Latest revision as of 18:27, 13 August 2013

This wiki page is a companion to a web discussion forum at the Annenberg Public Policy Center website. If you haven't already done so, start there. The wiki is inspired by the essay: "Save American Journalism"and the report: [hhttp://mopress.com/_lib/files/Overholser_Manifestor_for_Change.pdf "On Behalf of Journalism: A Manifesto for Change,"] of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, both by Geneva Overholser.

DOWNLOAD AND READ THE MANIFESTO (pdf)
AN UPDATE OF THE MANIFESTO

Also: Geneva Overholser on journalistic objectivity.

What to do

• General comments about the "Manifesto for Change" are best posted within the Anneberg forum.
• On the other hand, if you have comments about a specific change proposal, you can use this wiki to, in effect, attach your observations, links or resource suggestions to that specific proposal.

How it works

I. Corporate realities:

Enable corporate managers to focus on longer-term goals

• Elect board members for longer terms
• Change incentives for investors
• Impose punitive taxes on short-term stock trading
• Provide tax forgiveness on long-term holding

Bring a greater sense of responsibility to corporate governance of media companies

• Appoint directors with journalism experience
• Assign responsibility to board members to monitor editorial performance
• Tie incentive compensation for corporate officers to journalistic quality
• Discontinue stock options for newsroom staff and outside directors

Enable shareholders to exert pressure for corporate responsibility

• Bring concept of socially responsible investing to media companies

Conduct research showing links between good journalism and good business

• Make corporate officers aware of findings

Consider units within media companies dedicated to public-interest journalism

• Sheltered from normal profit pressures
• Portion of online revenues devoted to this purpose

Establish partnership for quality journalism

• Supported by funds from media companies
• Supported by foundations, nonprofits

Take public companies private

• Interest local citizens in these still highly profitable media enterprises
• Get nonprofits involved

II. Not-for-profit media

Establish “Marshall Plan” by foundations and philanthropists

• Increase support for nonprofit media organizations
• Foster new nonprofit media models

III. Journalists’ responsibilities

A. Objectivity

• Replace with process of verification

B. Accountability

• Strengthen through collaboration
• Create networks to enhance effectiveness
• Enhance transparency through use of e-mails, editors’ columns, etc.
• Media outlets conduct annual self-audits and make results public

C. Professionalization

• Institutionalize apprenticeships
• News organizations collaborate to support standards for journalists
• Establish independent council to track, promote, define independent news function in U.S.
• Emulate national board for teacher certification to provide credential
• Work to ensure that journalism graduate degrees achieve cachet of MBA

IV. Speaking out for journalism

• Journalists should assume a responsibility for speaking out on behalf of viable and independent media as individuals and through organizations
• Focus on freedom of information not as media privilege but as public right
• Produce radio/television shows whose segments focus on reporting
• Consider advertising/public-relations campaigns on behalf of journalism
• Journalism educators join forces to speak out for journalism (gather leaders of journalism organizations, foundations, universities and other institutions to form a coalition in support of public service journalism and freedom of the press)

V. The role of government

• Pass tax legislation to enable news companies to be organized as nonprofit, tax-exempt corporations
• Devote funds to be gained from government auction of publicly owned telecommunications spectrum to the provision of educational material in digital media
• Provide tax breaks for ethnic media and other under-heard voices
• Consider government-sponsored search engine

VI. The role of the public

• Pressure colleges to require civics education
• Push for more courses in news literacy, First Amendment
• Support news media in schools
• Expand Sunshine Week activities, move from annual to greater frequency
• Create and distribute field guides for news consumers

VII. New forms of media

• Encourage entrepreneurship in new delivery platforms
• Train new-media practitioners in old-media principles
• Provide tutorials for citizens in gathering and shaping news
• Create wire service of ethnic media to strengthen disparate voices