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Washington, D.C. — The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) commemorates Black History Month with investments in public media content that explores the history and culture of African Americans.

“We are very proud to have supported the public media content that will be featured during Black History Month,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “At CPB, we are committed to investing in diverse programming and producers throughout the year to better serve un-served and underserved audiences and ensure public media — on-air and online and in the community — connects with all Americans.”

CPB provided funding for three new documentaries — Slavery by Another Name, Underground Railroad: The William Still Story, and More Than a Month — that will premiere this month. These films each received a grant from the CPB/PBS Diversity and Innovation (D&I) Fund, which was established to promote content creation by a wide-ranging group of producers and encourage the use of emerging technologies to reach new audiences.

Underground Railroad: The William Still Story premieres Feb. 6 and tells the story of William Still — abolitionist, historian and the first generation of his family born free. Still was determined to get as many runaways as he could across the U.S. border to Canada. He took great risks to keep detailed records of individuals’ stories, which were eventually compiled into a book that is recognized as the most authentic account of the inner workings of the Underground Railroad and the plights of those who used it. The film is a production of 90th Parallel Productions Ltd., in association with Rogers Broadcasting Limited and WNED–TV Buffalo/Toronto.

“William Still is a true American hero who — until now — has not had the tribute he deserves,” said Donald K. Boswell, president and CEO of program co-producer WNED Buffalo/Toronto. “CPB’s investment in this project has helped bring to light Still’s valiant efforts for his fellow man’s freedom and share his legacy with the nation.”

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Wall Street Journal Senior National Correspondent and Editor-at-Large Douglas A. Blackmon, Slavery by Another Name, premiering Feb. 13, tells a harrowing story of how in the South, even as chattel slavery came to an end, a new system of involuntary servitude took its place — ultimately circumscribing the lives of hundreds of thousands of African Americans well into the 20th century.

Sam Pollard (Eyes on the Prize, The Blues, When the Levees Broke), the film’s producer, said “the film demonstrates CPB's longstanding commitment to diversity in programming and would not have been possible without the crucial support from the CPB/PBS Diversity and Innovation Fund.”

Slavery by Another Name is a production of tpt National Productions, in association with Two Dollars & A Dream.

Shukree Hassan Tilghman, an African American filmmaker, takes a modern-day look at Black History Month in his film, More Than a Month. Tilghman embarks on a cross-country campaign to end Black History Month; as part of his journey, he investigates what the treatment of history tells us about race and equality in a “post-racial” America.

More Than a Month, which premieres Feb. 16, is part of ITVS’s Independent Lens Black History Month programming that also includes Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock and The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975.

Tilghman acknowledged the importance of public media funding, saying “CPB recognizes that public media’s audiences are changing and, through their investments in projects like More Than a Month — a film that brings issues of celebrating racial heritage to the forefront – they are helping to introduce new and diverse audiences to important educational, cultural and informational programming that isn’t available anywhere else.”

CPB also provided funding for The Interrupters and In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues, both of which will premiere this month.

A FRONTLINE and ITVS co-production, The Interrupters chronicles the efforts of Chicago's innovative CeaseFire initiative to “interrupt” gang shootings and quell urban violence. Critics have described the film, from acclaimed director Steve James and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz, as “riveting,” “powerful” and “necessary.” The documentary airs on Feb. 14.

In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues will celebrate Blues music with performances by some of today’s top artists. President and Mrs. Obama will host the concert, taped in the East Room of the White House, airing on Feb. 27. The special will also explore the roots of the Blues and pay homage to famous Blues musicians — from John Lee Hooker to Muddy Waters.

“This concert at the White House celebrates the musical contributions that the Blues have made to our culture. Through public media, all Americans are able to explore and experience this unique part of our American heritage,” said Harrison.

In addition to these premieres, an encore presentation of Freedom Riders: American Experience will air Feb. 7. Freedom Riders, from acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Nelson, tells the story of a group of civil rights activists who risked their lives to challenge segregation in the South in 1961.

