Supporting Public Media From the Beginning

Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation, has often said that excellence and the public sphere are not mutually exclusive—that in fact, the public deserves excellence from all the institutions, organizations and individuals dedicated to the progress of American society. This idea has been an integral part of the Corporation’s work from the beginning and includes a focus on public media as a way of keeping Americans informed about issues and events, enriching education, providing access to the arts, culture, and science, and connecting American citizens across all walks of life with each other and with the life of the nation. As early as 1937, the Corporation made grants to the American Federation of Arts to support a radio program about American art. Today, the Corporation, which over the years has invested over $35 million in advancing public media, takes great pride in having helped to create public television, in supporting National Public Radio, in being a founding supporter of Sesame Street, and in grantmaking that continues to provide the American public with media resources that range from reporting international news to exploring the frontiers of space to discussions with U.S. and international leaders who are helping to shape the future of our nation and the world.