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Minnesota Public Radio Launches Minnesota's Budget Shortfall Idea Generator

Go Online and Share Your Ideas for Fixing Minnesota's $4.8 Billion Budget Deficit

January 20, 2009

(St. Paul, Minn.) January 20, 2009—Minnesota Public Radio® today announced it is inviting audiences to propose and discuss ideas for resolving the State of Minnesota's projected $4.8 billion deficit with a Web 2.0 tool called the Minnesota Budget Shortfall Idea Generator. The Idea Generator is produced by American Public Media, the nation's second-largest producer and distributor of public radio programs and the parent organization for Minnesota Public Radio.

American Public Media's Idea Generators provide a collaborative space online for people to propose, research and rate solutions to social problems. Users can post an idea, comment on other people's ideas and see how others are responding to the submitted ideas. The aim is to generate fact-based discussion on important issues and surface new ideas, trends or knowledge for informing regional and national news coverage. American Public Media's other Idea Generators include: The Next Agenda, Health Care, Your Economy, and Preserving the American Dream.

Minnesota is currently facing a projected $4.8 billion deficit in the upcoming two-year budget cycle, one of the largest in state history. There is little doubt that spending cuts will be made in nearly every area of the budget, perhaps even in areas that may already be struggling with funding issues.

Lawmakers have their priorities. The Minnesota Budget Shortfall Idea Generator is a way for citizens to say what budget items they would cut or spare—and to influence Minnesota Public Radio's reporting on the state budget debate.

The Budget Shortfall Idea Generator can be found on Minnesota Public Radio's Web site (www.mpr.org). The tool also can be embedded as a widget on personal or professional Web pages.

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Press Contacts:
Christina Schmitt
Minnesota Public Radio
651-290-1449
cschmitt@mpr.org