WHYY to Open Community News Bureau in Dover, Delaware With Initial $1 Million Grant from the Longwood Foundation

WHYY to Open Community News Bureau in Dover, Delaware With Initial $1 Million Grant from the Longwood Foundation

... Governor Minner and WHYY President William Marrazzo Announce First Phase of a Multi-Million-Dollar Project ...

PHILADELPHIA, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- WHYY, the only television station with a nightly news program dedicated to covering the First State, received a $1 million grant from the Longwood Foundation to open a community news bureau in Dover that will enhance news, information and arts and culture coverage as well as educational outreach.

The grant will enable WHYY, the leading public broadcasting station in the region, to outfit a multi-media facility with state-of-the-art technology. Additional funds will be sought to hire staff to serve Kent and Sussex counties and provide live updates from the State Capitol.

Announcement of the grant was made on June 28, 2005, at the Delaware Public Archives in Dover, Delaware by Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner and WHYY President and CEO, William J. Marrazzo.

"I'm so pleased that WHYY will have the opportunity to expand its coverage of Dover and downstate. I congratulate WHYY on receiving this grant and commend them for using it, in part, to convey more information about state government to Delawareans," Governor Minner said.

"This is the first gift in a $3.67 million initiative, which will demonstrate WHYY's continued commitment and service to the citizens of the First State," said WHYY President and CEO William J. Marrazzo. "We thank the Longwood Foundation for its lead gift in a multi-million-dollar project."

The location of the bureau, yet to be determined, will be near Legislative Hall to provide ongoing coverage of the political process, including live and taped reports on legislative debates, news and issues as they unfold. It will enable WHYY to be more effective and efficient in covering live news, such as the Governor's State of the State Address. WHYY plans to open the bureau in the Spring of 2006.

In addition to news and arts and culture reports, the bureau will cover other important topics in Kent and Sussex counties such as economic, agricultural and environmental issues.

The Dover community news bureau will broaden the content of WHYY's nightly newscast, WHYY Delaware Tonight, seen each weekday at 5:30 P.M. on TV12, viewed on WHYY's Digital channel at 6:30 P.M., and accessed anytime on Comcast's ON DEMAND and whyy.org.

WHYY will raise an additional $2.67 million to hire news staff and an arts and culture specialist who will focus on the people, events and places that make Delaware an energetic community with a vibrant arts scene. Arts coverage will deliver Delaware-based performances, exhibits and other arts and culture news and events into the living rooms of WHYY viewers. Some of the reports will be seen on WHYY Delaware Tonight and others will be incorporated throughout TV12's broadcast schedule and on WHYY's Digital Channel and whyy.org.

Additional monies to be raised will be used to upgrade the Delaware Broadcast Center in Wilmington with digital technology and to implement educational initiatives.

"Delawareans will have access to immediate, live coverage of important issues that affect citizens throughout the First State, providing context and insight to complex subjects," said Paul Gluck, WHYY Vice President and Station Manager. "The Dover community news bureau will allow WHYY to better serve the needs of all Delawareans from the rural reaches of Sussex County to metropolitan Wilmington."

WHYY Delaware Tonight debuted in 1963 and is still dedicated to reporting the news and issues of Delaware. It is produced from WHYY's Delaware Broadcast Center in Wilmington with anchor Nancy Karibjanian and news director Micheline Boudreau. WHYY's current studios at 625 Orange Street were built in 1990 with $3.5 million provided by citizens, foundations and government agencies in Delaware.

The Longwood Foundation, founded in 1937 by Pierre S. du Pont, supports a wide variety of non-profit organizations, primarily in Delaware. The Foundation, which principally funds capital projects, supports education, health and human services, arts, environment and numerous civic-related organizations.

WHYY is what a diverse community has in common. WHYY, through television, radio and other communications services, makes our region a better place, connecting each of us to the world's richest ideas and all of us to each other.

Source: WHYY

CONTACT: Art Ellis, +1-215-351-1262, or Daneil Mazone, +1-215-351-3316, both of WHYY

Web site: http://www.whyy.org/

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