• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, September 24, 2015

Public media powerhouse WGBH, which produces educational and documentary programming, including the long-running science series NOVA, is acquiring GlobalPost, an online news Web site that posts content from around the world.

Under the terms of the deal, GlobalPost’s editorial resources will be integrated with Public Radio International, an affiliate company of WGBH.  

The deal will boost PRI’s reporting and content production capabilities across a range of platforms, including radio, podcast, Web, and mobile channels. The new editorial resources will contribute content to PRI’s “The World,” a weekly round up of news from around the globe co-produced with WGBH and the BBC World Service and the PRI.org Web site.

GlobalPost was founded in 2009 with the explicit mission of raising awareness of international news and addressing key social, economic, and cultural topics in an era of relentless globalization.

Last year GlobalPost CEO Phil Balboni revealed that the news startup was contending with financial obstacles on the road to profitability. The company originally pursued a business model based on selling ads that appear on its Web site and syndicating its work to mainstream news outlets.

In 2013, for example, NBC News struck an agreement to integrate GlobalPost content into its digital platforms, including NBCNews.com and msnbc.com. But Balboni said the news org was relying more on funding from foundations to sponsor its work.

At the time Balboni told USA Today: “The only thing wrong with journalism today is the revenue equation. Until it sorts itself out, it’s going to be difficult for journalism entities to be very successful financially.