Public radio stations around the country will air State of the Re:Union’s “Who Is this Man?” which chronicles the life and influence of Bayard Rustin – a black, gay Quaker, who advocated for peace and non-violence during America’s Civil Rights movement.

The importance of Black History Month also extends online. The second game in the Mission US series, “Flight to Freedom,” was released last month to support educational activities connected to Black History Month.

Produced by THIRTEEN/WNET and funded by CPB, “Flight to Freedom,” a state-of-the-art, interactive game, introduces middle school students to the experiences of Lucy King, a 14-year-old runaway slave trying to secure her freedom. As students play “Flight to Freedom,” they build knowledge of the history of slavery and the abolitionist movement.

“Flight to Freedom” was developed in consultation with a team of historians and educators at the American Social History Project (ASHP)/Center for Media & Learning as well as Ira Berlin, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland; Nikki Taylor, a historian at the University of Cincinnati and the National Underground Railroad Center; and Christopher Moore, a public historian and researcher at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. The Mission US series was developed to engage middle school students in American history by seeing it through the eyes of their peers from the past.

CPB also invests in television programming, such as American Masters, Independent Lens, PBS NEWSHOUR, FRONTLINE, POV, Tavis Smiley, and Finding Your Roots with Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (premiering March 25), as well as well as radio content that airs throughout the year and is aimed at reaching diverse audiences across the country.
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=937 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=937 January 31, 2012

The CPB Board of Directors will meet telephonically on Tuesday, February 7, 2012, 12:00 – 2:00pm ET. On the draft agenda:

• Approval of Public Session Minutes


• President’s Report to the Board


• Committee Chair Reports


• Legislative Update


• Discussion about Report to Congress


• Board Meeting Dates and Locations


• Affirmative Action Plan


• Report on New Commendation Award for Station Service to Community


• Approval of Executive Session Minutes (executive session)


• Update on Contractual Matter (executive session)

With the exception of the executive session, the public may attend and observe this meeting in the Blair/Killian Board Room of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=935 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=935 January 19, 2012

Washington, D.C. – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) today announced funding for PBS NEWSHOUR to support NEWSHOUR Open Election 2012, a public media initiative that will enhance the program’s election coverage and better inform diverse audiences about important election issues.

Through a $420,000 grant from CPB, NEWSHOUR Open Election 2012 is utilizing crowd-sourcing technologies developed by the Participatory Culture Foundation (PCF) and Mozilla to enable citizen volunteers to translate and caption 2012 election coverage into dozens of languages, as well as for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. These technologies will make election news, speeches and debates more accessible for diverse audiences, helping to increase their understanding of, and engagement in, the political process.

“Americans across the country depend on public media to provide trusted information and news, which is especially important during an election year,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “Guided by our strategic platform, known as the Three D’s – digital, diversity and dialogue – we are investing in new technologies that will expand the reach of public media journalism and connect our content to all Americans so they may become more engaged in our civil society.”

NEWSHOUR Open Election 2012 builds on PBS NEWSHOUR’s reputation as one of the most trusted news programs on television and its commitment to better serve audiences through a more engaging web and social media presence.

PBS NEWSHOUR will launch the translation and captioning project during President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address on Jan. 24.

"From Chinese to Dutch, the speech translation is a true service to those for whom English is a second language and for those who are hard of hearing," explained Hari Sreenivasan, correspondent and director of Digital Partnerships for PBS NEWSHOUR. "This technology will make the candidates’ words accessible to several billion readers."

Two prior tests of the captioning technology proved highly successful. The first was a translation of the 2011 State of the Union Address, which was fully converted via open-sourced captions into seven languages and partially translated into 16 more. The second was a translation of events following the death of Osama bin Laden, which was interpreted in 15 languages.

PBS NEWSHOUR’s partners, Mozilla and PCF, are providing the innovative technology and expertise that make this project possible.

PCF’s technology, known as Universal Subtitles, enables PBS NEWSHOUR video content to be captioned into any language through crowd-sourcing.

