Session 1
  • Resourcing Voices From Around the World

    We’ll start the day with an expert panel of funders and media makers who will help orient us to the questions and issues we’ll explore throughout the day: What is authentic storytelling? What are the best examples of effective philanthropic support? Our speakers will showcase powerful examples of resourcing and sustaining voices and stories of justice from around the world, raising our awareness of the different approaches philanthropy can pursue to support equal justice.

    Speakers

    • Cristi Hegranes, CEO & Publisher, Global Press
    • Khadija Patel, Head of Programs, International Fund for Public Interest Media
    • Ivan Sigal, Executive Director, Global Voices
    • Alex Jakana, Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Member of the Media Impact Funders Board of Directors (moderator)

10-Minute Research Spotlight

The science behind decision making, negotiations and conflict

Julia Minson, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a Civic Science Fellow at the Shorenstein Center, is a decision scientist whose research addresses the “psychology of disagreement”: How do people engage with opinions, judgments and decisions that are different from our own? Julia, a native of Russia, is partnering on an international initiative, mail2RU, to send anti-war messaging and independent news to the people of Russia.

Session 2
  • Engaging Affected Communities With "The Territory"

    The National Geographic film "The Territory" is a powerful example of engaging communities affected by climate change and stolen land in the media making process. We'll hear from the film team and one of the film's funders.

    Speakers

    • Marianna Olinger, Lead Impact Producer, “The Territory”
    • Alex Pritz, Director, “The Territory”
    • Txai Suruí, Executive Producer, “The Territory”
    • Felipe Estefan, Vice President, Luminate (moderator)
Session 3
  • Uncovering Hidden Truths with Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen

    In 2021, former Facebook data scientist Frances Haugen disclosed thousands of internal documents to lawmakers and regulators, sparking allegations that Facebook intentionally placed profit over the public good. This conversation will explore the social consequences of algorithms that push misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.

    Speakers

    • Frances Haugen, Former Facebook Data Scientist
    • Rashad Robinson, President, Color of Change
    • Sam Gill, President and CEO, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (moderator)

A Brief Update on the Latest Effort to Subsidize Journalism

Steve Waldman, Co-Founder and President of Report for America and Founder and Chair of the Rebuild Local News Coalition, will share the latest developments on the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, a bill that would provide Americans with a five-year credit of up to $250 annually to subscribe or donate to local news outlets.

Session 4
  • Breakout Session & Networking

    You can choose between a breakout session or networking. Storytelling impact, or snacks—you decide.

    Story to drive lasting change: A look at the Florida Wildlife Corridor 

    Join us on the second floor conference center for a deep look at how funders can support compelling and well-designed stories that lead to lasting, observable change. We’ll deconstruct Florida’s successful effort to drive publicly funded conservation, and share four research-based principles that you can bring to your next project. 

    Featuring:

    • Vanessa Serrao, Executive Producer and Creative Director of Impact Media at National Geographic Society 
    • Ann Searight, director of the UF Center for Public Interest Communications and clinical professor of public relations
    • Matt Sheehan, managing director of the UF Center for Public Interest Communications and senior lecturer of journalism

    Want to hang out and chat with your colleagues instead? Head to the cafeteria—we’ve got you covered with snacks and drinks.

12:30—NETWORKING LUNCH

Grab a bite to eat and connect with the friends and colleagues you haven’t seen in two years!

(75 Minutes)

Session 5
  • A Focus on Storytelling with the Chicago Community Trust

    More community foundations are recognizing the importance of public-interest media as a critical ingredient in building and sustaining healthy communities. We'll spotlight efforts by the Chicago Community Trust to support local journalism and storytelling platforms authentic to and anchored within Chicago’s Black and Latinx communities.

    Speakers

    • Daniel Ash, Associate Vice President of Community Impact, Chicago Community Trust
Session 6
  • Reframing, Reclaiming and Preserving Black Narratives

    Storytellers, curators and archivists are all working to reshape narratives around the Black experience.

    Speakers

    • Kamau Sadiki, Past President of the National Association of Black Scuba Divers and lead diving instructor for Diving with a Purpose—the team that identified the Clotilda, the last-known ship to bring slaves from Africa to the United States.
    • Angela J. Ford, Executive Director, Obsidian Collection—a resource hub for Black journalists and media organizations
    • Mary Elliott, Curator, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
    • Tara Roberts, National Geographic Explorer and Storyteller (moderator)

10-Minute Research Spotlight

Media impact research

University of Southern California’s Norman Lear Center Managing Director Johanna Blakley will share the organization’s overall approach to media impact research. Norman Lear’s research focuses on understanding the content of media narratives, the audiences who consume them, and their impact on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.

Session 7
  • Breakout Session & Networking

    You can choose between a breakout session featuring two short presentations, or networking. Measuring the impact of journalism, or snacks—you decide.

    What Works in Science Journalism? Best Practices for Maximizing Impact

    Norman Lear Center Director of Research Erica Rosenthal will discuss preliminary findings from a study of “what works” in science journalism, supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Drawing from interviews with journalists and climate communication experts, along with a landscape analysis describing the state of the field of science journalism, she will present 10 emerging best practices for maximizing the impact of science reporting. The goal of this research, which is still ongoing, is to inform future investments in science journalism. Next steps include an analysis of the prevalence of the identified best practices in stories produced through an HHMI-funded climate journalism initiative and the relationships between these best practices and social media reach and engagement.

    Overview of The Guardian’s journalism impact toolkit

    The Guardian has developed a robust suite of tools to measure impact and gain insights about philanthropically supported journalism. In this presentation, Rachel White—Executive Vice President of Philanthropic & Strategic Partnerships at Guardian News & Media—will offer an overview of the Guardian’s impact toolkit, offer three brief case studies of how impact measurement tools were deployed for specific editorial projects, and will bring particular focus to the role of social listening tools.


    Want to hang out and chat with your colleagues instead? Head to the cafeteria—we’ve got you covered with snacks and drinks.

Session 8
  • Stories for Justice: A Multiyear Storytelling Initiative

    As storytelling about the criminal justice system surged in recent years, ITVS (the largest funder of independent documentary film for public television) and its Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary series Independent Lens built Stories for Justice, a multiyear strategy to spark community conversations and boost the work of those on the front lines of justice reform. Now in its second full year of operation, Stories for Justice is a 5-7 year, $15-20 million initiative supported by funders such as Ford, MacArthur, Wyncote, Park, and public media.

    Speakers

    • Grace Anglin, ITVS Director of Research and Evaluation, A 10+ year veteran of evaluation focused on equity in health and social services
    • Angela Tucker, Producer of “Belly of the Beast”
    • Noland Walker, ITVS VP of Content, co-curator of Independent Lens, executive producer of the forthcoming Stories for Justice docuseries The Dallas Project and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 
    • Lolly Bowean, Program Officer, Creativity and Free Expression, Ford Foundation (moderator)

5-6 p.m.—COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Stick around after the closing plenary and join us for a drink!