AS ONE OF THE TOP TEN WORKS OF JOURNALISM OF THIS DECADE

CHICAGO PUBLIC RADIO’S THIS AMERICAN LIFE AND NPR SHARE HONOR

FOR LAUDED EXPLAINER OF SUBPRIME MORTGAGE CRISIS

April 5, 2010; Washington, D.C. – It was a compelling, even humorous, hour of radio, making sense of the mortgage crisis and Wall Street turmoil, and in the process creating one of the finest pieces of explanatory journalism on the economy – months ahead of its collapse. Now, “The Giant Pool of Money,” an hour-long documentary co-produced by NPR News and This American Life from Chicago Public Radio and distributed by Public Radio International, has been named one of the decade’s best.

New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute announced today that “The Giant Pool of Money” was selected as one of the Top Ten Works of Journalism of the Decade in the United States. “Giant Pool” is ranked fourth on the list and the only broadcast piece cited out of all ten works. The works were selected by the NYU journalism faculty and a panel of outside judges representing media, the non-profit sector, philanthropy and academia. The full list is available at: http://journalism.nyu.edu/decade/

“The Giant Pool of Money” was reported by NPR economics correspondent Adam Davidson, This American Life producer Alex Blumberg and host Ira Glass, and aired on that program in May 2008. With personal narratives and memorable storytelling, Davidson, Blumberg and Glass told the story of the housing crisis, mortgage backed securities and the collapse of the banking system in a way that made sense. The program was heralded as “a brilliant piece” by the Columbia Journalism Review, TIME wrote of “a riveting narrative with distinct characters and plot twists” and it earned Peabody, duPont-Columbia and George Polk awards. “Giant Pool” was cited by the Peabody committee as “impressive for the arresting clarity of its explanation of the financial crisis we’re in, and even more so for its having aired so early – in May 2008.”

“’Giant Pool’ forever changed how we approach storytelling. To take something so complex and make it relatable, even entertaining – it struck just the right chord at the perfect time,” says Ellen Weiss, Senior Vice President for NPR News. “We are incredibly humbled to be included among the works on this list, and thank NYU for such an honor.”

The success of “Giant Pool” led to the creation of NPR’s Planet Money, a multimedia reporting project led by Davidson and Blumberg, covering the global economy on radio and through a blog, podcast and social media (all available at www.npr.org/money). It launched, by coincidence, on the first day of the acute financial crisis – September 7, 2008 – and has since established itself as the place for clear and innovative financial reporting. The Planet Money team regularly reports for NPR and This American Life, has recently covered Haiti’s post-earthquake economy and is following the progress of its very own toxic asset – purchased to help track how the housing bust is playing out.

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Winning a Gracie Award for “Outstanding Documentary” is “The Science of Spirituality,” a five-part series reported by religion correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty in May 2009 on All Things Considered. Based on her book Fingerprints of God, the series delves into burgeoning research studying the human brain to look for evidence of a spiritual world and the new technologies being used to document it. Whether donning a “God helmet,” exploring how prayer affects the brain or examining the neural changes caused by near-death experiences, Hagerty finds that people are experiencing something profound – divine or not. Sharing the award are Cindy Johnston, editor, and web editors Erin Killian and Maria Godoy. The entire series is at: www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104257486

NPR’s Afghanistan correspondent Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson earns the award in the “Outstanding Series” category for her April 2009 two-part story on the growing number of Afghans escaping the pain of war and poverty by turning to the plentiful and cheap supply of heroin and opium in their country. In the series, she details how a combination of factors – including the war, unemployment and returning Afghan refugees from Iran – are creating and perpetuating a vicious cycle of addiction with little treatment resources available. Among the powerful portraits captured by Sarhaddi Nelson are a 30-year-old mother of six that feeds her drug habit at the expense of her children, and a nine-year-old boy trying to kick his two-year heroin addiction. The award is shared with series editor Douglas Roberts. The reports and accompanying online material are available at npr.org:

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102984398&ps=rs

NPR Arts Reporter Neda Ulaby and Monkey See blogger Linda Holmes’ Culturetopia podcast takes home the Gracie Award for “Outstanding Podcast.” Culturetopia encapsulates the week’s news in books, movie, television, music and media. Every Wednesday, Ulaby, Holmes and guests offer a rundown of notable arts coverage from across NPR News shows, providing additional insights into many of the stories. Executive Producer Sara Sarasohn and Producer Michael Katzif are also honored with the award. Download Culturetopia at NPR’s podcast directory:

http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=89697153

The 35th Annual Gracie Awards will be presented at a gala on May 25 in Los Angeles. The Gracies are granted by AWRT, a charitable non-profit supporting educational programs, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, mass media and allied field. NPR has been the recipient of 13 Gracie Awards since 2002.

NPR NEWS SPECIAL COVERAGE OF LIFE, CAREER
OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY

NPR OFFERING TWO HOUR-LONG SPECIALS TODAY AT 2PM AND 7PM,
CONTINUING COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON-AIR AND AT NPR.org

August 26, 2009; Washington, D.C. – NPR News will offer two special programs today looking at the life and career of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who died last night of complications related to a cancerous brain tumor. Both specials will be broadcast on NPR Member stations nationwide, and will be streamed live at NPR.org. For local stations and broadcast times, visit NPR.org/stations.

From 2:00PM to 3:00PM (ET), NPR congressional correspondent Andrea Seabrook will host an hour-long call-in special. Seabrook will interview guests about Kennedy’s life of service and influential career in the Senate, and invite questions from the audience. Guests include Congressman Barney Frank, former U.S. Senator John Sununu, professor and scholar Ronald Walters and Thomas Oliphant, who covered Kennedy for 40 years for the Boston Globe. Listeners may join the conversation by calling (800) 989-8255 or sending an email to talk@npr.org

Beginning at 7:00PM (ET), NPR will explore Kennedy’s life – his role as a legislative lion in the Senate; his focus on civil rights, and on fighting for the disenfranchised; and his personal life and struggles – in an hour-long program. Host Linda Wertheimer will be joined by a roundtable offering political analysis on the legacy Kennedy leaves behind, with legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, senior news analyst Juan Williams, health policy correspondent Julie Rovner and political editor Ken Rudin.

In addition to these specials, NPR will continue to cover the breaking news of Kennedy’s death throughout the day on all of its news programs, and online at NPR.org, where there is a complete obituary, a timeline of Kennedy’s life and archival interviews with the late senator.

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July 18, 2009

Walter Cronkite’s passing today marks the loss of the ultimate reliable source, the nation’s narrator and the standard by which all other TV news anchors are judged. It also marks the loss of a special friend to NPR. For six years, in a series of occasional essays for NPR, Walter Cronkite offered his unique perspective on news events he reported on over the past century that still resonate today. Beginning on December 7, 2001, on the 60th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Cronkite reflected on the lone dissenter in the Congressional vote to declare war — political pioneer Jeanette Rankin — and how another lone dissenting vote granting President Bush added powers to hunt Osama bin Laden echoes Rankin’s own vote. In another essay, Cronkite told the story behind his initial experience as a TV network anchorman. It happened in 1952 in Chicago, Ill., at the first-ever nationally televised political convention for the Republican Party. Later that summer, Cronkite handled the same chore at the Democratic session. Although he’d never attended a political convention — or done national TV — he was a hit. Walter Cronkite always used history to provide context and understanding and NPR was proud and honored to offer this distinguished veteran journalist an outlet for his work late in his career and to introduce him to a new generation of news consumers who were grateful for his wisdom and perspective from such a remarkable career covering the world.

