CPB Grant Helps 7 Illinois Public Broadcasters To Launch Collaborative News Effort

Grant

The CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING has granted $715,000 to seven ILLINOIS public radio and TV stations to launch a news consortium, the ILLINOIS NEWSROOM.  The operation will be headed by ILLINOIS PUBLIC MEDIA at the UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, which operates News-Talk WILL-A, Classical-News-Talk WILL-F, and PBS affiliate WILL-TV/URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, and will include ILLINOIS VALLEY PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP. PBS affiliate WTVP (TV)/PEORIA; UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD News-Talk-Variety WUIS/SPRINGFIELD; SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY News-Talk-Classical WSIU and PBS affiliate WSIU-TV/CARBONDALE; WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY News-Talk WIUM (TRI STATES PUBLIC RADIO)/MACOMB; AUGUSTANA COLLEGE News-Talk-Classical WVIK (AUGUSTANA PUBLIC RADIO)/ROCK ISLAND (QUAD CITIES); and EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY PBS affiliate WEIU-TV/CHARLESTON, IL.  The group will work with the MIDWEST CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING and the UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS' BRANT HOUSTON to produce journalism for their stations and for national programs on PBS and NPR.

“CPB is pleased to support this historic journalism partnership among ILLINOIS public media stations,” said CPB SVP of Journalism and Radio BRUCE THERIAULT. “Collaboration is a multiplier and a game-changer. By working together, these stations can ensure that important stories from across Illinois are told locally, regionally -- and nationally.”

“This downstate regional journalism collaboration will serve as the source for stories, programs and news that reflect our sense of place as well as contribute to the growing number of local programs airing on national platforms,” said WILL and WTVP CEO MOSS BRESNAHAN. “I believe we will generate multiplatform content that will be relevant to audiences across the country and will be heard by them, too. We want to be Illinois’ recognized leader in telling the stories that matter.”

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