Public Radio International® receives $1.6 million to support global health and development reporting, online engagement initiatives

MINNEAPOLIS, May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Public Radio International (PRI) announces that it has received a two-year, $1.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to lead a major initiative to raise awareness, understanding and engagement around critical issues of health and development worldwide. This grant continues the philanthropic partnership between PRI and the Gates Foundation begun in 2004.

Building on the solid base of global health and development content produced by its global news program, "PRI's The World®^" – broadcasting's only program dedicated to transforming the way Americans experience the world -- PRI will use the grant to further extend the reach and impact of coverage around critical issues affecting the world's poorest nations, such as maternal health and infant mortality; water, sanitation and hygiene; vaccines and immunization; infectious and chronic diseases; and food security and nutrition. PRI will generate energy and momentum around issues and topics that can ultimately translate into action and change by enabling people around the world to connect with each other on digital platforms, share their own stories and have those stories be the catalyst for further reporting on "The World."

The grant puts PRI in a strong position to accelerate an ambitious strategic framework designed to extend the power of its radio reporting by building engagement on digital platforms. Through broadcast and online channels that reach nearly 14 million people each week, PRI shares stories that connect people around the globe, facilitates the sharing of these stories by providing web and mobile tools, and moves people to take action to transform themselves and the world. Funding from the Gates Foundation will enable such involvement around topics critical to a vibrant global society. 

"Thanks to a groundbreaking philanthropic partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PRI successfully increased the prominence of global health and development issues in the daily news agenda," said Alisa Miller, PRI's President and CEO. "The continued funding will help us lead a groundbreaking effort to bring under-reported stories to light for millions of people, and through an integrated multi-platform approach, help them understand the impact they can have in the world."

"PRI's quality, in-depth coverage of under-reported stories and under-represented regions is something we really value," said Tom Scott, Director of Global Brand and Innovation at the Gates Foundation. "We are confident in PRI's vision of engaging online communities with this content."

About Public Radio International® 
For over 28 years, Americans have identified PRI as the source of news, information and cultural insights essential to understanding our interconnected world. On almost 900 radio stations across the U.S. and on digital platforms that reach millions around the globe, PRI continues to innovate in sharing powerful stories, connecting people and cultures around the globe, and helping people affect positive change in their lives and the world. Through partnerships with trusted news leaders like the BBC, the CBC, the New York Times and others, PRI brings new voices, global journalism and cultural perspectives to the American public. PRI produced and distributed radio shows include "As It Happens," "PRI's The World," "Q with Jian Ghomeshi," "Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen," "The Takeaway," "The Tavis Smiley Show," and "This American Life." Content from these shows is available on public radio stations, websites, mobile phones and tablet devices, and via podcasts and streaming. PRI helps people understand their place in the world and make informed decisions every day by enabling them to "hear a different voice™." More at pri.org.

About "PRI's The World®"
Launched by PRI in 1996, "The World" is a co-production of PRI, the BBC World Service and WGBH Boston, and is broadcasting's only program dedicated to transforming how Americans experience the world. The hour-long, daily news magazine offers a multi-dimensional and often surprising take on news, current events, arts and music from around the globe, and can be heard on over 300 stations across the U.S. Theworld.org is an online destination for the show's radio content, as well as multimedia offerings such as videos, photo galleries, and podcasts. "The World" has won numerous awards, including the Edward R. Murrow Award, the Lowell Thomas Award from the Overseas Press Club, the DuPont-Columbia Award for Journalism, the Gracie Award, and the Scripps Howard Excellence in Electronic Media/Radio Award, among others.

SOURCE Public Radio International