public media
Public Media: Still on the Chopping Block
Last November Free Press released On the Chopping Block: State Budget Battles and the Future of Public Media, an inventory of dramatic state-level funding cuts to public broadcasting. Our report, co-authored by Josh Stearns and Mike Soha, documents how state support for public broadcasting has plunged since the economy took a nosedive in 2008. What’s more, the report notes that politics — not financial considerations — have driven much of this budget cutting.
Public Broadcasters Bear More Than Their Fair Share
Many have argued that in these tough economic times everyone should share the pain of budget cuts. Yet our recent report on state funding of public broadcasting found that in many states public broadcasters are being forced to shoulder more than their fair share of the burden.
Toward a Journalism R&D Fund
This week the Knight Foundation announced three new board members and a new strategy regarding its journalism investments. The foundation, whose aim is to “help sustain democracy by leading journalism to its best possible future,” has been one of the leading funders of journalism projects and initiatives across longstanding media organizations and new news models. The new board members are all leading media thinkers who have a long history of putting innovative ideas into action.
Owning Our Airwaves: Tonight in Pittsburgh
Tonight in Pittsburgh people from around the city will come together at a public town hall to discuss the future of media and journalism. The event will be an opportunity for the people of Pittsburgh to speak directly to Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and FCC Commissioner Michael Copps about the state of local news.
This fall marks a critical moment for the future of our airwaves. The FCC is gearing up to review its media-ownership rules and faces massive industry pressure to remove the remaining public-interest protections and pave the way for more industry consolidation.
End the Big Broadcast Swindle
The FCC is reviewing its media ownership rules and needs to hear from you. Tell the FCC we need rules that serve the public, not big broadcasters.
Change the Channels
Check out the interactive map to see consolidating newsrooms near you.
