The University Record, April 1, 1997
Michigan Radio will use $35,000 grant to help cover environmental issues
By Harriet Teller
Michigan Radio
Michigan Radio has received a $35,000 grant from the Frey Foundation to help it become a more vital public service over the next two years.
The grant will fund increased coverage of Great Lakes environmental issues, reporting on the perspectives of the arts and humanities, and analysis of public policy issues with a particular emphasis on west Michigan.
“Michigan Radio represents a tremendous bridge of communications and potential collaboration between eastern and western Michigan on critical public policy and public news issues,” says Jim Richmond, Foundation president. “The Frey Foundation is pleased to support Michigan Radio’s efforts to expand its coverage in west Michigan and also to build this bridge of communication between both sides of Michigan.”
Director of Broadcasting Donovan Reynolds says, “This grant will greatly assist in our effort to make Michigan Radio a truly outstanding statewide news se rvice. For the first time, we are making a concerted effort to improve our coverage of the western part of the state.”
One phase of the project supports the work of the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, a collaborative effort of Michigan Radio, National Public Radio’s “Living on Earth” and more than 100 public radio station s to provide weekly in-depth features about the Great Lakes environment.
The grant also supports an arts and humanities reporter, housed in Ann Arbor and responsible for producing weekly feature reports.
The Frey Foundation was established in 1974 by the late Edward and Frances Frey. He was a longtime chief executive officer of Union Bank (now NBD) and founded Foremost Insurance Co. in Grand Rapids.