"Universal Subtitles will let volunteers join the PBS NEWSHOUR community, find videos that need translation into languages they speak, and review and edit each other's work. It lets the audience play an active role in bringing the show to people who wouldn't be able to watch without translation,” said Nicholas Reville, co-founder and executive director of PCF. “Subtitling is one of the rare online volunteering activities that is actually extremely helpful to the organization. We are going to be engaging the PBS NEWSHOUR audience around the election in ways that have never happened before."

As the election cycle continues throughout the year, a new tool from Mozilla, Mozilla Popcorn, will enable users to enhance PBS NEWSHOUR’s online footage by embedding interactive information – news feeds, details about a location, person or topic, or social media feeds – and adding personal commentary, notes or reference sources directly into online videos. Called "the future of online video" by Fast Company, Popcorn will provide viewers with new ways to gain context about, participate in and engage with the news. This technology will help NEWSHOUR create a more interactive and informative experience for its viewers around the election.
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=933 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=933 January 12, 2012


The Audit and Finance Committee of the CPB Board of Directors will meet telephonically on Thursday, January 26, 2012, 1:00 – 3:00pm ET. On the draft agenda:

• Approval of Minutes

• FY 2011 Audited Financial Statements - Report from External Auditors

• Review of Financial and Investment Reports

• Update on CPB Retirement Plan Investment Policies

• Update on Office of the Inspector General Station Survey Findings

• Approval of Executive Session Minutes (executive session)

• Review of Program Reports (executive session)

• Discuss OIG Audit Plan (executive session)

• Future Agenda Items

With the exception of the executive session, the public may attend and observe these meetings in the Blair/Killian Board Room of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=931 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=931 January 3, 2012

Washington, D.C. (Jan. 3, 2012) - The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) today highlighted its investments in upcoming public media series and specials that will be presented at the Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter 2012 Press Tour, January 4-5, 2012 in Los Angeles.

“The mission of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is to serve the American people through free, non-commercial, quality content that educates, inspires, informs and engages in ways that strengthen our civil society,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “American public media is one of the best examples of a public-private partnership and a trusted source of information on-air, online and in the community for all citizens.”

CPB’s investments have resulted in ensuring American children will continue to have a safe and proven effective place to learn through commercial-free programming, and citizens of all ages will have free access to the best history, science, nature and public affairs programming not duplicated anywhere on commercial television. At a time when the economy has impacted every American family, the service provided by public broadcasting, available for free to all Americans, is more important than ever.

Specifically, CPB investments supported the development and production of new programming for 2012 including: "The Dust Bowl," "Slavery by Another Name" and "Finding Your Roots." It also supported the acquisition of “The Interrupters,” which will air on FRONTLINE, and the development of specials on signature series including Nova (“Hunting the Elements”) and Nature (“Cracking the Koala Code”). In addition, CPB supported the expansion of online educational content through PBS KIDS GO! – making sure that succeeding generations of children, regardless of their background or means, will continue to have a safe place to learn, free of commercial strings, quality compromises and editorial influence.

In "The Dust Bowl," Ken Burns will present the oral histories of Americans who lived through our nation’s greatest ecological disaster, which coincided, in part, with America’s greatest economic collapse. "The Dust Bowl" is the story of Americans who clung to their homes and way of life for almost a decade as they endured devastating wind and dust storms that brought drought, disease and death. It is also the story of Americans who left behind everything they had and headed west in search of work and a better life. Above all, it is a quintessentially American tale of stamina, resilience and hope – both false and real – and of the unbeatable spirit of plain folk who made their way through hard times.

“'The Dust Bowl' would not have been possible without the support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,” said Burns. “Public funding, available through CPB, has given us the creativity and editorial independence to document and connect with our common heritage and tell American stories such as 'The Civil War,' 'Baseball,' 'Prohibition' and now 'The Dust Bowl'.”

