The WNET Group Stations Selected for Public Media Digital Transformation Program

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Lindsey Horvitz, The WNET Group, 212.560.6609
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The WNET Group Stations Selected for Public Media Digital Transformation Program

THIRTEEN, WLIW and NJ PBS to participate in CPB-funded training to foster digital innovation

(New York, December 6, 2021) - The WNET Group, home to New York's PBS stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21, operator of New Jersey's statewide public television network NJ PBS, and Long Island's only NPR station WLIW-FM, is among 75 public media organizations selected to participate in the Digital Transformation Program, a virtual program developed by the Poynter Institute to educate, assist, and coach public media senior leaders and their staff on the best strategies and tactics to transform their organization's digital operations and culture. The training is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

"The Digital Transformation Program will allow THIRTEEN, WLIW and NJ PBS to make significant strides in evolving into digitally-centric content providers," said Neal Shapiro, President & CEO of The WNET Group. "This transformation will allow us to do the vital work of responding to shifts in audience behaviors and changes in digital business so we can better serve the communities of New York City, Long Island and New Jersey. We are grateful for the support of CPB and the vision of Poynter to help us do this important work."

The program includes online coaching and training to The WNET Group station leaders and staff members, to accelerate their digital transformation efforts.

"CPB's commitment to advancing innovation and diversity continues to be reflected through our strategic investments helping system leaders advance a digital-first, audience-centric approach," said Patricia Harrison, CPB president and CEO. "The program will provide coaching and resources to help stations become more agile and leverage digital content, platforms, and data to grow and engage new and existing public media audiences."

In addition to one-on-one and peer group coaching sessions, the program will include a series of educational webinars, work exercises, and resource materials that span the program curriculum. The program will be delivered to four groups of up to 20 public media leaders and their station's personnel at a time. The groups will have staggered start and end dates over the course of two years, with a new group starting every three months.

"The selected participants are some of the nation's most trusted sources citizens turn to for local news and information," said Poynter President Neil Brown. "Our partnership with CPB will help public media outlets build digital-first strategies that inspire an even greater - and more sustainable - connection to grow with their communities."

The stations selected, from Alaska to Florida, Southern California to Maine, include 40 public radio stations, 16 public television stations and 19 joint licensees. They will join the five National Multicultural Alliance Organizations - Black Public Media, the Center for Asian American Media, Latino Public Broadcasting, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and Vision Maker Media - to form four cohorts of 20 public media leaders, who will participate in the nine-month program. The first cohort will begin training in January.

About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 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 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television, and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for email updates.

About The WNET Group

The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York's THIRTEEN - America's flagship PBS station - WLIW21, THIRTEEN PBSKids, WLIW World and Create; NJ PBS, New Jersey's statewide public television network; Long Island's only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; and newsroom NJ Spotlight News. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group's award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend and Amanpour and Company and trusted local news programs MetroFocus and NJ Spotlight Newswith Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group's award-winning Kids' Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for nearly 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including multiplatform initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us.

About The Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is a global leader in journalism education and a strategy center that stands for uncompromising excellence in journalism, media, and 21st-century public discourse. Poynter faculty teach seminars and workshops at the Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, and at newsrooms, conferences, and organizations around the world. Its e-learning division, News University, offers the world's largest online journalism curriculum, with hundreds of interactive courses and tens of thousands of registered international users. The Institute's website produces 24-hour coverage about media, ethics, technology, and the business of news. Poynter is the home of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, the Pulitzer Prize-winning PolitiFact, the International Fact-Checking Network and MediaWise, a digital information literacy project for young people, first-time voters, and senior citizens. The world's top journalists and media innovators rely on Poynter to learn and teach new generations of reporters, storytellers, media inventors, designers, visual journalists, documentarians, and broadcasters. This work builds public awareness about journalism, media, the First Amendment, and discourse that serves democracy and the public good. Learn more at poynter.org.

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