Media Content

Media Issues

GFEM is an advocate to our grantmaker colleagues, encouraging them to fund innovative media arts and public interest media—through support of content, infrastructure, and policy—as a vital form of cultural expression and essential component of our democracy. Whether providing support for documentary or narrative films, or efforts to close the national or international “digital divide,” or supporting advocacy and educational organizations to keep the Internet unrestricted, or highlighting media advancements being made in developing countries, or the evolving media policies in developed nations-GFEM’s aim is to provide small and large funders alike with information to assist them in making decisions about supporting the interconnected areas of media content, infrastructure and policy.

Content

A television program or film puts a face on an issue. A radio news feature or documentary brings a tangible reality to recited facts. Video streamed on a website underscores issues presented in plain text and can move people to action. Whether the content is targeted to public or commercial media outlets, funders need a working understanding of the entire media landscape in order to be most effective in their grantmaking. View Content articles

Infrastructure

A high-speed, unfettered Internet, community-based media arts organizations, PBS, NPR, Public/Educational/Government (PEG) public access stations, or mobile phones are all a part of our media infrastructure—GFEM provides funders with information to help them in supporting media infrastructure, whether local, national, or international. View Infrastructure articles

Policy

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. View Policy articles

Net Neutrality: Wishing We Were All on the Same Team

[Source: Save the Internet, by Joseph Torres; March 23, 2010]We are witnessing a critical moment in U.S. history that comes once in a lifetime.

John Wells Warns of Media Consolidation in Testimony about Comcast-NBC Deal

[Source: Los Angeles Times: Company Town, by Joe Flint; March 11, 2010]

Big Cable Loses in Court

[Source: Free Press; March 12, 2010]

Broadband Plan Sketches Competition Policy

[Source: Public Knowledge, by Art Brodsky, March 16, 2010]The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) shipped off to Congress a 376-page National Broadband Plan earlier today, and yet some of the ...

Why America Needs a National Broadband Plan

[Source: Business Week, by John Chambers; March 16, 2010]

FCC Adopts Joint Statement on Broadband

[Source: Benton Foundation; March 16, 2010]After unveiling the National Broadband Plan, Federal Communications Commission members approved - by a 5-0 vote - a Joint Statement on Broadband which ...

FCC Seeks Comment on Comcast-NBC Universal Deal

[Source: Benton Foundation; March 18, 2010]

Internet Access Ignites the Blogosphere

[Source: Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism]

Day 1 of the National Broadband Plan

[Source: Benton Foundation, by Charles Benton, March 16, 2010]
For weeks, the National Broadband Plan team at the Federal Communications Commission has operated under a clock counting down the days to today. But

After 10 Years, Federal Money for Technology in Education

[Source: The New York Times, by Elizabeth Jensen, January 24, 2010]
More than a decade ago, Lawrence K. Grossman, former president of both NBC News and PBS, and Newton N. Minow, the former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, were asked by several ...