The Poynter Institute has selected 34 public radio stations to participate in the next phase of its Digital Transformation Program. The DTP is designed to support public media leaders and staff in enhancing their digital operations to better serve local audiences.
The 2025 Fundamentals cohort consists of 22 public radio stations, 12 public television stations, and 16 joint license outlets. Each team will work on a specific digital project aimed at driving audience engagement and revenue, with specialized training in data analytics to support data-driven decision-making.
CPB announced the application phase in July.
The updated program offers two tracks: a nine-month Fundamentals Track and a six-month Advanced Track, available annually for three years starting in 2025, with the capacity to train up to 225 stations. The initial 50 groups in the 2025 Fundamentals cohort will participate in virtual training, divided into two groups starting in January and March. This track includes one-on-one and group coaching, webinars, and practical exercises tailored for station leaders and their teams.
This initiative, developed in partnership with and funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, builds on Poynter’s initial program, which trained 79 public media organizations and 458 personnel from 2022 to 2023.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison stated, “The Digital Transformation Program will provide coaching and resources to help stations accelerate their digital development and share best practices for achieving audience and revenue growth.”
Poynter President Neil Brown commented, “We’re proud to help these stations transform to a more audience-first, digital focus and build deeper connections with their community as well as grow revenues to strengthen their financial foundations.”
A full list of stations selected is available via CPB.