You can hear all of Walter Cronkite’s unique essays on NPR:

http://www.npr.org/news/specials/cronkite/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6711860

NPR HONORED BY WEBBY MEMBERSHIP FOR NPR.org, NPR MUSIC, NPR MOBILE

AND VIDEO DOCUMENTARY SERIES “PROJECT SONG”;

NPR.org, NPR MUSIC AND NPR PODCASTS WIN PUBLIC COMPETITION

May 5, 2009; Washington, D.C. – NPR has been honored with seven awards in the 13^th annual Webby Awards – more than any other news organization – for NPR.org, NPR Music, mobile and podcasts, it was announced today. NPR was chosen as “Best Radio Site,” “Best Music Site,” “Best Mobile News” and “Best Music Online Video” among the Webby’s digital media membership, and “Best Radio Site,” “Best Music Site” and “Best Podcasts” in the Webby’s public competition.

NPR.org and NPR Music achieved both critical and popular consensus, winning top honors from the Webby’s International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences membership, and also from the public in its separate “People’s Voice Awards” competition. NPR.org complements NPR’s growing weekly audience of 27.5 million listeners, by offering in-depth news and information, extensive audio, video, music, photography and text. This continuing digital media expansion includes an Open API, launched July 2008 and allowing users to freely integrate NPR content, and the NPR Community with approximately 100,000 members since its launch September 2008. NPR Music is a free multi-genre music discovery site that curates original content from NPR and 12 Member public radio stations, including live performances, studio sessions, first listens to new albums, music lists, interviews and blogs.

NPR also won the “Best Mobile News” Webby for its iPhone site, which places world, national and business news alongside local news from NPR Member stations in more than 50 markets; and “Best Music Online Video” for Project Song, an online video documentary series from NPR Music that challenges musicians to write and record an original song in 48 hours in the NPR studios, and films the creative process. NPR Podcasts received a “People’s Voice” award, for offering podcasts of popular NPR programs, a directory of more than 600 public radio podcasts and the ability for users to customize their own podcast.

“We need to meet our audiences wherever they choose to consume news and information, and it’s thrilling to have such a wide range of work recognized in this way – from our around-the-clock news coverage at NPR.org, to the customizable mobile site for iPhone users, to multi-genre music discovery unlike anything else out there,” said Kinsey Wilson, senior vice president and general manager of NPR Digital Media.

The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile Web sites. This year’s contest received nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Winners will be recognized at a ceremony on June 8 in New York City. A full list of winners is available at: www.webbyawards.com

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Challenge is to Improve Digital Radio Coverage

and Protect Today’s Analog FM Services

April 2, 2009, Washington – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has awarded a grant to NPR Labs to undertake an expedited Advanced Digital Radio Coverage and Compatibility Study to improve innovative HD Radio ^TM services. The study will establish industry recommendations for the amount of power increase needed to improve digital radio coverage while protecting the existing analog FM system and its subcarriers, which serve more than 32 million public radio and 239 million total FM radio listeners each week. (Source: ACT1 based on Arbitron Nationwide, Persons Using Radio, Fall 2008, Persons 12+, Mon.-Sun Midnight-Midnight)

The new study will seek to determine how to maximize HD coverage while minimizing interference with essential analog FM radio services.  It will build on earlier research by NPR Labs of digital radio coverage, also funded by CPB. The earlier study revealed that FM services would experience a high level of interference from HD signals in some areas, if the needed power increase was not closely managed.

“We’re pleased CPB has selected NPR Labs to expedite a detailed technical analysis so we can resolve these critical issues,” said Vivian Schiller, NPR President and CEO. “NPR is committed to advancing HD Radio ^TM and protecting the quality of the listening experience for all of our audiences.  If the power increase is not carefully managed, NPR member stations risk losing audience to signal interference.”     

“It’s absolutely critical that industry guidelines are established to ensure a well-managed and responsible power increase that maintains universal service for public radio stations,” said Bruce Theriault, CPB Senior Vice President for Radio.  “The industry collaboration involved in this study will generate technical data needed to inform decision-making on best options for elevated digital radio power levels.”

