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CPB Strengthens Corporate Governance and Operations

• For Immediate Release on May 2, 2006

(Washington D.C.) -- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Board of Directors today concluded a two day meeting in which they adopted measures designed to improve the governance and operations of CPB, addressing a number of recommendations made by CPB's Inspector General in his November 2005 Report of Review.

The improvement measures, which are the product of a historic top-to-bottom review of CPB operations and procedures include: a reaffirmation of CPB's commitment to ensure greater transparency through its open meetings procedures; a revised Code of Ethics policy and new conflicts of interest policy for the Board of Directors; a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, and the President of CPB in directing the Corporation's affairs; policy and procedures to prevent the use of political tests in employment actions; and a new whistleblower policy and investigation-related records policy that reflect specific Sarbanes-Oxley directives that apply to non-profit corporations. An additional measure creating a uniform process for handling contracts, including so-called "top-down contracts," will be added to CPB's by-laws during an upcoming telephonic meeting of the Board.

The improvements and other work completed to date, as well as plans for implementing longer-term improvements, are described in detail in a document entitled The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Response to the Office of the Inspector General's Report of Review.

"The Board of Directors has taken its obligations seriously and together with management, is responding to the Inspector General's recommendations," said CPB Chairman Cheryl Halpern.

"For the first time in its 40-year history, CPB engaged in a major examination of every operation, task and practice," said CEO Patricia Harrison. "The improvements that are being made go well beyond technical compliance with the recommendations contained in the Inspector General's Report and are just the beginning of a program of transformation and continuous improvement."

The Board in its Response to the Inspector General said "the review and the numerous improvements that have resulted represent a powerful rededication by the Corporation's Board of Directors, management, and staff to good governance, transparency, and to ensuring the integrity of CPB's internal controls."

During the meeting, the board also received the FY2005 audit report and discussed a preliminary operating budget for FY2007. It received an update on CPB's education activities, including Ready To Learn and Ready To Lead in Literacy. Sally Fifer, president and CEO of ITVS, briefed the board on independent producers and the media landscape. Finally, the board adopted a resolution of appreciation for the career of Byron Knight, long-time head of Wisconsin Public Television.

About CPB

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,300 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.