"Slavery by Another Name" brings Douglas Blackmon’s important book to television. It presents a story few Americans today are aware of: how slavery continued in the United States for decades after it was supposedly abolished through the use of convict labor on farms, in factories and in mines, as well as through onerous labor contracts that prevented blacks from leaving without written permission from their employers – and how, taken together, it helped to prevent blacks from advancing in American society.

Sam Pollard, who produced "Slavery by Another Name," noted that “the film is the latest example of CPB's longstanding commitment to diversity in programming and would not have been possible without the crucial support from the CPB/PBS Diversity and Innovation Fund.”

In his 10-part series, "Finding Your Roots," Dr. Henry Louis Gates examines the genealogy of famous Americans and explores how global migration has impacted the genetic and ethnic composition of America. “By the end of the series,” Harrison said, “viewers will witness scientific history and once again come together in the realization that, despite our apparent differences, we are all descended from the same trunk of the family tree.”

“Nothing has been more important to the recent development of excellent and stunningly diverse programming on public television than CPB's creative use of its funding to encourage emerging talent and to sustain the work of more mature film makers,” said Dr. Gates. “It is only because of CPB's commitment to our three previous series on genealogy and genetics, and now to our weekly prime time series, 'Finding Your Roots,' that these documentaries could ever have been made in the first place, encouraging millions of Americans both to trace their own roots and to understand, inevitably, how deeply connected we Americans all are."

From acclaimed director Steve James and bestselling author Alex Kotlowitz, “The Interrupters" documents the efforts of Chicago's innovative CeaseFire initiative to quell urban violence. A FRONTLINE and ITVS co-production, the film focuses on the efforts of three former gang members to resolve conflict and keep kids in their community from making the same mistakes as they did. Critics have described “The Interrupters” as “riveting,” “powerful” and “necessary.”

“CPB has been a great partner,” said David Fanning, executive producer of FRONTLINE. “By supporting the development of new programming, with shorter investigative projects and quick-turnaround news specials, FRONTLINE has been able to expand its range of subjects, and provide a year-round schedule for public television. The new formats have encouraged partnerships with non-profit journalism entities and co-productions with public radio. In addition, we’ve been pleased to join forces with CPB in funding important long-term documentary projects like “The Interrupters,” which will have its broadcast premiere on FRONTLINE this February.”

In 2012, CPB will build on its initial $14 million investment in PBS KIDS GO! with an additional $4 million investment that will allow PBS to expand its educational activities to older children, ages 6-9. An enhanced website will serve as one of the primary multi-media tools, along with children’s television content, that teaches kids basic literacy and math skills. The PBS KIDS GO! experience will be completely customizable, allowing students to rearrange the site according to their own interests and tailor games and activities to their individual skill level to make learning more engaging and relevant.

“For decades, American kids from all walks of life have been educated by the quality children’s programming available for free only on non-commercial public television,” said media executive Bill Stephney. “CPB’s support for this content has been crucial, and their support for PBS KIDS GO! today is just as important, as kids and parents use new ways to access and interact with public media’s educational resources.”
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=929 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=929 December 6, 2011

Washington, D.C. (Dec. 6, 2011) – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has awarded a $1.8 million grant to Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) to launch the One Nation Media Project, a journalism initiative that enhances public broadcasting’s service to multi-ethnic communities in greater Los Angeles.

CPB’s investment will help SCPR expand its locally produced, mid-day programming, including the development of a new two-hour news magazine program that will provide a significant forum to discuss topics of importance and interest within southern California’s diverse communities.

Additionally, the grant will enable SCPR to launch three distinct online channels, each hosted by a dedicated digital journalist. The channels will generate in-depth digital news coverage focused on key areas of interest: emerging communities, public education, and criminal justice.

“At CPB, we are committed to investing in the Three D’s – digital, diversity and dialogue – to ensure we are utilizing technology to match our mission, to serve underserved and unserved audiences and to engage and address the needs and interests of communities throughout the country,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “We are very proud to support the One Nation Media Project, which will expand public media service to the diverse communities of Southern California.”

