Future of Public Media

What are the sustainability and business implications of these emerging models? What are the opportunities for new resources to support public-service media? Do commercial vs noncommercial distinctions map over to these new spaces of engagement? Is there a case for tax-based support or will a new mix of sponsorship, subscription, listener-support and foundation funding evolve? Read more...

Fresh thinking and research about what types of sites and online services college students are using and how their engagement differs by socio-economic background and user attributes.

Speaker: Eszter Hargittai Assistant Professor Northwestern University

A few broadcasters display and discuss their efforts, the opportunities and obstacles they have experienced, with incorporating, experimenting with, or using participatory and emerging social media tools. Read more...

Community technology expert Felicia M. Sullivan provides an in-depth analysis of community technology centers and community networks as tools for public discourse and action.

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What is the obligation of "the Nation's Attic" to the public? That was the question when the Smithsonian Institution announced a new arrangement with CBS/Showtime to create content, Smithsonian on Demand, for a new digital channel. In a cloudy press release, the national museum announced that henceforth, if a filmmaker wanted to make a film using substantial amounts of Smithsonian materials, that filmmaker had to give digital channel first chance at the film. Would that mean that public television productions would not get made? Read more...