Corporation for Awards Journalism Grant to Seven Ohio River Public Media Stations

Louisville Public Media to Lead Network Covering , Ohio, West Virginia

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (DATE) —Seven public media stations in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, led by , have been awarded a $445,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to establish an Ohio River regional journalism collaboration.

The Ohio River Network will produce hard-hitting, high-quality multimedia journalism that examines the region’s economy, energy, environment, agriculture, infrastructure, and health. The CPB grant will support the hiring of eight journalists at the seven partner media outlets for two years; with station support continuing in outlying years.

“CPB is pleased to support this historic collaboration among public media stations in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia,” said Bruce Theriault, CPB senior vice president, journalism and radio. “By working together, these stations can ensure that important stories from this underreported area are told locally, regionally, and nationally. The sum is indeed greater than the parts.”

Louisville Public Media will lead the news operation and house the project’s managing editor and data journalist. Partner radio and television stations are WEKU in Richmond and Lexington, Ky. (radio), WKU in Bowling Green, Ky. (radio and TV), WMMT/Appalshop in Whitesburg, Ky. (radio and multimedia), WKMS in Murray, Ky. (radio), West Virginia Public Broadcasting (radio and TV), and WOUB in Athens, Ohio (radio and TV).

“I am convinced that collaborations such as this are the future of journalism,” said Donovan Reynolds, president and general manager, Louisville Public Media. “Working together, we can produce and sustain the quality journalism that is required to identify the serious issues we have in common and the opportunities to build a better future for everyone in our region.”

WOUB Director and General Manager Tom Hodson adds, “This is an opportunity to hear stories from the area that are not being told. This region continues to go through a radical transformation and it deserves the in-depth coverage this partnership offers.”

The group will produce journalism for partner stations and collaborate with national programs, including PBS NewsHour, Frontline, Marketplace, Morning Edition, and All Things Considered, and other public media outlets such as WFPL’s Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. The collaboration will produce daily reporting, investigations, long-form narrative pieces, and documentaries.

About the Corporation for Public Broadcasting The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), 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 1,400 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services.

About Louisville Public Media Louisville Public Media (LPM) is a not-for-profit, member-supported corporation serving our community with three distinct public radio stations and an investigative unit: WFPL 89.3 FM provides local, national and international news, public affairs and cultural programming; Classical 90.5 WUOL is our city’s only classical music and fine arts radio station; 91.9 WFPK showcases independent, alternative music and an array of musical genres; and WFPL’s Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting (KyCIR) shines the light of accountability on the people and institutions in power.

About WOUB Public Media The WOUB Center for Public Media, a unit of the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University, operates six television services --WOUB HD, Athens, 20.1; WOUB Classic 20.2; WOUB MHz World 20.3; WOUC HD, Cambridge, 44.1; WOUC Unlimited; WOUC World, 44.3 -- cable channel WOUB II, and six radio stations --WOUB 1340 AM, WOUB 91.3 FM, WOUC 89.1 FM, WOUH 91.9 FM, WOUL 89.1 FM, and WOUZ 90.1 FM. The Center, a trusted community resource, uses the power of non-commercial television, radio, other media, and related technologies to enrich the lives of children and adults in southeastern Ohio, western West Virginia, and north eastern Kentucky through quality programs and educational services that inform, enlighten, inspire, and entertain.