BOULDER, Colo.—Public Media Co. has launched an initiative funded by a $1.5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to help local public media organizations better understand and meet their communities’ information needs.

“We are pleased to support Public Media Company’s local news initiative,” said Marc Lavallee, director of technology product and strategy/journalism at the foundation. “The initiative will enable local leaders to bolster the local news that is so essential to their communities.”

The initiative is intended to support the growth of newsrooms and expand local coverage at public media groups throughout the country. Public Media Co. is working with several partners on the project to provide insights and support to assist local outlets in expanding news coverage and better connect with their communities, it said.

The grant is aimed at helping local public and independent media outlets, supporters and funders make informed decisions and to access assistance to strengthen local news ecosystems, it said.

“Public media is an important solution to the crisis in local news,” Public Media Co. CEO Tim Isgitt said. “Local public media organizations have earned the trust of their communities over decades and collectively reach 99% of the country. This initiative comes at a critical moment for ensuring communities continue to have access to essential local news and information.”

Public Media Co. managing director Stephen Holmes will lead the project with assistance from research, industry and funding partners. Findings will be made public, it said.

More information is available on the Public Media Co. website.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF) has announced that the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has provided a $250,000 grant for the organization’s broadcast industry recruitment efforts. 

The grant from the Knight Foundation will enable NABLF to bolster its collegiate programs, provide more internships, increase diversity in the broadcast industry and conduct research to advance the broadcast industry’s career development initiatives.

A portion of the grant will fund internships for students currently participating in NABLF's Media Sales Academy (MSA) and Technology Apprenticeship Program (TAP). 

The goal of MSA is to bring entry-level sales talent to the broadcast industry by providing college students with the tools, resources and connections needed to launch a media career and stay ahead of the competition. 

TAP students receive technical education to prepare them for entry-level engineering and IT roles in broadcasting. Graduates of the program receive membership and Certified Broadcast Technologist (CBT) certification from the Society of Broadcast Engineers, along with AWS Cloud Practitioner training and certification

“We are grateful for the Knight Foundation’s generous support, which will allow the foundation to expand our industry recruitment efforts and provide more opportunities for the next generation of broadcasters,” said Michelle Duke, president of the NAB Leadership Foundation. “Their investment gives students in the Media Sales Academy and Technology Apprentice Program the chance to engage in real world application through paid internships and will prepare them for their future careers.”

“Knight Foundation is proud to support NABLF’s programs for diversifying the broadcasting industry,” added Duc Luu, director of journalism at the Knight Foundation. “Broadcasters have a tremendous opportunity to inform and engage their communities if they reflect the true breadth of the audiences they serve. The students that will go through these programs will have unique opportunities to learn about the possibilities and challenges of rewarding careers in broadcasting, and that is due to the hard work and strategies that NABLF has put in place.”

All of NABLF’s educational programs are made possible by contributions from sponsors and donors. The Future Leaders Fund enables the Foundation to expand these programs for more participants and offer resources for students and young professionals who want to pursue careers in broadcasting.

WASHINGTON—NAB tech innovation initiative PILOT has begun accepting submissions for its third annual PILOT Innovation Challenge, which recognizes creative ideas leveraging technological advancements in the production, distribution and display of content. Winners receive support for development of their ideas.

“The PILOT Innovation Challenge continues to foster ideas that accelerate local news innovation in the digital age,” said PILOT Executive Director John Clark. “We look forward to again providing an opportunity to not only drive industry innovation but also connect consumers with broadcast media in new ways.”

The challenge question for this year’s competition is: “What is an innovative way broadcasters and other local media could serve communities?”

Original ideas must be submitted to the special Pilot webpage set up for the challenge by Oct. 19. Information and judging criteria are available online as well.

A panel of experts from the broadcast, venture capital, media and tech industries will serve as judges. By the end of November, 12 semifinalists will be selected. A smaller panel of judges will select the top six finalists. Winners will be chosen by participants at the NAB Futures conference, Jan. 27-29, 2019, in Seattle.

The top cash prize is $30,000; second place is $25,000; third $20,000. The remaining finalists will receive $15,000 each. The cash prizes are supported in part from a Knight Foundation grant.

Besides cash prizes, the winners will receive mentorship, access to key broadcast executives and exposure at industry gatherings, such as the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6-11.