$100,000
2022 • 1 year
Free Press is a media and platform advocacy and research organization that works on free and open Internet, privacy and surveillance, accountable media ownership, and the future of journalism. It advocates for an equitable and just media system that fosters a free flow of information, individual protections, racial justice, and engagement in public life. The Media Power Collaborative (MPC), a project of Free Press’ journalism work, is an organizing space for journalists, newsroom leaders, media workers, civic activists, and allied researchers to build a shared analysis and policy proposals for the future of journalism. The goal of this work is to build a broad coalition of journalism and civic engagement groups that can help to promote public policies and public funding for a stronger and more sustainable local news ecosystem.
$500,000
2022 • 2 years • Journalism & Media
Free Press is a nonprofit policy advocacy organization focused on developing a more diverse and public interest-oriented media ecosystem in the United States. This includes working toward equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and strong public and community media. A central focus of its mission is to curb dangerous mis- and disinformation and hateful activities online and over the airwaves, working directly with media and platform companies to improve their policies, holding them accountable via public pressure campaigns, and developing and analyzing public interest policies. Last year, Free Press was invited to serve as the policy lead for the Disinfo Defense League (DDL), a coalition of 200 grassroots advocates, civil rights leaders and researchers working to combat disinformation, especially in communities of color. This general operating support grant enables Free Press to continue its work to strengthen local media, advocate for greater diversity in media ownership, and push for broadband access for all while growing its efforts to combat disinformation and hate speech online and contribute to a grassroots movement for a safer, more inclusive internet.