BOSTON – Senators John Kerry and Edward Kennedy today, along with Congressman Richard Neal, announced that WGBY-TV in Springfield will receive $106,880 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

 
The funding will be used for WGBY’s Latino Youth Media Project, which aims to increase public broadcasting’s engagement with local Latino communities. The project will teach high school aged Latinos in the Springfield community essential journalistic skills and hands-on training needed in today’s media environment.

 
“Public broadcasting helps keep people connected in their local communities. This funding will greatly enable the station to stay connected, engaged and committed to the Latino community in Springfield, and will help empower the community to share its experiences with other ethnicities and with each other,” said Senator Kerry.

 
Senator Kennedy said, “I commend WGBY for this impressive initiative to involve Latino youth in their community through public broadcasting. It’s an excellent example of the service that public television can provide, and the students who participate will learn the skills to become effective journalists in the future.”

 
“As a longtime viewer and supporter of WGBY, I am very pleased they received this important grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. For more than 35 years, they have provided the people of western New England with broadcasting excellence. This federal assistance will allow them to continue their great work,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal.

 
Congress appropriates approximately $400 million annually to the CPB. The funding aims to support projects that strengthen the station’s role and relevance in local communities. It also seeks to raise public awareness of the station’s local projects.

 

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