The $350,000 study is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2009 with findings presented to CPB, FCC and the broader industry in time for the National Association of Broadcaster’s Radio Show in Philadelphia in September 2009.

NPR Labs is working with representatives from CPB and several major commercial radio entities, as well as representatives from public radio stations with major investments in digital radio.  Major participants with digital operations include American Public Media and Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul; WABE-FM, Atlanta; WAMU-FM, Washington; WBGO-FM, Newark; WDUQ-FM, Pittsburgh; WFAE-FM, Charlotte; WNYC-FM, New York; WTMD-FM, Towson/Baltimore; WVXU-FM, Cincinnati; WUKY-FM, Lexington, KY; WUSF-FM, Tampa; KJZZ-FM, KBAQ-FM, and SunSounds Radio Reading Service, Phoenix; KQED-FM, San Francisco and KQEI-FM, Sacramento; and  KUHF-FM, Houston.

Industry associations participating in the study include: the Consumer Electronics Association, the North American Broadcasters Association, the International Association of Audio Information Services, and the Association of Public Radio Engineers.

About NPR Labs

NPR Labs’ mission is to identify, evaluate, and advance the application of innovative technologies in support of the public service mission of NPR and our member stations. A unit within NPR, NPR Labs is the nation’s only not-for-profit broadcast radio technology research and development center. The unit works daily on technical research projects supporting the interests of public radio stations across the country. For more information, visit www.nprlabs.org

About NPR’s Digital Radio Initiative

This technology enables station operators to split their broadcasts up into multiple channels, providing several digital-quality channels for their audiences. Additional uses of NPR’s digital radio initiatives leverage advanced technologies for those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing that will expand captioning to the radio dial. Specially equipped HD Radio™ receivers are in development that will provide the audiences with visual disabilities with better access to radio, such as receivers with audio prompts that speak the digital displays, notifying users which direction the tuner is scanning, what channel the radio is on, what command has been executed, and employing larger, easier-to-read text displays.

More than 1,900 radio stations are currently broadcasting in HD Radio ^TM in the United States including over 475 public radio stations, most of them members of NPR. Over half of the CPB-qualified stations have been awarded HD Radio ^TM conversion grants by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

More information on the initiative can be found at www.i-cart.net

About the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

CPB, 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 1000 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related on-line services.

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Media Relations Contact: Danielle Deabler, ddeabler@npr.org 202-513-2303

NATIONAL JOURNALISM AWARD

FOR FOUR-PART SERIES “DIRTY MONEY”

NPR’S JOHN BURNETT RECEIVES JACK R. HOWARD AWARD,

MARKING EXCELLENCE IN RADIO REPORTING

March 13, 2009; Washington, D.C. – NPR News has been honored with the Scripps Howard Foundation’s National Journalism Foundation Award for “Dirty Money,” an enterprising four-part series investigating the drug money that flows along America’s highways from NPR News correspondent John Burnett.  Burnett shares the 2008 Jack R. Howard Award for “Excellence in Radio Reporting” with National Desk Editor Quinn O’Toole, National Desk Producer Marisa Penaloza and Digital News Editor Tanya Ballard-Brown.  The Jack R. Howard Award recognizes and celebrates the year’s best work in journalism.

The series, which aired in June 2008 on NPR News’ Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition, examined law enforcement’s pursuit of suspected drug money, which they can confiscate without filing charges against the person carrying it.  Local police and sheriffs get to keep a portion of the cash.  Complete audio of the award-winning series is available at:www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91856663

With reporting in Texas, Alabama and Georgia, Burnett revealed that some local law enforcement agencies have become more interested in seizing money than stopping the flow of drugs. Burnett found case after case of misused forfeiture funds, with departments using the money to pay for awards banquets and Christmas parties, leases of vehicles and a margarita machines.

