(INDIANAPOLIS) – WFIU Public Radio, WTIU Public Television, and the seven other Indiana Public Broadcasting stations that make up IPB News will soon be expanding their statewide news coverage. More than $1.7 million in grant funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will allow the independent, nonprofit newsroom to grow and sustain its coverage for years to come.
With recently awarded grants of $1,373,607 from Lilly Endowment Inc. and $364,304 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), IPB News, which includes six radio stations and three dual radio/TV licensees, will soon be able to expand its coverage in a variety of areas, including workforce development and immigration.
“This is a tremendous endorsement of the power of public media,” WFIU-WTIU General Manager Perry Metz
said. “We’ve come a long way since a shared Statehouse reporter was hired more than a dozen years ago. Lilly
Endowment and the CPB recognize the impact our coverage has on communities all over Indiana, and we’re
grateful for their support to take it to the next level.”
That next level will include new beat reporters, a full-time managing editor and a dedicated video journalist. It will also include a daily, statewide radio talk show tackling the issues of the day and answering questions from listeners.
“This kind of support puts us on a tremendous path for years to come,” Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations (IPBS) Executive Director Mark Newman said. “Surveys continue to show public broadcasters to be among the most trusted news sources available, and we take that seriously. This expansion allows us to dig even deeper on issues Hoosiers care about.”
News gathering and reporting will continue to ramp up over the next several months, and the launch of the new talk show is targeted for the end of the summer. In the meantime, IPB News will continue to deliver spot- and feature-length content that resonates with audiences all over Indiana.
For more information on IPBS and its member stations, visit ipbs.org.
About WFIU
WFIU Public Radio is south central Indiana’s source for news and classical and jazz music, broadcasting from the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington. The station is one of the original 90 charter members of NPR, and currently offers programming from that network and other national and regional program providers. WFIU offers two program services, available in Bloomington at 103.7 FM and 101.9 FM, and online at
About WTIU
WTIU Public Television is licensed through Indiana University. The station has been bringing public media to south-central Indiana since 1969, in part by generous contributions from corporate and individual sponsors.
About IPBS
IPBS is a not-for-profit association of 17 public TV and radio stations which serve the state of Indiana. Together
they provide engaging, educational and informational programming for Indiana citizens. The best of PBS and
NPR combined with award-winning local programs to meet community interests and statewide news are just
some of the services delivered to Hoosier homes and schools by IPBS member stations.
