HARTFORD, Conn. (September 22, 2015) – The Connecticut Public has received a $50,000 grant from the Common Sense Fund to support WNPR’s new Environmental Coverage Initiative. The initiative will produce research-based, data-driven stories that broaden public understanding of the environment.
The grant will be used to support the production from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016 in order to increase and strengthen the number of environmental stories produced by WNPR. The comprehensive reporting venture will utilize multimedia properties to examine topics such as climate change, energy concerns, and sustainability of Connecticut’s wildlife.
“WNPR’s coverage of the environment has long acknowledged that environmental issues don’t stop at state borders,” said John Dankosky, WNPR’s Vice President of News. “That’s why we’re pleased to be expanding our environmental coverage to include more collaboration with stations around the Northeast. With this gift from the Common Sense Fund, we’re also investing in what we think of as a ‘new environmental beat’ that includes energy and transportation issues through the lens of climate change and ecological concerns. This gift helps us take the next step toward providing the best coverage of these important issues for our audience.”
The Common Sense Fund promotes action both on the environment and in the arts that is practical, creative, and addresses social needs. The foundation supports environmental change through education, policy initiatives, promotion of carbon-free energy sources, and stewardship of natural resources.
About Connecticut Public Broadcasting
The Connecticut Public is home to CPTV, WNPR and the Learning Lab. CPTV is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including original documentaries, public affairs and educational programming. WNPR is an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. The Learning Lab serves high school seniors through a partnership with Hartford Public Schools and the Journalism and Media Academy Magnet School. It is also home to the Institute for Advanced Media, a program that provides the men and women of our armed forces and adult learners an opportunity to learn skills necessary for the 21st century digital media workplace. For more information, visit cpbn.org.