We’re changing the notifications you receive from the VPR mobile apps to give you more control over what you get from VPR. You can now control the categories of notifications you receive from VPR, rather than simply an all-or-nothing approach.
Here are the four categories of notifications you can choose in the VPR App settings:
- VPR News — This category will bring you the top news from VPR’s team, similar to what you may have already been receiving up until now. The frequency of messages is driven by news events, but you can expect an average of around one per day, sometimes more.
- Vermont Edition — With this category of mobile notifications you’ll receive regular messages from the Vermont Edition team about upcoming guests, topics and ways you can engage with the show. Expect regular messages from the Vermont Edition team, likely several per week.
- Station Updates & Events — Are you a VPR superfan? Do you want to be kept in the loop about upcoming events at VPR and news about the station? Subscribe to this subcategory. You’ll receive occasional messages from us about special opportunities to connect with VPR.
- Programming — Wish you could get a nudge when special programming or live events are happening? Subscribe to the programming category and we’ll send you occasional messages about new programs, live shows with Vermonters of interest and can’t-miss moments from VPR.
If you ever want a refresher on what to expect from each of these categories, head to “Settings” and then “Notification Preferences” in the app.
How do I set them up?
Open the VPR mobile app on your device. For most, when you open the device you will see a message asking you if you would like to allow the app to send you notifications. If you hit "ALLOW" you will be taken right to the "NOTIFICATION PREFERENCES" page where you can configure your category preferences. Remember to hit "SAVE" (in the top right corner) when you're happy with your selection.
If, when you open the device, you do not see the pop up message, tap the three black lines (often called a "hamburger" because that's sort of what it looks like) in the top left. From there you will see the app's menu. Select "SETTINGS" from the bottom of the list, then "NOTIFICATION PREFERENCES". From there you can configure your categories and don't forget to hit "SAVE".
It can take up to 24 hours for changes to kick in, so do not be alarmed if you receive a message in that window of time that you've requested to no longer receive.
A few more quick questions you might have:
Can I select multiple categories?
Yes! You can select all four or any combination. Which brings us to our next question...
Can I change my mind?
Absolutely. Any time you need to make a change, head to “Settings” in your VPR app, then “Notification Preferences”. Here you can toggle VPR News off so you can enjoy a quick news vacation, or turn on Vermont Edition to receive a nudge when there are special opportunities to participate in that day’s conversation. You can even turn on VPR News and off Station Updates, for example, if you’re moving out of state but still want to know the big news in Vermont. Whatever works for you.
Is this available to all devices?
Currently, mobile notifications are available for iOS and Android devices, but categories are only available for iOS. We’re working on it though, and will let you know when the feature is available for Android users as well!
Get the VPR iPhone App | Get the VPR Android App
Wait. Since when could get mobile notifications from VPR?
We’ve been pretty quiet about this feature since rolling it out last year, so you might have missed it. Simply download the VPR mobile app, open it and tap “Allow” when it asks if you’d like to receive mobile notifications. You’ll then be taken to the “Notification Preferences” page where you can pick out your subcategories.
Why are you introducing this?
More and more of us receive an endless stream of messages on our devices every day, making it hard to weed out ones that matter to us, or requiring an endless curation of to control the firehose of messages.
We don’t want a mobile message from VPR to be just another distraction, we want a message from us to provide you with direct access to the information from VPR that you value. And the best way to give you a voice in what type of message you receive from us is to hand some of the control over to you. So with some help from our partners at Jacapps, we’ve introduced these categories of mobile notifications.
If you have the VPR app, you can already receive notifications (also called push notifications) from the VPR team about news and programming content. Thus far, we’ve focused on only the most urgent, or important stories. This is great for those of you who want to stay on top of the news, without having to read every article, or listen to every conversation.
But what if you’re also a Vermont Edition super fan? Or you want to know about upcoming events, new shows or specials, or live programs happening right this minute you might want to tune in for? Now, you'll have more control and options.
Feedback?
And of course, let us know what you think of the change. Do the subcategories give you the control you were looking for? Are there other categories or types of messages you’d love to receive? Drop us a note any time you have feedback, questions or suggestions - thank you!
