Each year, the Knight Foundation gathers funders from across the country to talk about why and how they—especially those at community and place-based foundations—can contribute to stronger local news ecosystems. The agenda for this year’s Knight Media Forum offers rich examples of collaborations and experiments rooted in place.

We used this webinar as an opportunity for those attending KMF—or for those who can’t but wish they could—to make connections with one another in advance of the conference and to meet (virtually) a few forum presenters using ecosystem-building approaches.

Speakers:

  • Jennifer Preston, Vice President of Journalism at the Knight Foundation, will offer a preview of this year’s Knight Media Forum and the foundation’s latest investments in local news.
  • Andrew Conte, Director of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University, will share updates on the Bridge Pittsburgh Media Partnership.
  • Melissa Milios Davis of the Gates Family Foundation and Nancy Watzman, acting director of the Colorado Media Project, will talk about the foundation’s efforts to scan, engage and build on the state’s local news ecosystem.
  • Katy Locker, Detroit director for the Knight Foundation, will share lessons from the partnership with Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Ford Foundation on the Detroit Journalism Engagement Fund.

The Knight Media Forum begins Tuesday, Feb. 26. Watch the livestream. 

About the Author
Media Impact Funders

Media Impact Funders

Contact us

Media Impact Funders traces its roots back to the Council on Foundations, a longtime philanthropy-serving organization. Formerly Grantmakers in Film, Video & Television, MIF began on a volunteer basis in 1984 as an affinity group for funders interested in the power of film to highlight social issues. Reflecting changes in technology and media behavior over the past decade, it was renamed Grantmakers in Film & Electronic Media (GFEM) and formally incorporated in 2008 to advance the field of media arts and public interest media funding. It had 45 members and was headed by former MacArthur Foundation Program Officer Alyce Myatt. GFEM was renamed Media Impact Funders in 2012 and has since expanded its strategy to include a broad range media funding interests such as journalism, immersive technologies, media policy and more. Since that time, MIF has grown to more than 80 organizational members representing some of the largest foundations, and holds more than 40 in-person and online events yearly.