With "I'm Listening," Audacy Shines a Light on Mental Health

With daily audio public service announcements online resources and an annual live show quotI39m Listeningquot taps wellknown artists athletes and celebrities from Alicia Keys to Ariana Grande to Dak Prescott to speak out about their own struggles By sharing these stories and sharing support services Audacy39s Senior Vice President of Programming Dave Richards said quotI39m Listeningquot is both raising awareness and reducing stigmaquotIt39s okay for people to talk about thisquot he added quotIt39s okay to communicate and it39s okay to seek helpquotFew topics are as personal as mental health and suicide prevention and audio is a reliable way for listeners to access information and build community As one of the country39s largest radio station owners and a leader in digital streaming Audacy is uniquely positioned to advance this cause Audio is delivered directly to earbuds in cars or at home allowing audiences to make intimate connections with the hosts or celebrities on air streaming or on podcasts noted Sarah Harris Audacy39s Vice President of Social ImpactquotAs an audio platform we39re creating space for people to talk to elevate their voice and be heardquot she said quotWe are using our greatest strength the power of talk to end stigma of talking about mental healthquotAudacy formerly known as Entercom Communications first launched quotI39m Listeningquot in September 2017 on World Suicide Prevention Day Following the deaths of a number of wellknown artists including Nirvana39s Kurt Cobain and Soundgarden39s Chris Cornell Richards said the company wanted to take action Radio stations often respond to a crisis by using their airwaves to raise funds but Richards said the company wanted to do morequotAt a certain point you39re saying 39What can we do to help39quot said Richards who was then head of programming for venerable rock station KISWFM in Seattle an epicenter of music where these and other deaths resonated deeply quotWe wanted to help voice people39s emotions how they feel and what39s inside of themquotIn response KISWFM hosted a twohour live show featuring personal stories from artists and celebrities as well as mental health experts At first Richards said it was difficult to find celebrities willing to go onair to discuss the topic or share their experiences More recently as public awareness and openness have exponentially grown Richards said more celebs and influencers are coming forward to share their struggles Now a who39swho of music entertainment and sports participate in quotI39m Listeningquot and Audacy runs quotI39m Listeningquot content throughout the year with extra emphasis in September and MaySince the COVID19 pandemic erupted in spring 2020 the quotI39m Listeningquot public service campaign has taken on increased importance Americans have endured more than a year of stress isolation and anxiety as well as concerns about their health family and work Mental health and selfcare have never been more important and corporate America is prioritizing the emotional needs of employees and customersWithin their own ranks Audacy is walking the walk encouraging employees to take advantage of medical benefits including counseling and paid time off They are also promoting public discourse with messages from senior leadership and companywide conversations around mental health A recent town hall focused on mental health and wellness with experts on hand to answer questions Once again the idea is to remove stigma and promote wellnessquotWe39re creating space in the workplace to say 39It39s okay to not be okay39quot Harris said quotWe39re here to support you and connect you with resources that help move you from languishing to flourishingquotThis year Audacy is expanding quotI39m Listeningquot content with daily audio capsules featuring its talent celebrities and influencers sharing experiences and discussing mental health Also several of Audacy39s podcasts are devoting episodes to the topics and the company is in early talks with a partner to create branded podcasts based on the topicA special section of Audacy39s website curates important resources including contact information for a number of mental health organizations as well as links to Audacy partners the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP and the Mental Health Action Day Coalition that directly connect listeners to resourcesIn a new partnership Audacy is teaming up with Genomind a medical technology company that provides mental health insights based on DNA testing The company39s genetic mapping technology can help users understand predispositions to mental health needs and sheds light on how genetic composition can influence mental health wellness Genomind is sponsoring the daily capsules as well as the upcoming 2021 quotI39m Listeningquot event slated for September Also some of Audacy39s hosts and influencers are participating in the testing and sharing how their results are informing behavior changes for wellness Audacy employees also have access to the Mental Health Map at discounted ratesAs quotI39m Listeningquot continues to grow Richards noted that the goal remains the same To help listeners recognize their needs and find support Hearing celebrities share their stories can be motivating and consoling quotWhen you hear the darkness that people may be in and that the show the capsules or the initiative has helped them get to a better place and find the help they need then we39ve done our jobquot he saidClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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With "I'm Listening," Audacy Shines a Light on Mental Health

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