Jessica Clark and Tracy Van Slyke, co-authors of Beyond the Echo Chamber (www.beyondtheecho.net), spoke at the New America Foundation on Feb. 9, 2010 on the future of journalism.

1. Tuesday, February 9, 2010

2. Reshaping Politics
Through Networked
Progressive Media
Jessica Clark and Tracy Van Slyke
New America Foundation, 2/9/10
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

3. Setting the Stage:
2000-2008
Journalism undergoes sea change
Legacy outlets forced to rethink strategies and
business models
Media ecology is radically democratized
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

4. The Conservative Media Machine
Over the past three decades, conservatives have built and funded an efficient, self-sustaining, top-down system
that funnels right-wing messages into the media. By doing so, conservatives have come to dominate the political
discourse and have advanced their policy goals. The organizations and individuals named are examples of the
most visible participants in the process.
1 BIG MONEY
FOR MEDIA
Money from foundations
underwrites framers and
Conservative
Foundations Conservative
Individual &
Adolph Coors Foundation, John M.
partisan media. Individual and Olin Foundation, The Scaife Corporate
corporate investments in the Foundations, Bradley Foundation, Donors
public and mainstream media Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation,
4
(Large and small )
may include ownership, stock,
advertising or sponsorship.
Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation
REAPING
REWARDS
$ These grants, donations
and investments
generate profits, help
2
create a corporate-
THE MESSAGE friendly ideological
MACHINE Framers Message climate, and promote
Framers and message Think tanks
Makers conservative social and
makers hammer out economic policies in a
American Enterprise Institute, self-sustaining cycle.
talking points and CATO Institute, Heritage Foundation Corporate Republican
deliver them lobbyists policymakers
verbatim to the Issue-based nonprofits
conservative media. Religious groups &
527s & PACS social conservatives
$ Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, Club for
Growth, corporate 527s
3 MESSAGE
DELIVERY
Talking points are also
funneled into the
mainstream media Talking
through press releases, points Talking
points
and conservative
outlets, including talk
radio, bloggers and
$ pundits. Conservative Mainstream
Media
Media Public
Network television, 24-hour cable
(see below)
Media stations, major newspapers and news
NPR, PBS magazines, Sunday morning talk shows,
commercial publishers
Conservative Media Media Watchdogs
Accuracy in Media,
Cable Magazines Pundits Family Research Council
Fox News, Christian Broadcasting Network, National Review, The Weekly Standard, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann
The Inspiration Network The American Spectator, Commentary Coulter, Pat Buchanan, Cal Thomas, George Will
Radio Blogs Online Portals
Clear Channel, Radio America, Christian radio, Drudge Report, Instapundit, PowerLine Free Republic, NewsMax, Townhall
local commercial radio Produced by Jessica Clark and Tracy
Van Slyke. Lead Researcher: Pallav Vora.
Newspapers Public Intellectuals Publishers Additional research support: Laura
Washington Times, The Wall Street Journal David Brooks, Dinesh D'Souza, David Horowitz, Regnery Publishing, Sentinel, Spence Publishing, Chomyn, Stephen Kovach, Anna
editorial page, New York Post Ben Stein, David Frum Crown Forum Schneider, Jennifer Wedekind.
Design by Mikhaela Reid.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

