Minnesota Public Radio / American Public Media

Launched in 2018, Glen Nelson Center at American Public Media Group's mission is to identify, elevate, and invest in emerging media and journalism ventures led by diverse and visionary founders. This is achieved through the Next Challenge for Media & Journalism. Specifically, this contest allows media startups to connect with industry leaders and move their ventures forward. Contest finalists receive mentoring and guidance from industry professionals, refine their pitches and business plans, and present their venture to judges. The ultimate goal of the Next Challenge is to support the creation of a stronger media ecosystem, increase brand recognition for division finalists, increase revenue and market share for applicants, and enhance access to resources and support for diverse media entrepreneurs. Grant funds will provide flexible support for the annual competition, with award categories including the Future of Local Journalism Award and small grants for innovative early-stage media and journalism startups across the country.

American Public Media is the largest owner and operator of public radio stations, with 50 stations across the United States. American Public Media produces the public media programs Marketplace, Marketplace Morning Report, Marketplace Weekend, Marketplace Tech, and produces digital content for Marketplace.org. Through these platforms, Marketplace provides daily news and in-depth analysis about the increasingly complex global economic issues shaping the lives and future of Americans. Marketplace conducts thorough, ongoing reportage on a series of beats including Sustainability, Education, Health Care, and Wealth and Poverty, while also aiming to identify new beats about topics most likely to resonate with younger and more ethnically diverse audiences. Marketplace is incorporating new storytelling approaches into a more responsive multimedia production cycle, and developing media partnerships to reach new audiences.

Marketplace is a daily news program that provides timely and essential information and analysis about financial and economic topics in a way that is accessible and relevant to people’s lives. It is a program of American Public Media, the second largest producer and distributor of programming for public radio stations. Marketplace reaches millions of listeners each week on public radio, the Internet and through mobile devices, and is the most listened-to news program on business and the economy.

“The Civil Conversations Project,” designed by American Public Media’s On Being, and its host, Krista Tippett, is designed to model serious, productive, cross-partisan dialogue within a media environment of intense polarization. These conversations, held in front of a live audience and then broadcast and podcast, engage individuals who are identified as “bridge” people, who can cross partisan divides. This grant will support a conversation to be held at the Brookings Institution in early October on a bipartisan approach to deficit reduction. It will feature Krista Tippett in conversation with Alice Rivlin and Senator Pete Domenici.

Marketplace is a multi-platform set of business and economic programs dedicated to making finance, business and the global economy readily understandable. Marketplace consists of five radio programs, Marketplace, Marketplace Morning Report, Marketplace Money, Marketplace Tech Report and Marketplace Index, a website (Marketplace.org) and a significant new media presence. Marketplace is produced by American Public Media, the nation’s second largest producer and distributor of public radio programming and the largest owner and operator of public radio stations in the nation.