Southern California Public Radio has received a half-million-dollar boost for its LAist Studios division.
LAist Studios is SCPR’s podcast development and production arm. The money is a two-year grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to advance the growth of the division and its “mission of addressing the content needs of young and underserved audiences.”
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LAist Studios launched in 2019 and aims to “go beyond the surface to reflect the rich cultural landscape of Los Angeles and embrace the diverse voices of the region’s community.” Its shows include “The Big One,” “Servant of Pod,” “Hollywood, the Sequel,” “California City,” “California Love,” and “Norco ’80.”
SCPR noted that “California Love” made Apple’s Favorite Podcasts of 2020 list, and Spotify named it one of the Top Podcasts of 2020. “California Love” has also garnered several awards from Adweek and Bello Collective.
CPB and SCPR said Latino audiences make up nearly half of the Southern California region. “The funding will support staffing and help LAist Studios empower up-and-coming content creators by giving them the tools to develop shows and engage diverse young audiences,” according to a press release.
The announcement was made by CPB Senior Vice President, Radio, Journalism and CSG Services Kathy Merritt and SCPR Chief Content Officer Kristen Muller.