Because of its importance to the Overbrook mission and to the missions of its grantees, the Foundation supports efforts that protect the centrality of media in the democratic process and explore the evolving relationship of new and traditional media to our human rights and environment programs.
Below is a list of the Foundation’s 2013 human rights program grantees through its media portfolio.
Free PressGeneral Operating Support - $45,000 (first payment of a two-year grant)Free Press aims to bring about fundamental, lasting changes to the U.S. media system that will promote and protect democracy, civil liberties and human rights. It is building a powerful nationwide movement to change media and technology policies, promote the public interest and strengthen democracy. Free Press advocates for universal and affordable Internet access, diverse media ownership, vibrant public media and quality journalism. |
Mother JonesGeneral Operating Support - $20,000First published in 1976, Mother Jones aims to produce revelatory journalism that informs and inspires a more just and democratic world. Covering a wide range of topics on both MotherJones.com and in a bimonthly print magazine, this nonprofit news organization specializes in investigative, political, social justice, and environmental reporting. Mother Jones will continue and deepen its coverage of domestic social and political issues using a human rights lens, as well as look into the insidious impact of Dark Money in politics. Its work, presented in a multitude of media platforms, will include reporting on: the impact of rising sea levels at home and abroad; the systematic shuttering of women’s health clinics and implications for low-income women and families; human rights challenges of guest-worker programs; Dark Money’s influence on the judiciary; and many more topics. |
New America MediaDocumenting Stories of Women Immigrants – $30,000New America Media, a national news and communications agency founded in 1996 by the nonprofit Pacific News Service, has developed the first and largest collaboration of ethnic news media in the US. Its goal is to bring the stories and voices of ethnic media and the communities they serve to a wider audience and to expand the capacity of the ethnic media sector to inform and engage their audiences on vital issues of public policy and social justice. Through this project, New America Media will support a collaboration among national ethnic media documenting the struggles of women immigrants — now half of all immigrants in the US and worldwide — for basic human rights. In a year which could mark a turning point for comprehensive immigration reform in our country, the project aims to provide a gender lens to the debate by spotlighting where and how women migrants increasingly bear the brunt of the backlash against newcomers. |
WNYC RadioOn the Media - $40,000 (first payment of a two-year grant)Produced by WNYC and distributed by National Public Radio, On the Media is the Peabody Awardwinning weekly program that helps audiences think critically about the news they consume. On each hour-long episode, hosts Brooke Gladstone and Bob Garfield use interviews, reported pieces, conversations with reporters, and commentary to look at current events and how the media is covering them. One million weekly listeners access the program through broadcasts and streaming, while an additional 500,000 listen on-demand or via podcast each month. While the specific content of each episode will be determined by current events of the week, On the Media will pay particular attention to the intersections of media and politics, freedom of speech and other media issues around the world, technology and privacy, and media representations of social issues such as marriage equality and women’s rights. |