Public Radio Exchange

Ford grant to SRG for PRX technology, content, and capacity-building

Jake posted on Monday, August 4th, 2008 | Blog, Press Releases

As posted to the Station Resource Group list:

User-focused technology, new investments in content, and key steps toward sustainable, independent operation are the focus of a new Ford Foundation grant to SRG in support of PRX: The Public Radio Exchange. Ford’s $250,000, one year investment supplements the Foundation’s ongoing support of PRX as part of five-year, $50 million initiative in public media. Here’s what we will do:

Technology

In addition to ongoing upgrades to the core PRX web site and technical platform, Ford support will help us:

· Expand the PRX member directory into a searchable skills database, helping connect content creators for freelance and production opportunities

· Make use of user experience, so that station staff, producers, and listeners will be able to create their own playlists of audio pieces on PRX, helping curate and organize collections of works for use online and for broadcast

· Integrate web delivery of content with our broadcast-centered work and streamline the ability of stations and other site operators to integrate on-demand content geared towards local or issue-based themes.

Content

$50,000 of Ford’s support will go to PRX’s Content Venture Fund, joining an initial $100,000 investment by the MacArthur Foundation earlier this year. The Fund enhances the existing PRX marketplace with new incentives for content creators. It also establishes a dedicated funding pool that PRX will bring to other public media funders as a matching opportunity for projects that would otherwise be too small or difficult to fund, such as “reversioning” archival works for digital distribution or providing royalty advances for completing new works..

Organizational Capacity and Sustainability

Ford funds will be used for two key steps towards PRX’s independent future:

· First, PRX will work to increase the use of, and revenue from, its many services. A new business development position will spearhead a series of initiatives that are tied to existing services and new capacities of PRX 3.0, with the aim of generating transactions and activity that result in both sustainable direct revenue and mission-driven distribution and access goals.

· PRX is establishing its own board to govern, support, and help lead its growth and bring a wider circle of perspectives to its work – 6 to 8 national leaders from public broadcasting, technology, business and nonprofit sectors. We will also convene facilitated advisory meetings that bring together stakeholders and representatives from key user groups and constituencies and review and update PRX’s multi-year business plan.

This new grant is an affirmation of the terrific work and innovative efforts of the PRX team and the forward –looking commitment of the Station Resource Group in nurturing this ever-evolving project. Congratulations to all!

Tom Thomas
Terry Clifford
Co-CEOs, Station Resource Group