New nonprofit receives funding for public radio distribution
BPR Tech
A Blue Ridge Public Radio transmitter in Macon County, N.C.
A new independent nonprofit will receive funding through 2030 for distribution of public radio content, CPB announced Friday.
The nonprofit, Public Media Infrastructure, is led by a coalition of public media entities. CPB granted the group $57.9 million over five years to provide the services.
“By awarding this grant to PMI, CPB is placing trust in stations to drive the future of radio content distribution, ensuring that interconnection is not only reliable but also innovative, representative and sustainable,” Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB, said in a press release. “This decision reflects CPB’s commitment to support the entire public media system, especially rural and community stations, and to prepare the system for the future.”
The founding partner organizations are American Public Media Group, the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, New York Public Radio, PRX and the Station Resource Group.
The organization will provide broadcast and digital content distribution across multiple platforms, audience measurement and data analytics, and sponsorship and monetization technology, according to the release.
“PMI will also be responsible for ensuring the continuity and stability of core system-wide infrastructure and operations during this period of transition—including satellite and emergency alert systems—to ensure that stations continue to operate seamlessly and without interruption,” PRX said in a press release.
“As a former chair of the NPR Distribution and Interconnection Committee, I can attest to the central role the Public Radio Satellite System has played for decades,” said LaFontaine Oliver, president and CEO and executive chair of NYPR, in the CPB release. “PMI is committed to working collaboratively with NPR and PRSS to ensure continued service to the public radio system while also innovating and adapting to both the rapid changes in technology and the evolving needs of stations everywhere.”
CPB distributed a request for proposals earlier this year seeking an entity to “manage and govern Radio Broadcast and Digital Content Distribution services for the public radio system.”
