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Free Press Assisgnment 6

TC210 Group Members: Ricky Whidby, Brandon Banks, Ashley Mcclellan, Elaina Wilson

The Free Press organization is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit working to the media through policy reform. Through the use of education, organizing and advocacy, their mission is to promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media, quality journalism and universal access to communications.

Creation

The Free Press was launched in late 2002 by media scholar Robert W. McChesney and Josh Silver who is their present president and CEO. Today, The Free Press is noted as the largest media reform organization in the United States, with nearly half-a-million activists and members and a full-time staff of more than 30 based in offices in Washington, D.C., and Florence, Mass.

Outreach & Issues

Free Press also has an advocacy arm, the Free Press Action Fund, and since both are nonprofit organizations they rely on the support of their members to help them tackle issues such as Media Ownership and the ongoing trend of Media Consolidation; gathering support for public and independent media outlets; fighting to keep a open Internet with issues such as Net Neutrality, The National Broadband Policy, and community Internet; maintaining high standards of journalism; Civil Rights & Media Justice through encouragement of media ownership diversity, protecting free and open Internet, closing the digital divide, and holding media companies accountable; and building support for their cause. Here are short descriptions of how what the Free Press is doing to combat these issues.

Media Consolidation

The Free Press has advocated against the practice of large media corporations gaining large market share by taking over more and more local media outlets. Their campaign StopBigMedia.com provides up to date information on developments, research, and efforts to stop media consolidation as well as gives vistors a chance to donate or get involved in the cause.

Public Media

Public Media includes Low Power FM, Public access TV, Independent publications, Satellite TV, and the Internet. These type of media are constantly under threat & are chronically underfunded. Franchise laws for cable and increasing postal rates threaten to eliminate local public access channels and independent publications. The Free Press aims to create a permanent, independent funding mechanism that does not rely on annual government appropriations and change the governance structure of the Corporation for public Broadcasting (CPR).

The Future of the Internet

The Free Press continues to be at the forefront of issues affecting the future of the internet including Net Neutrality, the National Broadband Policy & Community Internet. Their campaign SaveTheInternet.com educates it vistors by providing up to date information of new developments and issues affecting how we use and access the internet.

Quality Journalism

The issue of Quality Journalism has never been more prevalent today's society. With the recent abundance of recent major media events such as Libya, the Japan crisis, and the ongoing economic crisis in the United States the need for accurate and quality reporting. The Free Press argues without proper funding, the quality and quantity of journalists will suffer dramatically. To bring light to these issues the Free Press have released an report, Saving The News: Toward a National Journalism Strategy and launched SaveTheNews.org to develop and discuss to address the journalism crisis.

Civil Rights & Media Justice

The Free Press argues that the mainstream media lacks opinion, input, and production by diverse communities often resulting in stereotypical coverage and reports lacking vital information and viewpoints. Through education and policy they aim to encourage media diversity, protect the free and open internet, close the digital divide, and allow the public to hold media companies accountable for serving their communities. Coverage of the media diversity crisis can be found at StopBigMedia.com here.

Building A Media Reform Movement

The Free Press is working to create an media that informs & educates the American public, reflects the diversity in the United States, and serve the information needs of local communities while giving the public an active role in shaping future media policies. The Free Press provides supporters with the donate money, become an e-activist, get involved in their active campaigns, learn about media policy, sign up for newsletters, and gather resources, tips, & tools to help activist in their personal efforts for media reform.

Board of Directors

Current Members

Marcy Carsey

Carsey is the Co-Founder of the Carsey Werner Company, a television production company responsible for shows such as The Cobsy Show, Roseanne, 3rd Rock from the Sun and That 70's Show

Olga M. Davidson

Davidson is a visiting associate professor in the Middle Eastern Studies program at Wellesley College and also serves as chair of the board at the Ilex Foundation.

Kim Gandy

Gandy is currently the vice president and general counsel at the Feminist Majority and the Feminist Majority Foundation. Previously served president of the National Organization for Women (NOW) from 2001-2009.

Maxie C. Jackson III

Jackson serves as president and chief executive officer for the National Federation of Community Broadcasters and previously served as senior director for program development at New York Public Radio.

Robert W. McChesney

McChesney co-founded Free Press and the Free Press Action Fund along with Josh Silver in 2002. He is a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and author or editor of multiple books on media reform.

Liza Pike

Pike is the founder of Resource Media's California office and also serves on the board of the Center for Media Change.

Josh Silver

Silver co-founded Free Press and the Free Press Action Fund with Robert McChesney in 2002. He is also the CEO of Free Press, and president of the board of directors of the Free Press Action Fund.

Loris Ann Taylor

Taylor is executive director of Native Public Media, serves as a member of the Distribution and Interconnection Committee of the NPR board, and is active in the Aspen Institute's Communications and Society program.