Burnett is no stranger to covering the drug war.  In 2007, he was the lead reporter on NPR News’ 7-part series “The Forgotten War,” which examined the state of America’s war on drugs.  His “Cocaine Republics” series in 2004 detailed the emergence of Central America as a major drug smuggling region.

The 55th annual National Journalism Awards will be presented at a ceremony on April 24 in Washington, D.C. The National Journalism Awards are granted by the Scripps Howard Foundation, recognizing and aiming to advance the free press through excellence in journalism.  This is the second National Journalism Award for NPR.

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WHITE HOUSE NEWS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION BESTOWS “THE EYES OF HISTORY” AWARDS ON NPR JOURNALISTS

February 25, 2009; Washington, D.C. – NPR News has earned 18 honors in the 2009 White House News Photographers Association’s The Eyes of History awards.  The annual awards, announced earlier this week, recognize outstanding achievements in photojournalism.

NPR journalists were recognized in 12 separate categories, more than any other broadcast news media, with three first place awards in the following categories: New Media’s “Best Use of Photography and Audio with Narration,” Still Photography’s “Best Picture in Story/Politics,” and Video Editing’s “Sports.”

The awards will be presented at a White House News Photographers Association gala in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2009, where the award-winning photographs and videos will be displayed.

The Eyes of History awards honoring the best in photojournalism were established as an annual contest in 1941 by the White House News Photographers Association, founded 20 years earlier.  The awards provide a historical look back on the year, with photos portraying compelling, interesting and memorable coverage of events in Washington and around the world.

Awards won by NPR are outlined below.  To view NPR’s winning entries visit: http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2009/02/whnpa_contest_winners.html

A complete list of NPR’s 2009 “Eyes of History” awards follows:

MULTIMEDIA
Best Use of Photography and Audio (narration)
1st Place
Crafting China’s Future Champions
Produced by: Andrea Rane, Jessica Wanke and Coburn Dukehart/NPR; Audio Produced by Jack Zahora/NPR; Reported by Louisa Lim/NPR; Photographs by Ariana Lindquist for NPR.

3rd Place
From The Iraq War, A Troubled Romance In America
Produced by Andrea Rane/NPR; Reported by Ivan Watson/NPR; Photographs by Paxton Winters for NPR

Award of Excellence
A Walk Through Beijing’s Vanishing Hutongs
Produced by Coburn Dukehart/NPR, Edited by Meghan Collins Sullivan/NPR; Reported, photographed and narrated by Frank Langfitt/NPR

STILL PHOTOGRAPHY
Best Picture Story – Politics
1st Place
A Civil Rights Activist Votes in Birmingham
David Gilkey/NPR

Pictoral
Award of Excellence
Gaza
David Gilkey/NPR

VIDEO
News Special Reports
3rd Place
Afghan Dispatches
David Gilkey/NPR

Feature
Award of Excellence
Dreaming Green in Ukraine
David Gilkey/NPR

Video Documentary
2nd Place
Project Song: Nellie McKay
John Poole and David Gilkey/NPR

Sports Video
3rd Place
A Good Throw
John Poole/NPR

Political Video
2nd Place
New Hampshire Campaign Goes Door To Door
David Gilkey/NPR

Lighting
3rd Place
Lighting Composite
David Gilkey/NPR

Audio
1st Place
A Good Throw
John Poole/NPR

3rd Place
Voices from the Front
David Gilkey/NPR

Editing Short Form
Award of Excellence
Burned in the War
John Poole/NPR

Editing Long Form
1st Place
Project Song: Nellie McKay
John Poole/NPR

Editing – Sports
1st Place
A Good Throw
John Poole/NPR

3rd Place
Afghan Olympian
David Gilkey/NPR

Audio Editing
Award of Excellence
Project Song: Nellie McKay
John Poole/NPR

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I am happy to see NPR expanding from audio into web / multimedia reporting. I look forward to more.

And, congratulations to NPR for showing that quality journalism is possible without a printed product.