Press Forward and public media: You won’t like what they’re saying about us

A few months ago, I wrote a commentary for Current, the public broadcasting trade publication, decrying the lack of awareness in public media about Press Forward, the $500 million foundation effort to reinvigorate local news.

That’s changed, fortunately: NPR has published a white paper, the Public Radio Program Directors association held a panel at its content conference in September, stations are preparing pitches. Lots of folks are thinking about how to get what they perceive to be their fair share of that money.

The foundation leaders have noticed. They’re talking about public media. And my friends around the system won’t like what’s being said.

Current published my follow-up commentary here — in which I argue that public broadcasters are talking about the wrong kind of projects, and are generally ignoring what the Press Forward consortium says it wants.

Hopeless? Maybe. But there are three clear steps stations can take — now — to better position themselves.

It starts with understanding that serving a tiny portion of your market (and the wealthiest, whitest portion of your market) isn’t going to work.

(If you’re a station leader who wants to talk more — or simply wants to tell me why you think I’m wrong — email me.)