New evidence shows that documentary films can improve women’s and girls’ lives
By Kimberly Sevcik | Director, International Engagement, ITVS Many of us who work in media believe that social documentaries and storytelling can change hearts and minds and even behavior—and with the field’s growing emphasis on impact measurement, Independent Television Service (ITVS) set out to prove it.
Guidance on philanthropic funding of media and news
By the American Press Institute As nonprofit funding of news grows, what are the best practices for ensuring editorial independence?
Impact implications: Taking another look at the API nonprofit news ethics report
In a recent episode of Current‘s podcast “The Pub,” host Adam Ragusea called the implications of the American Press Institute’s recent report on the ethics of foundation-supported journalism “horrifying.” Are nearly half of funders investing in journalism only doing so to advance narrow policy goals? On closer read, Ragusea’s hot take on the topic not […]
American Press Institute report: The nonprofit news sector needs a code of ethics
The American Press Institute—an educational nonprofit that helps advance news media in the digital age—released a report last month that explores the ethical terrain of nonprofit journalism. “The ethics of taking grants from foundations and gifts from donors to produce news is still evolving and not without controversy,” the report reads.
Foundations and venture capitalists vie to reform funding for educational technology
The recent release of the 2016 National Education Technology Plan reflects a growing interest in supporting a national vision to “ensure equity of access to transformational learning experiences enabled by technology.”
Insights from an Impact Conversation Gone Global
On the one hand, President Obama dubbed this weekend’s historic climate change agreement in Paris “a turning point for the world.” On the other, it “didn’t save the planet,” according to environmental activist Bill McKibben. However, “it may have saved the chance of saving the planet.” Either way, there’s much more to be said and […]
To Strengthen Democracy in America, Think Tech
By Micah L. Sifrey | originally posted on PhilanTopic.
A decade-and-a-half into the digital century, the vast majority of large foundations concerned with strengthening American democracy don’t seem to get tech. According to the new Foundation Funding for U.S. Democracy tool recently launched by Foundation Center, out of a total of 18,446 grants awarded since 2011 by more than 1,300 funders focused on the broad range of issues and efforts related to democracy, just 962 have been focused on technology.
Media Impact Funders Survey Reveals Varied Perspectives on Impact Assessment
PARK CITY, Utah — When media funders talk about impact, what do they mean, and how do they demonstrate it? At the Sundance Film Festival, Media Impact Funders (MIF) released a new report, Funder Perspectives: Assessing Media Investments. It explores the multiple and sometimes overlapping lenses through which grantmakers view media evaluation, and confirms that […]
Three Approaches to Assessing News Impact at ONA14
Tracking the impact of journalism is a bit like reporting a story. The first facts to establish on the ground are “Who, what, where, when?” — and even that’s not always easy. “How?” and “Why?” take quite a bit more digging, and the deadline pressure is always on. The hardest question to answer at all […]