The Federal Communications Commission issued a report in 2011 concluding that accountability reporting, especially at the local level, has contracted dramatically, with potentially grave consequences for communities, government responsiveness, and democracy. Moreover, it determined that nonprofit media needs to play an increasingly significant role to help meet the educational needs of citizens. Finally, it found that there was con­fusion about the IRS approach to nonprofit media. This approach, which has not been updated for the digital age, risks discouraging nonprofit media innovation and undermining the odds of its success.

The report recommended that a group of tax and journalism experts gather to study these issues more carefully and make recommendations for further action. Supported by a generous grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Council on Foundations convened such a group from leaders of the foundation and tax-exempt media world. This group, listed below, has been meeting for the past year.

On Monday, March 4, 2013, at 10 a.m. ET, the Council on Foundations and the Knight Foundation released the report in Washington, D.C.,  in conjunction with a panel discussion that featured journalism, legal, and nonprofit leaders.

If you have any questions, please contact nonprofitmedia@cof.org for details.

Watch the Recording of the Release of the Report presented at The Newseum by Knight Foundation and The Council on Foundations

Council on Foundations Nonprofit Media Working Group Members

Knight Foundation Representative: Eric Newton, Senior Adviser to the President
Legal Counsel: Marc Owens and Sharon Nokes, Caplin & Drysdale
Project Directors: Janne Gallagher and Shelton Roulhac, Council on Foundations