Public Radio International®, Public Interactive® Receive Omidyar Network Funding for Public Action™

Social networking application partners with key public stations and producers for launch

MINNEAPOLIS, April 5, 2006 -- Public Radio International (PRI) has received an investment from Omidyar Network for the development of Public Action, an online community engagement and social networking application designed specifically for public broadcasting. PRI subsidiary Public Interactive is creating Public Action to enable stations and programs to cultivate extensive, interactive online communities, giving fans a place to meet, discuss and connect. Set for national launch fall 2006, Public Action will enable stations and program producers to start online conversations based on content such as program postings, events and reviews. It will also include a powerful group-building feature that allows stations, programs and the user community itself to form discussion groups based on anything from world events to neighborhood issues. It allows Web users to create dynamic user profiles and to participate in any conversation throughout the network.

"Public Action offers stations and producers an exciting opportunity to actively build communities around their programming," said Public Interactive President and COO Debra May Hughes. "For audience members, it functions as a gateway to groups of other fascinating people who, like them, rely on this programming to stay informed and entertained. As individuals form online affinity groups through Public Action, the station or program is always kept at the forefront, the launching point for everything. Community engagement is a key component to building a meaningful relationship between broadcasters and audience."

Dena Jones Trujillo, investment manager at Omidyar Network, said, "Public Action creates an open and inclusive process that encourages new voices, produces more audience-relevant programming, and enriches conversations among listeners. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to invest in this important work, which we believe will help expand the way public broadcasting reaches and engages its audience."

Public Interactive has partnered with an array of public broadcasting stations and program producers to ensure that Public Action best meets their needs. These include WNYC, New York Public Radio®, KPLU/Seattle, KUT/Austin, Vermont Public Radio, KUER/Salt Lake City, KCET/Los Angeles, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Idaho Public Television, as well as PRI's "The World" and NPR's "Car Talk." Through participating station and program sites, Web users will register in Public Action and create personal profiles. Their registration is valid across the entire Public Action network -- it acts as a passport, allowing a user to participate in a broad range of discussions while always being identified with the station or program under which they registered. Public Action will identify topics related to their profiles and conversations, allowing them to explore and join in conversations based on their interests. Profile search tools will help them seek out others with similar interests and form additional groups based on programs, geography, events and more.

Public Action will place minimal demands on station and producer resources, as Public Interactive will manage all aspects of the application. In addition, Public Interactive is working to develop some of the most cutting-edge moderation tools in the industry to ensure the quality of the conversations. This level of quality will allow Public Action to be one of the strongest gateways to compelling discourse on the Internet.

About Public Interactive® Public Interactive is public broadcasting's leading technology provider, offering a growing suite of Web-based tools and services with 153 subscribing stations that collectively operate over 300 public radio and television stations. Leveraging the on-air reach and the information and education activities of public radio and television stations, Public Interactive provides plug-and-play modules that enable stations to offer rich websites at minimal cost and to undertake their own online initiatives. Public Interactive's unique station-centric approach keeps stations at the forefront of their Web visitors' online experience, which positions the station as the principle source for outstanding Web content and reinforces the local station brand. Public Interactive is committed to building and supporting a universal technology infrastructure branded at the local level.

About Omidyar Network Omidyar Network is a mission-based investment group committed to fostering individual self-empowerment on a global scale. Established in June 2004 by Pierre and Pam Omidyar, the Network is founded on the simple core belief that every individual has the power to make a difference. The Network funds for-profits and nonprofits that promote equal access to information, tools, and opportunities; rich connections around shared interests; and a sense of ownership for participants. To date, Omidyar Network has created a diverse portfolio that fosters individual self-empowerment across the economic, political and social realms, with investments in areas such as microfinance, citizen journalism, open source and transparency in government. Through its work, Omidyar Network intends to catalyze a new breed of business for which social impact directly drives profitability. To learn more about Omidyar Network and the organizations it has funded, please visit http://www.omidyar.net.

About Public Radio International® PRI is public radio's leading source for innovative programming and audio content. The Minneapolis-based network provides over 400 hours of programming each week, content that is broadcast and streamed online by its 745 public radio station affiliates nationwide, which reach 32 million listeners each week. PRI owns Public Interactive LLC, public broadcasting's leading Web services company. PRI is also the managing partner of the satellite radio company American Public Radio LLC, established with Chicago Public Radio®, WGBH Radio Boston and WNYC, New York Public Radio®. PRI's cultural programming is available via XM Public Radio. Its news and information programming is available via Sirius Satellite Radio. For more information on PRI and its programs, visit the PRI website at pri.org.

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Contact: Public Interactive, Inc.