Pressroom
For Immediate Release April 1, 2003
CPB Selects Projects to Expand Public Radio's Editorial Strengths, and Services to Local Communities
14 projects to receive funds totaling $4.3million
from Public Radio Public service Competitive Funds
WASHINGTON, DC, April 1, 2003 - A new mid-day newsmagazine from National Public Radio (NPR), expanded Capitol Hill news coverage, and more chapters in the history of R&B are among 14 projects to be funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting through its Public Radio Public Service Competitive Funds.
"More and more Americans are turning to public radio for high-quality breaking news, analysis and cultural programs," said Robert T. Coonrod, CPB President and CEO. "With programs like the ones we are funding today, public radio will continue to live up to the public's very high expectations for content, quality and diversity."
CPB will provide $1.8 million to help NPR develop and launch a mid-day newsmagazine, its first offering of a nationally produced newsmagazine program for this underserved time period. The hour-long broadcast will provide breaking news coverage, comprehensive domestic and international reporting and a mix of diverse voices and viewpoints in a daily exploration of American ideas, beliefs and behaviors. It will originate from NPR West, NPRs west coast production facility located in Los Angeles.
CPB also will grant $230,000 for the creation of a Capitol Hill radio unit to supply public radio stations with localized coverage of Congress. This new approach, led by award-winning print and broadcast journalist Melinda Wittstock, is expected to make congressional coverage affordable to local stations, and will offer a hometown viewpoint that will make national and international policies more relevant to local audiences.
The Corporation will grant Washington, DC-based independent producer Alexis Gillespie $150,000 in second season funding for Let the Good Times Roll. Gillespie will create 13 new hour-long programs for the series, which explores the history of R&B, the post WWII African-American music that became rock and roll and fostered social change. Soul singer Jerry Butler will host the series.
Through the projects announced today, CPB is helping public radio build on its editorial and operational strengths to serve 26 million loyal listeners and to attract new ones.
Other national projects to be funded include:
Public Radio Collaboration 2003: Democracy in America, Minnesota Public Radio (Minneapolis, MN) - With CPB support, a group of station, network and independent producers along with national and international partners last year created a new programming model that immerses public radio listeners in coverage of vital national issues. The model brings public radio's vast editorial assets (news reports, features, call-in programs and documentaries) to bear, covering a single topic of national significance over the course of a week. The Collaboration will focus on "Democracy in America" with a week of special coverage exploring the health and vitality of our democracy. This new funding will help the collaboration refine its model and test a self-financing mechanism built upon a fund-raising collaboration. $385,000
Hearing Voices 2003 - Tundra Club (Bozeman, MT) - CPB will provide funds to this consortium of leading independent producers (Jay Allison, Andre Codrescu, Sarah Vowell, Larry Massett, Nancy Updike, Barrett Golding, Scott Carrier, Ben Adair and Dmae Roberts) to create up to 80 five-minute documentary-style segments to air on established programs and as a series of stand-alone specials. Some of radio's top producers will weave first person narratives of everyday people, their stories and memories to document how Americans openly share and accept multiple viewpoints. $375,000
Despues de las Guerras / Central America After the Wars - Gracias Vida Productions (Austin, TX) - Between 1980 and 1990, more than one million Central Americans fled to the United States to escape political instability and repression. Veteran producer Maria Martin will produce 26 pieces - to be distributed via NPRs Latino USA and Radio Biling
About CPB
CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967 and is steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,100 locally-owned and -operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services.