WFIU, WTIU, and the seven other Indiana Public Broadcasting stations that make up IPB News will soon be expanding their statewide news coverage. More than $1.7 million in grant funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will allow the independent, nonprofit newsroom to grow and sustain its coverage for years to come.

With recently awarded grants of $1,373,607 from Lilly Endowment Inc. and $364,304 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), IPB News, which includes six radio stations and three dual radio/TV licensees, will soon be able to expand its coverage in a variety of areas, including workforce development and immigration.

“This is a tremendous endorsement of the power of public media,” WFIU-WTIU General Manager Perry Metz said. “We’ve come a long way since a shared Statehouse reporter was hired more than a dozen years ago. Lilly Endowment and the CPB recognize the impact our coverage has on communities all over Indiana, and we’re grateful for their support to take it to the next level.”

That next level will include new beat reporters, a full-time managing editor and a dedicated video journalist. It will also include a daily, statewide radio talk show tackling the issues of the day and answering questions from listeners.

“This kind of support puts us on a tremendous path for years to come,” Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations (IPBS) Executive Director Mark Newman said. “Surveys continue to show public broadcasters to be among the most trusted news sources available, and we take that seriously. This expansion allows us to dig even deeper on issues Hoosiers care about.”

News gathering and reporting will continue to ramp up over the next several months, and the launch of the new talk show is targeted for the end of the summer. In the meantime, IPB News will continue to deliver spot- and feature-length content that resonates with audiences all over Indiana.

For more information on IPBS and its member stations, visit ipbs.org.