CPB Extends Funding to PBS for Professional Development to Help Public Media Stations Accelerate Digital Transformation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 15, 2019 -- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has awarded a $650,000 grant to PBS to extend the Digital Immersion Program through 2022. 

Launched in 2017, the Digital Immersion Program provides professional development training to mid-level professionals and managers at 100 public media stations. The goal of the project is to provide station staff with the skills, techniques, and strategies they need to sustain and grow their organization’s digital operations, content creation, analytics, and marketing efforts.

"The Digital Immersion Program is one of several investments CPB is making as part of a multi-faceted strategy to accelerate public media’s overall digital transformation," said Maja Mrkoci, CPB chief content and innovation officer. "The development of mid-level professionals and managers at public media stations is central to this effort.”

During the next three years, PBS will provide professional development training for approximately 50 more station staffers in a year-long program that combines mentoring, interactive lectures and dynamic discussions. CPB’s grant will also provide support for the development of an online professional development center where all public media personnel can access training resources, including advanced curricula designed to strengthen digital skills.

“With media and technology evolving at an ever-increasing pace, it is critical that public media station staff are continually supported in developing their digital expertise,” said Ira Rubenstein, PBS chief digital and marketing officer. “Through the Digital Immersion Program, PBS is helping station personnel develop multiplatform skill sets and collaborate with each other as public media evolves to meet modern media demands.” 

“The Digital Immersion Program complements CPB’s efforts in helping stations adjust their organizational processes and culture through another CPB-funded initiative, the Digital Culture Accelerator,” added Mrkoci. “It lays the foundation for the success of other strategic digital infrastructure investments, including recently announced investments in the development and deployment of a Single-Sign On Service and a unified Content Management System.”

Interested public media station professionals can apply for entry into the 2020 Digital Immersion Program at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DI2020. The application deadline is Wednesday, November 13, at 11:59 PM ET

About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 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 1,500 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for other updates.

About PBS
PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America.