WETA Receives Part of $2.2 Million Grant from Newman's Own Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in the nation’s capital, joins PBS with eight other local public broadcasting stations in receiving Membership Challenge Grants totaling $2.2 million from Newman’s Own Foundation. The grants are to help the organizations strengthen fundraising efforts and increase support for programs and services that inform, educate, entertain and inspire audiences. WETA will receive the $200,000 grant at a presentation at PBS headquarters in Arlington, Virginia today.

“WETA is honored by the grant and the opportunity it provides,” said Sharon Percy Rockefeller, president and CEO of WETA. “We will leverage the Newman’s Own Membership Challenge Grant by integrating it across all individual giving platforms at WETA — including Classical WETA 90.9 FM, WETA Television, and in communications to our WETA members, past, present and future. These generous funds will also help us strengthen and sustain the production of local programs for our community.”

“Our mission is to use the power of media to change lives and help all Americans ‘be more,’” said Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS. “Local stations are just as diverse as our country, and each meets the unique needs of its local community. These grants will help us continue to serve those communities, foster rich civic dialogue, encourage participation in the arts, and provide access to quality education.”

“Paul Newman believed in the power of civic engagement and conversation to make ours and the future’s a better world,” said Robert Forrester, president of Newman’s Own Foundation. “Today we underscore our commitment to public broadcasting, a relationship that Paul deeply valued and one we hope continues to inspire and expose people to new ideas, issues and dialogue.”

In total, $2.2 million is being awarded to public broadcasting, including WETA; the PBS Foundation, in order to advance the organization’s commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to the arts; and the following eight other local public broadcasting stations:

• CPTV (Connecticut Public Television)

• KCET (Southern and Central California)

• KCTS (Seattle, Central Washington and British Columbia)

• TPT (Twin Cities Public Television, Saint Paul and Minneapolis)

• WAMC Northeast Radio (New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania)

• WNET (New York City)

• WSHU Radio (Fairfield, New Haven and New London counties in Connecticut and Suffolk County in New York)

• WTTW (Chicago)

Paul Newman was committed to helping make the world a better place. To carry on his philanthropic legacy, Newman’s Own Foundation donates to charity, all net royalties and profits after taxes it receives from the sale of Newman’s Own products. To date, Paul Newman and Newman’s Own Foundation have given over $300 million to thousands of charities around the world. To learn more, visit newmansownfoundation.org.

PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans — from every walk of life — the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches more than 118 million people through television and nearly 21 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and other performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored in the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet.

WETA Television and Classical WETA 90.9 FM are public broadcasting stations serving the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia with high-quality programming. Classical WETA 90.9 FM brings classical music, concerts and specials to Greater Washington. As the leading PBS station in the nation’s capital, WETA Television broadcasts on four channels: WETA TV 26, WETA HD, WETA Kids and WETA Create. WETA Television celebrates the people and history of this region through programs such as WETA All Access, WETA Around Town and WETA Extras. For national PBS audiences, WETA produces PBS NewsHour, Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal; history films by Ken Burns such as The National Parks: America’s Best Idea; and performance specials from the U.S. Capitol, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the White House, including the In Performance at the White House and Mark Twain Prize for American Humor series. Embracing the educational mission of public broadcasting, WETA creates leading public service websites such as ReadingRockets.org, LDOnline.org and Brainline.org and develops community outreach programs to engage people of all ages in the joy of lifelong learning. WETA’s headquarters are located in Arlington, Virginia. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at weta.org.

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