“CPB’s commitment to finding new and innovative ways to serve new audiences makes them an ideal partner for the One Nation project,” said Bill Davis, president of Southern California Public Radio. “Los Angeles is one of the most diverse metropolitan areas in the world, and the One Nation Media Project is simply the most recent and ambitious effort on our part to expand the audience for public service media—in Southern California and across the country.”

Reporting from the One Nation Media Project will be integrated into SCPR’s news broadcasts and made available online and through mobile platforms.

The initiative will also include live events – town halls, panel discussions and listening parties – that will bring together the city’s distinct and vibrant cultures to explore and debate issues that have a direct impact on quality of life in the region. The first of these events, “All in the Familia: L.A. Latino Business in the 21st Century,” will be held this evening and will focus on how Latino “mom and pop” business are changing as educated and savvy latter generations are joining their parents to innovate and expand little shops into larger-scale enterprises.

“The One Nation Media Project is a forward-thinking initiative that recognizes the needs of English-speaking Latinos and other multi-ethnic groups in Los Angeles. It also provides a broader public media audience with access to the most important and interesting issues within these diverse communities,” said Joseph Tovares, senior vice president of Diversity and Innovation at CPB.

About Southern California Public Radio
Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) is a member-supported public media network that operates 89.3 KPCC-FM in Los Angeles and Orange County, 89.1 KUOR-FM in the Inland Empire and 90.3 KPCV in the Coachella Valley. Reaching more than a 600,000 listeners every week, SCPR is the most listened-to public radio news service of any kind in Southern California. In addition to radio broadcasting, SCPR also operates kpcc.org and the Crawford Family Forum. As a multi-platform public media service, SCPR serves the diverse communities of Southern California with award winning local news coverage as well as the most NPR (National Public Radio) content available in the region. SCPR’s flagship station, KPCC, has garnered over 220 journalistic honors, more than any other radio news organization in the region. On the air and on the web, SCPR produces two daily weekday shows, Airtalk with Larry Mantle and the Patt Morrison show along with the local weekend show, Offramp with John Rabe. SCPR features signature public radio programs from American Public Media, the BBC and PRI (Public Radio International). Listeners around the globe can access news, join blogs, download podcasts, as well as hear a live web stream at www.scpr.org.
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=927 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=927 December 2, 2011

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is proud to announce that the documentary, Slavery by Another Name, has been selected to be screened at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The film is one of only 16 documentaries chosen from thousands of entries to be shown in competition as part of the U.S. Documentary category.

Slavery by Another Name tells a harrowing story of how in the South, even as chattel slavery came to an end, a new system of involuntary servitude took its place – ultimately circumscribing the lives of hundreds of thousands of African Americans well into the 20th century.

The production was funded through the CPB/PBS Diversity and Innovation (D & I) Fund, which promotes content creation by a wide-ranging group of producers and encourages the use of emerging technologies to reach new audiences. Earlier this year, seven public media documentaries funded through the CPB/PBS D & I Fund, were nominated for Emmy awards; one of the films, Freedom Riders, won three Primetime Emmys.

“Three years ago, CPB made a commitment to invest in the Three D’s – diversity, digital and dialogue. Since that time, we created the Diversity & Innovation Fund to ensure we would be able to utilize technology to match our mission, to serve underserved and unserved audiences and to engage talent and producers from a wide pool of diverse backgrounds,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “We are very proud to have funded Sam Pollard’s Slavery by Another Name, which tells an important and overlooked story in our country’s history.”

Developed by Twin Cities Public Television (tpt), the film is based upon the 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by Wall Street Journal Senior National Correspondent and editor at large Douglas A. Blackmon.

In addition to the 90-minute television documentary, produced and directed by Sam Pollard (Eyes on the Prize, The Blues, When the Levees Broke), the project also features multi-platform components, including an online engagement campaign, education and community engagement, and a Minority Producer Fellowship.

The Sundance Film Festival will take place January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.

