Public Awareness Initiative Pilot Program

About the Public Awareness Initiative

During the past year, you've told us that it's a priority for the public broadcasting system to build deeper relationships with public broadcasting listeners and viewers through the content and services you provide in communities across this nation. We also know that you want to be able to tell your stories of mission, value and impact more effectively to your supporters -- including your boards, underwriters, donors and volunteers. These messages were echoed at the CPB-PBS round robin meetings for public television, in conversations we've had at public radio conferences and at meetings with stations around the country.

At CPB, we have been working in concert with leaders of the public broadcasting system and the station community to develop an initiative to increase public awareness of the extraordinary value of public broadcasting and the remarkable contributions of your stations to the civic health of communities throughout America.

The Public Awareness Initiative (PAI) is an unprecedented, multi-year effort involving public radio and television stations that builds on the themes and goals of CPB's Major Giving Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to develop a growing awareness and appreciation for public media. We hope to accomplish this by providing you with tools (i.e., community engagement models, major giving techniques, effective board management training, market research) to expand the relevance and significance of your contribution to your community. In addition, CPB will support a multi-platform creative media and marketing effort to give the initiative momentum, a common theme, and increased public exposure.

To assist us with the development of the creative media and marketing effort, CPB engaged the leading strategic public affairs firm, Powell Tate | Weber Shandwick. Ultimately, however, the success of the Public Awareness Initiative depends on the expertise and commitment of the station community. That's why we are looking for stations to help us test the creative concepts of our public outreach effort.