more video and social networking capabilities, and focused on young adult African Americans as its core audience, while ensuring that everyone is welcome to the site. The major opportunity and challenge of the Third Rock Reality project was to develop to bring the science of environmental change to young people of color (18-30), who historically have been underserved by public broadcasting, and who have been underrepresented in science. This mission is critical; as by 2030 half of all Americans aged 18-30 will be persons of color. As the project began to move forward under the direct leadership of senior producer, Ike Sriskandarajah, the young reporters and interns came forward to suggest we choose a new title—and their choice was Planet Harmony. A vibrant and dynamic website was designed and built by our marketing consultants Shared-Vision, Inc of Atlanta. We also broadened the classic radio-type podcast with a host into a more collaborative web site with audio podcasts in a variety of voices, along with video podcasts, blogs, original articles, and some compilations from other news sources. So far we have produced more than 300 multi media stories. Our young reporters/contributors range in age from 18 to 32, and most are on campus, although our lead contributor from Washington, DC for two years was Ebony Payne, 19, who was taking time out of school. The change to an African-American focus brought our partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to the fore, particularly at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida, and Howard University in Washington, D.C. Both institutions have undergraduate and graduate schools of communication. FAMU’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication is the largest media program at an HBCU. Perhaps the most significant finding of Planet Harmony is that there is a great deal of interest about environmental and ecological science among young African Americans, but that they do not see their interest in such topics as the natural world, land development, energy or public health as "environmental" even though they are eager to tell and hear stories that can bear that label. We also found that they prefer mobile platforms, and conclude that our next expansion of our efforts to reach them should include mobile telephone apps. Here are some sample stories from Planet Harmony: Title/ Author Story Location Topic Tags Brain Tumors Plague Illinois Community: Ebony McHenry County residents entered 32 separate claims against the chemical plant. The claims allege that the plant spilled, leaked and dumped highly toxic chemicals that caused many residents to develop brain tumors. Illinois chemicals, contamination, cancer, environmental justice, law The Creator Comments on Climate Change… Representative John Shimkus from Illinois speaks during a hearing for the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment last year. Illinois congress, law, climate change Average People May Be Able to Sue State Over Environmental Damage The Supreme Court of Michigan is considering a highly politicized case that may possibly open the doors for ordinary citizens to sue their state government for permitting activities that are damaging to the environment. Michigan environmental law, water rights Brazilian Blowout Sued Over Toxin The popular Brazilian Blowout hair straightening treatment is being sued by the state of California for dangerously high levels of formaldehyde. California personal care products, toxics Kari Fulton Awarded on Black Girls Rock for Environmental Justice Environmental activist Kari Fulton awarded the M.A.D - Making a Difference award at BET's Black Girls Rock awards show DC EJ, awards Constructive or Deconstructive? How does a minority community include all aspects of diversity while preserving a precious cultural niche within the African-American community? ATL Morehouse, HBCU, social science Lessons from a Litterbug Personal essay about a conversation with a litterbug Baltimore urban, pollution What's In Your Bottle? We are going to cover a few commonly demonized personal care product ingredients and expose a few others that are not getting enough public attention. personal care products, toxics Morehouse Greenhouse Mission statement of Morehouse group ATL groups FDA Approves Gulf Seafood The Food and Drug Administration has declared that seafood from the Gulf of Mexico is safe to eat. Gulf food, oil spill