About Twin Cities Public Television (tpt):
Slavery by Another Name is produced by tpt National Productions, a division of Twin Cities Public Television (tpt), the PBS affiliate for Minneapolis/St. Paul. tpt National Productions is among the primary content producers for the public television system. In addition to crafting award-winning series, documentaries and specials, tpt National Productions amplifies its reach and impact through innovative websites, educational outreach programs and community engagement initiatives. tpt productions include national Primetime Emmy Award winners Benjamin Franklin and The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s; Writer’s Guild Nominees Alexander Hamilton and Dolley Madison; and Peabody winner Depression: Out of the Shadows.

Major funding for Slavery by Another Name is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and The Coca-Cola Company. Additional funding is provided by KeyBank Foundation and Merck; and by the Omicron Member Boulé of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Minneapolis; the General Mills Foundation; and Frances Wilkinson.

# # #
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=925 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=925 November 18, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) yesterday presented Representative Earl Blumenauer with the Ralph Lowell Award, the most prestigious public media award honoring an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to public television.

Blumenauer was recognized for his dedication to strengthening public media and supporting the continued growth of public broadcasting stations around the country.

He is one of the founding members of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, formed in 2001, which has been committed to a strong and financially secure universal, educational, noncommercial broadcasting service for every American citizen.

Blumenauer also works closely with public media national organizations and stations, both in his home state of Oregon and around the country, to support and enhance the content and services they provide to their local communities.

“Rep. Blumenauer is dedicated in his support of public media,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “He understands the value delivered to every American citizen through public service media, on air, online and in the community, and the important role that each public television and radio station – locally-owned and -operated – plays in strengthening our civil society.”

“During his tenure in Congress, Rep. Blumenauer has worked to strengthen the service public media provides to our country and ensure every American has access to free and trusted content that educates, informs and enriches our society” said Elizabeth Sembler, member of the CPB board of directors. “On behalf of the entire public media system – including the more than 1,300 local public television and radio stations that serve communities across the country – CPB is very pleased to present Rep. Blumenauer with the Lowell Award.”

“Earl Blumenauer is without equal in his passionate support for public broadcasting and the work it does to benefit the lives of so many, not just in Oregon, but all across the nation,” said Steve Bass, president and CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting.

“Every month, more than 170 million Americans turn to their local public broadcasting stations for free, high-quality programs that focus on the issues most important to them – what’s happening in their communities,” said Rep. Blumenauer. “Not only do our public broadcasting stations provide us with valuable information, but they also directly support 21,000 jobs in hundreds of communities across America. Americans rank investment in public broadcasting second only to funding for our troops as the best use of taxpayer dollars, and public broadcasting remains the most trusted institution in news. I am honored to receive this award and will continue to fight for the future of this treasured institution in American media.”



(left to right) Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN); Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB; Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY); Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR); Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY), Elizabeth Sembler, CPB board member; Steve Bass, president and CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Blumenauer received his award at a ceremony held last evening in Washington, D.C.

A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) has devoted his entire career to public service.

He was elected to the Oregon Legislature in 1972, where he served three terms and chaired the House Education and Revenue Committee in 1977-78. In 1978, he was elected to the Multnomah County Commission, where he served for eight years before being elected to the Portland City Council in 1986.

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, Blumenauer served on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Foreign Affairs Committees, and as vice-chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming from 2007 to 2010. He is currently a member of the Ways and Means and Budget Committees.

Congressman Blumenauer earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Lewis and Clark College in Portland.

The Ralph Lowell Award, named after the late Boston philanthropist and banker, was created by the Lowell family in 1970 to commemorate the pioneer public broadcaster’s 80th birthday. Lowell was a founder of the WGBH Educational Foundation, licensee of WGBH-TV, Boston, serving as its first president from 1951 until he became chairman in the mid-1970s. He was instrumental in the formation of the Carnegie Commission on Educational Television, which led to the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 and the establishment of CPB. Lowell was chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Educational Television and Radio Center during its formative years.

Click here for a list of past Lowell Award recipients. http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=924 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=924 November 7, 2011

Washington, D.C. (Nov. 7, 2011) – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and PBS recently announced that 11 public television stations will serve as demonstration sites to test math and literacy content developed through the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready To Learn grant.

