The Corporation for Public Broadcasting awarded more than $1.2 million in grants to four partnerships involving 13 public radio stations.
The grants are part of CPB’s ongoing effort to expand coverage of local, regional and national issues by promoting collaboration among producing stations.
By working together and using the reach, audience and resources of each station, “public media stations create more impact and a greater public service than they could alone,” according to CPB SVP Radio/Journalism Bruce Theriault.
The four partnerships are a mix of FM and TV stations. The Arizona Science Desk, led by KJZZ, Tempe, Ariz., with KUAT, Tucson, Ariz., KWAC, Yuma, Ariz., and KNAU, Flagstaff, Ariz., will focus on underreported areas of science and technology.
Sound Medicine News, is public media’s first system-wide health-focused partnership, led by WFYI, Indianapolis, Ind., and partners WXXI, Rochester, N.Y., and KBIA, Columbia, Mo. The Military Service, In and After the Uniform, with lead station WUNC, Chapel Hill, N.C., and partners KUOW, Seattle, and KPCC, Pasadena, Calif., will explore pressing issues facing U.S. military members, both in service and as they return as veterans.
Lead station WLRN, Miami, and its partners WMFE, Orlando, Fla., and WUSF, Tampa, Fla., form Health Care Innovation, which focuses on how innovation is altering the business of health care and how new technologies are improving patient care and changing the practice of medicine.
Each grant is for a term of two years. Led by an editor and at least one reporter at each participating station, each partnership will create original content — audio, video, text, photos, blogs, maps, interactive elements, databases and other digital content — on a single topic, building expertise and producing in-depth coverage not offered by other media, according to CPB. Working with the national editors at NPR and Public Radio International, reports produced by the partnerships will be included in national news programming.
