Day 2 of JFunders24 was focused on funder-only discussions, some meant to expand funders’ understanding of journalism grantmaking—such as a session unpacking the mechanics of for-profit grantmaking—and others that were meant to explore opportunities for support in areas such as legal threats, digital and physical safety and security, the backlash against racial equity, and more.
But before we kicked off those conversations, we heard a few mainstage presentations about solutions to paywalls, policy action benefiting community and ethnic media in San Francisco, tech platforms enabling more authentic storytelling, and how data uncovered hidden narratives for Black Californians.
We also heard this unbelievably powerful story:
In August 2023, the Marion County Record, a small Kansas newspaper, made national headlines after a controversial police raid in which authorities seized newsroom equipment and documents from the office and homes of Publisher Eric Meyer and his mother, co-owner Joan Meyer. Shocked by the invasion, Joan died the next day. While the paper was cleared of wrongdoing, the raid prompted widespread criticism as an attack on press freedom. On the morning of Day 2, we heard this powerful account first-hand from Eric, in conversation with Sandy Herz, former MIF board member, and its serious implications for press freedom. Later in the day, funders received state-specific guidance from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) on how journalists can navigate legal challenges.
Stay tuned as we continue to process takeaways from our Day 2 sessions! In the meantime, you can watch all of the mainstage recordings here. And don’t forget to read the takeaways from MIF Executive Director Vince Stehle.