Working in partnership, CPB and PBS are leading a Ready To Learn-funded initiative, Expanded Learning Through Transmedia Content, to develop content across platforms -- including video, online games, mobile apps, and off-line activities -- that builds an educational experience for kids using their favorite PBS KIDS characters.

Through funding from the U.S. Department of Education and CPB, 11 public media stations (complete list below) were selected as demonstration sites. Throughout the coming year, these vital community organizations will work with children and their families, caregivers and educators in school, after school and at home to test the effectiveness of the new content in helping young children develop early math and literacy skills.

“Over the last four decades, public media has been a key contributor to our country’s ongoing effort to ensure that children from all backgrounds have an opportunity to achieve in school,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. “This latest Ready To Learn Initiative builds on public media’s history in education and on our local community engagement to help families and teachers give our earliest learners a stronger foundation in math and literacy.”

“Public broadcasting was created in order to use the power of media for education, and we continue to find new ways to fulfill that original mission” said Paula Kerger, president of PBS. “We’re building on our experience to help children and families learn vital math and literacy skills. It’s just one more way PBS and our member stations serve as America’s largest classroom, offering resources to families, educators and caregivers that aren’t available anywhere else.”

Based on a curriculum framework, the content developed through this project is designed to leverage leading-edge technologies to improve math and literacy skills in children ages 2-8, particularly those from low income families, through resources for kids, parents and teachers. So far, more than 45 new interactive games have launched as part of this initiative, and a variety of new content is planned for the near future, including bilingual resources and tracking of children’s educational progress.

The demonstration stations will:

• Introduce Ready To Learn Initiative content for use in homes, schools, after-school programs, summer programs, and libraries;
• Train caregivers and educators on the use of Ready To Learn Initiative content through face-to-face training and statewide webinars and conferences; and
• Create community awareness campaigns and utilize innovative digital strategies to disseminate Ready To Learn Initiative content.

Results of the initiative will provide a better understanding of how technology and public media platforms can work together to advance children’s learning.

As part of this initiative, CPB and PBS are partnering with The Collaborative for Building After-School Systems, National Summer Learning Association, Chicago Public Schools Virtual Pre-K/K Program, and Boston University’s School of Education.

Expanded Learning Through Transmedia Content is part of a five-year Ready To Learn grant awarded to CPB and PBS in 2010 to focus on math concepts, continue early literacy projects and develop innovative new teaching tools. CPB and PBS were the recipients of a previous five-year Ready To Learn grant in 2005 to develop children’s programming with an emphasis on early literacy skills. Research and findings conducted on the content created under this grant is available here.

Demonstration Sites

Market(s)	Station
Detroit, MI	Detroit Public Television
Storm Lake/Waterloo, IA	Iowa Public Television
Coconino/Phoenix, AZ	Eight, Arizona PBS
Tacoma, WA	KBTC
Baltimore, MD	Maryland Public Television
Flathead Reservation, MT	Montana PBS
Las Vegas, NV	Vegas PBS
Freeport/Jasper/Tallahassee, FL	WFSU
Springfield, MA	WGBY
New York, NY	Thirteen/WNET
Cleveland, OH	WVIZ/PBS ideastream

http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=922 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=922 October 31, 2011

The CPB Board of Directors will meet on

Monday, November 7 from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm and

Tuesday, November 8 from 9:30 am – 10:00am.

On the draft agenda:

Day One (November 7):

• Committee Chair Reports

• Review Proposed Revisions to Committee Charters

• Personnel and Compensation Matters (executive session)

• Update on American Graduate

• Update from NCME

• Update from Harvest Local Journalism Center

• Update on the Editorial Integrity Project’s Transparency Initiatives


Day Two (November 8):

• Discussion of 2012 Meeting Dates

• Future Agenda Items

With the exception of the executive session, the public may attend and observe this meeting in the Plaza Room of the Ritz Carton Hotel, 100 Carondelet Plaza, St. Louis, Missouri. http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=920 http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=920