5. The Emerging Progressive Media Network
Historically, foundations have not focused on building a progressive media infrastructure. Messages flow from a variety of organizations
and individuals but fail to coalesce into unified narratives that penetrate the mainstream. Recently, progressives have begun
coordinating their messages and talking points, but gaps remain between Beltway politics and grassroots efforts. The groups and
individuals highlighted below are among the most visible hubs in the progressive media network.
Key Differences
1 NOT SO BIG MONEY
FOR MEDIA
While liberal foundations
have more money than
2 THE EMERGING
MESSAGE NETWORK
Over the past few years, both think
tanks and framing organizations have
3 MISSING LINKS
Although some ”bridge
groups” work to connect
progressive experts, academ-
This table points out the structural and political differences
between the conservative and progressive media sectors.
PROGRESSIVE MEDIA CONSERVATIVE MEDIA
ics and activists to the
conservative foundations arisen to shape progressive messages. mainstream media, progres-
overall, funding for the However, many of these inside-the- Ad hoc Deliberately organized
sive ideas are still struggling
progressive media network Beltway groups don't communicate for airtime and legitimacy. Diverse and democractic Top-down
has not been a priority. well with grassroots groups or the
progressive media. Progressive Social justice agenda Corporate agenda
$ Media Underfunded, difficult-to- Successful for-profits and
(see below right) sustain media projects fully funded nonprofit
media projects
Democratic
policymakers MISSING: A consistent
Multiple messages Coordinated messages
Individual & established pathway Struggling for coverage Large-scale mainstream
Corporate between the progressive $ and legitimacy media impact
Donors messaging system and
MISSING: A communications
(Large and small ) 527s & progressive media outlets.
structure and strategy for
Online Groups getting these messages into
America Coming Together, the mainstream media.
MoveOn.org, union-based 527s
$ Progressive Media
Think Tanks Bridge groups Online magazines Solomon, Noam Chomsky, among
Foundations Center for American Progress, AlterNet, TomPaine, Grist,Women's many others
Institute for Public Accuracy,
Open Society Institute, Schumann eNews, Pop and Politics
Center for Media and Democracy, The
Rockridge Institute, Center for
Economic Policy and Research,
Progressive Media Project, Public Radio networks
Minuteman Media The majority of
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Institute for Policy Studies Media progressive foundation
Online portals Air America Radio, Democracy
Radio, Pacifica, Free Speech Radio,
Foundation, Ford Foundation, The NPR, PBS Common Dreams, BuzzFlash,
Arca Foundation, Glaser Progress support for media goes OneWorld.net, Institute for Global nonprofit community radio stations
Foundation, The David and Lucile T. to public radio and Communications
Packard Foundation television. Satellite/cable/
MISSING: Communication Independent digital TV
between the D.C. message machine community media Free Speech TV, Independent
and grassroots groups aimed at Alternative newsweeklies, public World Television (pending), many
creating coordinated messages. independent producers
Mainstream access cable TV, Low Power FM, Indy
Media Centers
Infrastructure Media Documentary
Development Network television, 24-hour cable Publishers producers
stations, newspapers and news Seven Stories Press, The New Press, Robert Greenwald, Michael Moore,
Independent Press Association,
Framing & public MediaWorks, National Alliance for Media magazines, Sunday morning talk shows, Nation Books, Soft Skull Press Shola Lynch
$ relations projects Arts and Culture, Center for International commercial publishers
Magazines Journalists/pundits
The SPIN project, Fenton Media Action, Media Tank
Communications The Nation, The American Prospect, Bill Moyers, Al Franken, Arianna
Issue-based Mother Jones, In These Times, The Huffington, Michael Eric Dyson,
nonprofits Progressive, plus many issue-based Amy Goodman, Molly Ivins, Eric
periodicals, like ColorLines & Bitch Alterman, Gloria Steinem, Jim
Hightower
Labor Environmental GLBT & feminist Civil rights Public intellectuals
groups groups groups groups Howard Zinn, Naomi Klein, Cornel Blogs
Media Reform West, Barbara Ehrenreich, Tom Daily Kos, Eschaton, Talking
Media Watchdogs Free Press, Electronic Frontier
Foundations and
Frank, Laura Flanders, Norman Points Memo
FAIR, Media Matters, Rocky Mountain Foundation, Media Access Project, individual donors
Interfaith Social justice Civil liberties Media Watch, Women in Media & News have started
Peace groups Media Alliance
groups groups groups supporting media
watchdog and Produced by Tracy Van Slyke and Jessica Clark. Lead Researcher: Pallav Vora.
policy reform Additional research support: Laura Chomyn, Stephen Kovach, Anna Schneider,
$ organizations. Jennifer Wedekind. Design by Mikhaela Reid.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

6. The Big Switch:
From
top-down to
networked
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

7. BY JESSICA CLARK AND TRACY VAN SLYKE, DESIGN: MIKHAELA REID
Visit www.inthesetimes.com/mediamap for
more information.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

8. Ramping up:
2006-2008
Surge in online video
Rising activism across social networks
Increase in mobile communication
The power of YOU
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

9. Emerging Tools:
2006-2008
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

10. Emerging Ecosystem:
2006-2008
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

11. Harnessing the
Network Layers
Networked users
Self-organized networks
Institutional networks
Networks of institutions
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

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17. Conecting with your networks is now critical to developing high-impact journalism.
Check the boxes to see how well you’re engaging networks of users at each phase of production:
. cull tips and leads . solicit citizen reports
. brainstorm story ideas . crowdsource data analysis
. provide expertise . check facts
. reveal pressing issues . conduct interviews
. raise dollars for a story, . organize relevant
. an outlet, a reporter, or an . source links
. investigation . help build data sets,
. share your story of impact . timelines and visualizations
. to raise support and . assemble related stories
. enthusiasm for new
. projects
. provide feedback on impact: . spread links and stories to
. anecdotes, survey replies . personal and institutional
. . organize online or . networks
(NOTE: See Beyond the . offline action: petitions, . urge further coverage of
. Echo Chamber for tips on . rallies, screenings, etc. . issues in related outlets
. assessing impact) . pressure policymakers to . pass on stories to change-
. take a stand . makers and policymakers
Produced by Tracy Van Slyke and Jessica Clark .www.beyondtheecho.net. Illustrations by Lindsay Jane .www.lindsayjane.net.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

18. Rethinking
Impact
Need to move beyond “eyeballs” and dollars
Progressive assessment: matched to mission
New dimensions of impact:
buzz, cred, in uence, engagement
Impact considered in context of strategy
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

19. Build network-powered media
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

20. Embrace 21st-cent. muckraking
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

21. Move beyond pale, male & stale
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

22. What next?
Current challenges
Foster relationships diverse media-makers
Invest in creating tools for assessing impact
Move into “the cloud,” mobile, apps, gaming
Gain new competencies:
innovation, collaboration, engagement
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

23. Learn more:
beyondtheecho.net
Tuesday, February 9, 2010