For many of North Carolina’s newest Latino residents, lack of fluency and literacy in English poses barriers to accessing literacy, health, and safety information. To address this problem, UNC-TV sought the expertise of partners in the community who could readily spread the word. A grant from the National Center for Outreach (now the National Center for Media Engagement) enabled UNC-TV to conduct Health Literacy Leadership Summits with representatives of the North Carolina Community College System, El Pueblo (the state’s largest Latino advocacy and health group), Duke University Medical Center, UNC School of Medicine, and the North Carolina Literacy Association.

Motivated by North Carolina’s low standing in almost every national health statistic, UNC-TV began a statewide Health Wise public awareness campaign in 2003 that continues today. UNC-TV’s FitTogether workshops help parents, teachers, and childcare providers address childhood obesity. The station’s digital datacasting capacity delivers health and nutrition information to rural communities. The series North Carolina Now features extensive coverage of statewide health issues. Black Issues Forum addresses healthcare challenges for African Americans. Health Wise Moments promotes key lifestyle changes for use between programs. An online food-shopping game and videos for children were developed using the station’s reading mascot, Read-a-Roo. In 2010, the station began developing a mobile application to encourage home gardening and healthy eating. And, responding to audience requests for more health programming, North Carolina Public Radio WUNClaunched North Carolina Voices: Diagnosing Health Care.