Statement from the Executive Director

Written by Deepa Fernandes Wednesday, 01 April 2009 14:33

People's Production House is adapting to the new economy by transitioning to a more sustainable business model with multiple sources of revenue. We are excited about the long-term value of our expertise in journalism and media education and we believe people will pay for it. We see a bright future in the growing recognition, including from the Obama administration, that media education is a critical piece of a healthy digital ecology. And we remain committed to our social justice mission, which will continue to make us attractive to many foundations.

People's Production House has a record of success: Since we launched in 2000, we have filed nearly one thousand radio reports that have aired locally, nationally and internationally. Through our nonprofit participatory journalism model, we have trained hundreds of journalists who have redefined the field. We have pioneered an expansion of media literacy that includes comprehension, production, and policy based on a broad vision of participatory media.

Today, we are facing the same harsh reality that our colleagues in the fields of journalism and nonprofit media education also face: a contraction in funding. Like many of our peers who have been blessed with foundation grants, we are grappling with our funders' sudden loss in assets and subsequent decline in giving. While we did not anticipate how rapidly we would have to implement our new business model, we have been preparing for some time to develop more fee-for-service revenue and more grassroots donations.

In April, People's Production House will launch a fee-based training module geared towards aspiring journalists, social justice and worker organizations looking to use journalism in their campaigns, and experienced journalists seeking new digital media skills. We will be launching a new sustainer campaign. We are currently seeking partnerships to apply for newly-available federal funding. We are strengthening our existing collaborations and embarking on new ones to reduce costs and maximize the value of our resources. In short, we are relying on our strengths to see us through this challenge.

Our work is needed now more than ever. Our model of participatory journalism – engaging people who are underrepresented in the media to report on their communities – is uniquely suited to covering the widespread impacts of the new economy. And we have new political opportunities that make it crucial that we articulate our positive visions, something for which participatory journalism is also ideal. We cannot do this alone, however. We need new collaborators, new promoters, and new donors. If you want to be a part of the new People's Production House, please contact us.

Sincerely,

Deepa Fernandes

Deepa Fernandes was just picked as one of the innovators to watch for 2009 by Colorlines magazine. See her on the cover of the Jan/Feb issue and read the story. Click here to view the article on the 'Colorlines' website, or download the pdf.

Deepa was also recently awarded the prestigious Frederick Douglas News Prize for her journalism work and the work of PPH by the North Star Fund.