PASADENA—89.3 KPCC is joining a coalition of public radio stations, networks and independent producers to spark a global conversation on America's place in an increasingly interconnected world.

The week of special coverage, "Think Global," will air on KPCC and public radio stations across the country from May 16-22. Highlights will include documentaries, feature reports, an interactive web site, and a global call-in co-hosted by KPCC's Larry Mantle on Saturday, May 21.

Where we work, what we wear, what we eat, how we communicate—almost everything we do is part of a complex web of global interactions. How does that web work? Where do we fit in? This week of special coverage will help listeners connect the dots—locally, nationally and internationally.

KPCC will feature a series of reports by Rachael Myrow on issues affecting southern California's ports, a key link for the region to the global economy. On Saturday, May 21, from 11 am to 1 pm, KPCC's AirTalk Host Larry Mantle will co-host a global call-in program on globalization's winners and losers. Mantle will be joined by the BBC's Robin Lustig in London, and WBUR's Dick Gordon in Boston.

The station will feature a series of five one-hour documentaries each weeknight at 7 pm, including "Global 3.0" on Tuesday, May 17, with Robert Krulwich cutting through the jargon to show how globalization is transforming everyday life. Wednesday's documentary, "The Cost of Corruption," will focus on international efforts to combat corruption. Thursday's documentary, "China's World: Competing for Commerce," explores China's economic impact on three of its competitors.

A number of regular KPCC programs, including Marketplace, The World, and Talk of The Nation, will air special reports as part of the "Think Global" week.

More than 200 stations have signed up to produce and/or broadcast "Think Global" programs.

KPCC's web site, at www.kpcc.org, will provide in-depth information on all of the special programs the station is carrying, along with a link to the "Think Global" Web site at www.thinkglobal2005.orgwww.thinkglobal2005.org, which includes:

• Audio, text and images for each of the radio programs.
• Interactive elements produced by NetAid, a nonprofit organization that fights global poverty. Visitors can take part in quizzes, polls and multimedia activities, as well as find information on volunteering, curriculum plans and tips on how to communicate with leaders about globalization issues. The site can also be found at www.netaid.org/public-radio.
• A "Think Global Data Bank" of facts and quotes and an animated slide show of global images; operated by globalist.com, a daily online feature service about globalization.

Background

"Think Global" is the third Public Radio Collaboration uniting radio producers nationwide for special coverage around a theme. In November 2003, "Whose Democracy Is It?" included 34 hours of programming and aired on more than 230 public radio stations, reaching more than 24 million listeners. The first Collaboration, in September 2002, was "Understanding America after 9/11."

Major funding for "Think Global" is provided by The Ford Foundation, Surdna Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Programs are distributed by American Public Media and PRX, the Public Radio Exchange.

Stations and networks leading the effort include American Public Media, National Public Radio, Public Radio International, WNYC (New York) and KQED (San Francisco). International broadcasters including the BBC, Canada's CBC and Radio Netherlands also play major roles.

The project leaders are Executive Producer Bill Buzenberg, senior vice president for news at American Public Media; Project Director Betsy Gardella, former executive vice president and chief operating officer at WNYC; and Editorial Director Jonathan Miller, a veteran international journalist and a producer for radio documentary cooperative Homelands Productions.

KPCC is the flagship station of Southern California Public Radio. In the past three years KPCC has won more awards for excellence in journalism than any other radio station in Southern California. KPCC is also the fastest-growing public radio station in the country, airing the signature public radio news and talk programs from NPR, along with Air Talk with Larry Mantle weekdays from 10 a.m.- 12 Noon, and Talk of the City with Kitty Felde weekdays from 2-3 p.m. Visit www.kpcc.org for more information.