CPB Fighting COVID Misinformation

• The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is awarding a total of $275,000 in emergency grants to 14 public media radio and television stations across the country to address COVID-19 misinformation in their communities. The grants — up to $20,000 each — are being awarded to public television and radio stations in areas with low vaccination and high infection rates, or in emerging hotspots for coronavirus infection.

The 14 grantees are: Radio: KBSX/Boise, ID (Boise State Public Radio); WRKF/Baton Rouge, LA; WBHM/Birmingham, AL; Wyoming Public Media. Television: Arkansas PBS; Louisiana Public Broadcasting; KRSU-TV/Tulsa, OK (Rogers State University); Nine PBS/St. Louis; WCTE-TV/Cookeville, TN. Joint Radio/TV/Digital Licensees: KERA/Dallas; KOSU/Stillwater, OK; Mississippi Public Broadcasting; West Virginia Public Broadcasting and WJCT Public Media/Jacksonville, FL.

Public media organizations are using this funding to produce or extend programming about the coronavirus pandemic, to develop multiplatform public service announcement campaigns, and to organize community outreach efforts regarding the pandemic and vaccines. Many stations are working with local partners to reach specific audiences with low vaccination rates, through communication methods ranging from public affairs programming to text messages to viral TikTok videos.

Patricia Harrison, CPB President & CEO, said, “Public media stations, locally operated, work with their communities through partnerships of trust. General managers of stations serving America’s communities that are hard hit by the pandemic are committed to breaking through the cycle of misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and are providing information that is saving lives. CPB is committed to funding their work as part of our stewardship and mission.”