• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, December 8, 2011

Public broadcasting is taking a page from Madison Avenue and another from Silicon Valley and embracing a new form of Web-enabled ad technology that could well be called a "PSP," for public service platform. But the developers, Public Radio Exchange, with a $2.5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, aren't calling it that. They're calling it the Public Radio Exchange, but it nonetheless is borrowing some of the principles of the online ad technology industry's many acronyms such as DSPs -- but not commercialized, obviously.

"Modeled on mentorship-driven technology start-up incubators, the Public Media Accelerator aims to strengthen public media’s essential role in meeting community information needs across new platforms and devices," the developers said in their announcement this morning.

“Forty years ago, public broadcasting harnessed the technology of the time to engage audiences with high-quality content that was otherwise inaccessible,” added Public Radio Exchange CEO Jake Shapiro. “We are expanding this vital service to include today’s pervasive and participatory media, particularly mobile.”

The accelerator will invest in nonprofit and for-profit ventures that develop apps, services and media products extending the reach and deliver of public media.

"Successful projects will be showcased to additional funders and investors, and will receive support through a partner and sponsor network," the developers said.

The Public Media Accelerator will formally launch in March at the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) conference in Austin and will name a director and advisory board early next year.

For more information and updates visit: publicmediax.org or follow @publicmediax on Twitter.