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Updates about new and special programming and changes to NHPR's program schedule.

"Balancing" Life in New Hampshire

NHPR Series Looks at the Economic, Social and Personal Costs of Living in the Granite State 

Have you spent your whole life in New Hampshire? Moved away and came back? Settled here for family reasons or for a new opportunity? Spent a season skiing and never left? Granite Staters come to – or stay in - New Hampshire for varied reasons. A new series from New Hampshire Public Radio will explore the benefits, the sacrifices, and the reasons people stay in New Hampshire, leave or return.

The series, called The Balance: The Costs, Benefits, and Trade-offs of Living in New Hampshire, will launch the week of Monday, January 22, with different reports airing that week during Morning Edition and All Things Considered:

Monday, January 22 – NHPR Managing Editor Cori Princell will discuss plans for the series during Morning Edition.

Tuesday, January 23: Lauren Chooljian visits the town of Littleton to see how it’s combating the trend of rural decline, and reinvigorating its downtown in the process.

Wednesday, January 24:  Todd Bookman explores the drive for ‘planned housing’ in southern New Hampshire, focusing on one ambitious new development in the town of Londonderry.

Thursday, January 25: Jason Moon looks at the challenges facing young people pursuing a dream of fishing on the Seacoast.

Subsequent reporting will look at everything from the challenges facing businesses in recruiting people to the state, to how different communities handle the cost of trash disposal. The stories will feature people of different income levels, backgrounds and age brackets across the state.

“In our early reporting, we’re learning more and more about how the everyday cost of living is impacting the social fabric of our state and playing out over kitchen table conversations” said Cori Princell, Managing Editor at New Hampshire Public Radio. “We’re also finding that family ties or quality of life choices drive many people to want to live in New Hampshire, in some cases, more than economic considerations.

The reporting, an all-newsroom initiative, will also touch on topics NHPR reporters consistently cover: infrastructure and transportation, education, taxes and housing. On-air and web stories will be supplemented by maps and graphics illustrating key points or highlighting relevant data, such as housing costs and property taxes. NHPR is welcoming input from listeners and a linkis available at NHPR.org where listeners can ask questions to help steer the reporting. The series will be ongoing.

“We know how important the topic of everyday economics is to our listeners. We hear it across the board -- calls to The Exchange, listener comments on social media , and conversations our reporters have in the field,” said Betsy Gardella, President & CEO of New Hampshire Public Radio. “The Balance is an editorial initiative that captures this particular moment in New Hampshire’s history and culture.”

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About NHPR

Since 1981, NHPR has shaped the media landscape in the Granite State and beyond. Our mission is “Expanding minds, sparking connections, building stronger communities.” NHPR is broadcast from 14 different sites, making it by far New Hampshire’s largest (and only) statewide radio news service. Every week, NHPR is the choice of more than 190,000 listeners as a primary source of in-depth and intelligent news coverage, with thousands more viewing NHPR.org and NHPR social media sites. Each day, New Hampshire Public Radio delivers several hours of local news reported by its award-winning news team. Locally-produced programs include The Exchange, Word of Mouth, The Folk Show, Outside/In, Civics 101, and numerous podcasts. NHPR is the exclusive outlet for NPR News in the Granite State and broadcasts national weekly programs such as The Moth Radio Hour, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, and This American Life.

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