University of Wisconsin - Extension

In a demonstration of its outstanding national leadership on community service, Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) today announced that it has been awarded a three-year, $3-million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to run a National Center for Outreach (NCO).

Under the grant, the center will act as a resource for public broadcasting's community-based efforts. Maria Alvarez Stroud, WPT's current director of outreach and who will head the new center, explained the grant is tentatively set to begin in December. She said that under the grant, NCO outreach staff will:

• design training modules for other PBS stations
• act as a clearinghouse and catalyst for national outreach
• plan and carry out national PBS outreach training meetings
• regrant federal outreach funds throughout the country
• strengthen ties between PBS programming and outreach efforts
• measure the impact of national outreach efforts.

Through these efforts, NCO staff will work to ensure that broadcasters in their home communities bring together on a regular basis individuals, civic organizations, citizen groups, business and local agencies to identify common problems, create community awareness, share resources and promote solutions, she said.

"Central to our mission at Wisconsin Public Television is not only broadcasting to communities, but being a part of those communities," said Malcolm Brett, interim director of television. " He cited the example of a recent Bill Moyers series on death and dying, which touched hundreds of Wisconsin families struggling with the same issues enunciated on the screen. WPT hosted three local follow-up broadcasts to the national ones, exploring Wisconsin-specific topics. And, it set up phone lines and brought in panels of medical professionals who worked late into the evening dispensing information to concerned viewers.

"Our powerful combination of local impact and national leadership, such as this, is the reason why we were selected to run the National Center for Outreach. We are pleased to be able to sustain our current outreach efforts, while extending our tradition of public service to support our colleagues across the country," Brett said.

A further benefit of WPT hosting the center, Alvarez Stroud said, is the breadth of experience the organization has in harnessing new technologies to link people and ideas.

"The University of Wisconsin-Extension has recognized the power of linking the Internet and television. It created a division focused on new technologies," said Byron Knight, UW-Extension's interim director of broadcasting and media innovations. "With the support of UW-Extension, WPT has undertaken a number of outreach broadcasts using WebTV Plus, which allows viewers to respond to on-screen television prompts and call up in-depth information. This center will enhance our ability to share our positive experiences with interactive TV with others."

"Receiving this grant is a tremendous honor. It confirms we are national leaders in what we can do and have done to affect Wisconsin communities. The expectations of this grant also represent a tremendous responsibility - we want to work with others so that they, too, can make an impact in their hometowns," said Alvarez Stroud. Other projects that the WPT Outreach Department has spearheaded or is currently at work on, include:

• Creating Health: A two-year initiative, currently underway, to empower women to take control of their own health. The project includes interactive television broadcasts, a comprehensive Web site and other resources.
• SafeNight USA: In 1999, WPT fostered more than 1,000 Safe Night parties to encourage safer communities for youth. There were events in all 50 states and more than 1 million youth participated. A live broadcast on PBS and BET celebrated the effort.
• Ready to Learn: WPT has been a long-term Ready to Learn station and won the Children's Television Workshop Elmo Award in 1998. The enrichment efforts have reached more than 7,000 children and the program has distributed more than 55,000 no-cost books in three years to children in the First Book literacy project. WPT has formed a partnership with the UW-Extension Family Living Programs and the Wisconsin Association for Home and Community Education on this effort.
• Best Practices 2000: Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and The Pew Charitable Trusts, WPT is leading this project to encourage innovative election 2000 coverage.

WPT is a service of the Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Wisconsin Public Television is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV/Madison, WPNE-TV/Green Bay, WHRM/TV-Wausau, WLEF-TV/Park Falls, WHLA-TV/La Crosse and WHWC-TV/Menomonie-Eau Claire.