WATCH: “Philly DA” offers a compelling close-up of criminal justice reform

Earlier this month, Philadelphia’s reform-oriented District Attorney Larry Krasner cruised to a landslide victory in his bid for re-election, consolidating power behind his efforts to remake the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania’s largest city. For anyone interested in understanding how Krasner was able to gain that position and wield the power of that office, we have a remarkable account of his journey in "Philly DA," an eight-part PBS documentary series. The series debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, was originally broadcast in April nationally, and is going to be rebroadcast in some locations over the next couple weeks. In the meantime, viewers can watch anywhere on the PBS platform. Read More

How can philanthropy invest in a more equitable technology sector as a means to combat some of the threats that Big Tech poses to democracy? Read More

This week, the Peabody Awards announced nine winners in the Documentary category, including Chasing Coral—the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning film that uses beautiful time-lapse imagery to document the world’s dying coral reefs—and Newtown—the gripping story of a community struggling to recover from the deadly mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. (You can view the full list of winners here.) Read More

October was jam-packed with events examining how media can inspire creativity and catalyze change. From audio to visual, campaigns to games, virtual war stories to life-threatening investigations, this month offered insights on the impact of many different media forms. Read More

Documentary films are at the forefront of the climate change debate, conveying powerful stories and images of environmental destruction that help viewers understand what’s at stake far better than most policy debates can. Media Impact Funders, The 11th Hour Project and Philanthropy New York convened a session to help funders learn more about how a trio of high-impact productions—Virunga, Gasland and Gasland Part II—are influencing viewers, shaping media coverage, and moving policymakers to action. MIF Executive Director Vince Stehle moderated the conversation, observing that documentaries have helped to both move viewers to action on environmental issues and to highlight the need for debate. He likened the discussion to a “master class” in different ways to evaluate related outcomes. Check out our live-stream of the event here: The video has some sounds issues, especially in the beginning. Below are timestamps indicating when specific speakers begin their presentations so you can navigate through more easily. Lauren Davis, Program Manager, 11th Hour Project – 12:20 Joanna Natasegara, Impact Producer, Virunga – 37:00 Orlando von Einsiedel, Director, Virunga – 20:10 Diana Barrett, Founder and President, Fledgling Fund – 1:27:20 John Johnson, Founder and Executive Director, Harmony Institute –… Read More

‘Social good’ games can do so much — from teaching players about issues such as poverty, civic participation and the environment, to helping them become creative problem solvers or make healthy choices. The opportunities to engage audiences are as varied as the types of games available, and funders are increasingly interested in supporting game-based elements in their work. On February 25, Media Impact Funders and Philanthropy New York presented a special preview session of the annual Games for Change conference to learn about how game developers and funders are working together. This year, Games for Change has partnered with the Tribeca Film Festival (April 22-26), reflecting the increasing interconnection between film, games, and social issue campaigns. Media Impact Funders Executive Director Vince Stehle moderated this vibrant discussion — see  the Storify from the event for a sense of the in-person and online buzz. Afterwards, Stehle reflected further on how nonprofits use games to connect more viscerally with audiences in a column for the Chronicle of Philanthropy. “For grant makers and media makers alike,” he writes, “the power of games may be the deeper engagement they deliver.” During the event, we heard… Read More

Studios of WQXR and WNYC, 160 Varick Street, 8th Floor, NYC New York Grantmakers in the Arts, Philanthropy New York and Media Impact Funders came together for a discussion among arts funders about the role of digital media within the arts,  Read More

Media Impact Funders, The Atlantic Philanthropies and Philanthropy New York convened a funder gathering and livestream to discuss the acclaimed Ken Burns Film, The Central Park Five, on June 15, 2013. Read More