Media Policy

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Restrictive media policies can curtail access to the content we do have through the infrastructure we currently have in place. There are clear roles for funders to play in helping to address media policy issues and GFEM works to keep funders abreast of the constantly shifting media policy environment.

The Media Policy Working Group (MPWG) was created to raise awareness and build knowledge about key issues in media policy within the broader philanthropic community. Our aim is to engage and educate grantmakers across fields about the ever-changing media policy and communications policy landscape, as well as foster collaboration among interested donors in support of targeted activities to help advance the media policy field. MPWG activities include a quarterly teleconference and periodic phone briefings on timely issues in addition to quarterly updates in the GFEM newsletter. MPWG also partners with other funder affinity groups to organize media policy-related sessions at national gatherings. Membership is open to grantmakers working in and outside the U.S. with an interest in learning and sharing grantmaking experiences about media policy in the public interest. If you would like to join the MPWG please contact jperlstein (at) gfem (dot) org.

Public access TV and the trend towards "state-level" franchises

This month's issue of Governing Magazine features an excellent and accessible article about the impact of telephone and cable company-funded state franchising on public access TV:

The Digital Broadband Migration: Information Policy for the Next Administration

Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 12:00am - Monday, February 11, 2008 - 12:00am
Boulder, CO

Keeping Free Speech Alive: NYC Cable Franchise Forum

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 7:00pm
537 West 59th Street, NYC

FCC's Media Ownership Vote Ignites Public, Congressional Firestorm

On December 18th, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin pushed through a 3-2 party line vote to allow greater media consolidation in cities across the country. But the Commission's action has lit a fire under ...

Q&A: Chester Writes the Book on Privacy

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By Wendy Melillo, December 11, 2007[Source: adweek.com] WASHINGTON, As advertisers unleash powerful new tools that allow them to target ads based on age, gender, political views or taste in ...

INSIDE THE FCC: What You Should Know

By: Mark N. Cooper, Director of Research, Consumer Federation of America The public has become used to the fact that the end of the year brings a flurry of activity in Congress these days, but a ...

New Media Policy Working Group Program Coordinator for GFEM

GFEM is pleased to announce that Jeff Perlstein has come on board as our new program coordinator for the Media Policy Working Group. He is replacing Lynn Stern who has taken a full-time position ...

Digital Communications at a Crossroads

Promoting Social Justice, Democratic Participation and Youth Civic Engagement in the Broadband EraBy: Jeff Chester, Center for Digital DemocracyKathryn Montgomery, Ph.D., American University ...

Rockwood Leadership Program 2008 Fellowship in Media, Communications, and Information Policy

The Fellowship, launched in 2006 as a three-year initiative, is a community learning process for leaders, based on Gandhi’s idea that "We must be the change we want to see in the ...

Dramatic Decline in Black-Owned Stations

On November 27, 2007, Free Press released Out of the Picture 2007, an updated analysis of the impact of consolidation on minority and female television station ownership.