CPB Awards $650,000 Grant to Appalachia and Mid-South Journalism Collaboration

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 30, 2025) -- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has awarded the latest in a series of grants to prioritize local reporting -- a $649,703 grant to the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom (AMSN). The journalism collaboration of public radio and television stations, led by Louisville Public Media, was launched last fall to provide relevant, fact-based information to local communities across Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

In addition to Louisville Public Media, the other stations in the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom are: WKU Public Radio (Bowling Green, KY), WEKU (Richmond, KY), WKMS (Murray, KY), WPLN Nashville Public Radio, WUOT (Knoxville, TN) and West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The grant builds on the nearly $50 million CPB has invested in journalism collaborations across the country during the past 15 years. The collaborations, which involve public media stations working together to serve residents in rural areas of the country, cover topics of regional concern, such as agriculture, veterans and active military issues, and rural life.

“Local journalism is essential to the civic health of America’s communities,” said Patricia Harrison, CPB president and CEO. “In addition to providing fact-based reporting and emergency information, public media stations respond to the information needs of the communities they serve, reflecting and respecting local voices and perspectives, including stories of civic pride and engagement. These stations are committed to working together with the communities they serve, and they have already started.”

When deadly floods swept through the region in the wake of Hurricane Helene last fall, AMSN and nine partner stations moved quickly, deploying a veteran journalist to cover storm damage in Eastern Tennessee, while statehouse reporters in Nashville provided useful information and context from the capital.

“We’re thrilled to have CPB’s support to extend shared services and capabilities that will make our journalism more impactful and sustainable,” said Ellen Oost, Co-Interim CEO of Louisville Public Media. “This collaboration allows us to coordinate journalism resources to strengthen local news across our region, which covers a swath of rural America as well as population centers — each with a distinct culture and common concerns.”

The 2024 Medill State of Local News Report found that 13 counties in these three states have no local news sources, and 187 counties have only one local news source. Rural communities are at especially high risk of losing local news and this region is no exception. The Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom provides access to local and regional news to all these counties, connecting rural communities to one another and to nearby population centers.

“West Virginia Public Broadcasting can only strengthen our storytelling by working with other stations in greater Appalachia,” said Eddie Isom, Executive Director of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. “We see this collaboration as a positive step in working together to tell the important stories that are happening in an often overlooked region.”

Each station in the collaboration contributes the equivalent of one reporter’s time to producing stories for a regional audience. CPB support over three years will fund a video journalist and a project manager and support four shared positions. 

About Louisville Public Media
Louisville Public Media (LPM) is an independent, community supported nonprofit serving Louisville and Southern Indiana with three distinct public radio stations, and an investigative unit: 89.3 WFPL News Louisville provides local, national and international news, public affairs and cultural programming; 90.5 WUOL Classical Louisville is our city’s only classical music radio station; 91.9 WFPK Independent Louisville showcases independent, adult alternative music; and the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting (KyCIR) shines the light of accountability on the people and institutions in power. Louisville Public Media is also a proud member of the Kentucky Public Radio Network and the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom. Stream all stations live at LPM.org.

About the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related online services. For more information, visit www.cpb.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and subscribe for email updates.