1: Media and Democracy
Promote a diverse, democratic and competitive media that serve the public interest and provide avenues for expression of First
Amendment rights
Other Information:
The role of media is critical to informing and educating the public to ensure that the decisions we make are based on sound
information. At the Arca Foundation, we believe that existing media governance and structures contribute substantially to
the problem: the consolidation of ownership of television and radio, scaling back of local news content and control, the diminution
of investigative reporting and quality journalism, the increased dominance of telecommunications and broadcast industry money
in politics, the lack of tolerance and space for independent and diverse thought and dialogue. These and other issues related
to media have a tremendous and negative impact on public policy, civic participation, and governance. More needs to be done
to ensure a future in which media structures are open, content is diverse, new technologies are maximized, and civic participation
is enhanced. Since 2005, the Arca Foundation has supported a new strategic focus on media and democracy, comprising approximately
one third of our grantmaking. We fund projects to promote a diverse, democratic and competitive media that serve the public
interest and provide avenues for expression of First Amendment rights. Most recently, our grantmaking has focused on policy
and content projects: those that fit within a coordinated strategic plan for policy change, projects that create and distribute
alternative content, and projects that influence the content and approach of mainstream media.
Objective(s):
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