Several PRI titles among iTunes' top picks for 2009, a year of multiple honors for PRI content, talent

Public Radio International (PRI) proudly announces that several of its programs and hosts received major awards and recognitions throughout 2009, the most recent of which are listings in iTunes' top picks for 2009: the Global Economy podcast from PRI's "The World," "This American Life," "The Sound of Young America" and "WireTap."

Other 2009 honors include Ira Glass, host of "This American Life," winning the coveted Edward R. Morrow Award; Tavis Smiley, host of "The Tavis Smiley Show," being named one of "Time" magazine's 100 most influential people and by "Ebony" magazine to its Power 150 list; Lisa Mullins, host of PRI's "The World," being appointed a Neiman fellow at Harvard; and PRI itself being named 2009 International Corporate Citizen by the Twin Cities-based International Leadership Institute.

"We are very proud of all that was accomplished last year," says PRI President and CEO Alisa Miller. "Our talent is exceptional, bringing diverse voices and outstanding journalism to listeners on air and online, as we seek to help people live in our interconnected world. It is also gratifying that our podcast content is gaining accolades as technology provides opportunities for PRI to serve new audiences."

PRI's "The World" is a multi-award-winning weekday global news magazine, co-produced by BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston. "WireTap," produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, is a weekly program of intimate and often hilarious telephone conversations between host Jonathan Goldstein and people with real or imagined stories to tell. "The Sound of Young America" is an eclectic arts and entertainment interview program produced and hosted by Jesse Thorn.

Produced by Chicago Public Radio, "This American Life" describes and documents life in contemporary America. Its host, Ira Glass, is one of the nation's most celebrated raconteurs and program producers. Tavis Smiley is prominent in many areas of American life, including electronic and print media, politics, the arts and social advocacy. Lisa Mullins has anchored PRI's "The World" since 1998 and, as a Neiman fellow, is examining the promise and practicalities of President Obama's foreign policy initiatives.

About Public Radio International®

Celebrated as a driver of innovation in public media, PRI was founded in 1983 to diversify and expand the content available on public platforms, enabling U.S. listeners to "hear a different voice™" and to connect with one another and the larger world. PRI leads by identifying critical but unmet content needs and partnering with producers, stations, digital networks and funders to develop multi-platform resources to meet those needs. By creating an environment in which innovation can thrive, PRI supports the creation and distribution of content that would otherwise be unavailable and that brings new voices, global journalism and cultural perspectives to the American public. PRI content is available on pri.org and via podcasts, and is broadcast on 832 public radio stations. More than 13 million people access PRI content each week through these sources.

PRI's newest production is "The Takeaway," a groundbreaking morning-drive news show co-produced with WNYC Radio. Its best known programming includes "This American Life," produced by Chicago Public Radio; PRI's "The World," a co-production of BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Radio Boston; "Living on Earth," produced by World Media Foundation Inc.; "Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?," produced by Wisconsin Public Radio; "The Tavis Smiley Show," produced by Smiley Radio Properties Inc.; and "Studio 360 from PRI and WNYC®," produced by PRI and WNYC; as well as 24-hour program services — "Classical 24®," produced by American Public Media; and BBC World Service, produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation. For more information, visit www.pri.org.

CONTACT: Julia Yager, PRI, 612.330.9231, jyager@pri.org