• Article

    Waldman: The FCC’s important step forward on media disclosure

    Published October 27, 2011 by

    Earlier this month, Knight Foundation announced several new efforts to help ensure that important public policy recommendations in the FCC's Information Needs report become fully realized. Included was the appointment of Steven Waldman, the report's lead author, as a senior media policy scholar at Columbia University. Today, Waldman writes about other exciting developments regarding the report. Steven Waldman: The FCC today took two important steps on the recommendations in our Information Needs of Community report.  First, it approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – its way of making an official regulatory proposal – to take the current “public inspection file” online.  The public file is full of material broadcasters are required to disclose as part of their public interest obligations to communities. But it is on paper, sitting in a filing cabinet, where the public can only “inspect” it by going to the station offices. Almost no one does. Suffice it to say, in an Internet era this makes no sense.
  • Article

    Philly Theatre: Diverse and everywhere

    Published October 27, 2011 by

    By Ned Warwick, Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia An avid Philadelphia theatre-goer recently took to the Philly Theatre Casting Couch primed with a message for those who rarely attend: ‘take a chance’ and come see live drama. ‘It’s life, that’s the whole thing,” said Roger LaMay, the general manager of...
  • Article

    The Heart of Philadelphia theatre beats young

    Published October 27, 2011 by

    By Ned Warwick for the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia You didn’t have to have the sharpest eye in the theatre to see one of the more interesting demographic features of the recent Barrymore Awards night: the preponderance of young people. Whole bands of them from different nominated plays hooted,...
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    Graham Richard: Citizens must be able to engage with their local government online

    Published October 27, 2011 by

    Graham Richard, President, Graham Richard Assoc. LLC and former mayor, Fort Wayne, Ind. This interview is part of the Digital Revolution and Democracy series, which offers idea-inspiring interviews with thought leaders who are shaping the future of media and democracy. More at knightfoundation.org/focas. Innovative use of the Internet can help local governments provide quick, agile, smart services – and not just to a limited part of the population, says former Fort Wayne Mayor Graham Richard. He spoke with Knight Foundation Vice President Dennis Scholl about opportunities for using technology to better serve communities while attending the Aspen Institute Forum on Communications and Society (FOCAS). Richard says citizens are used to going online and getting customer service from institutions, and as a result local governments must become more responsive. He thinks citizens today are more able to fully engage with the local government officials, and demand change by using the power of social media.
  • Article

    Female journalists honored for exemplifying courage in news reporting

    Published October 27, 2011 by

    Adela Navarro Bello, Parisa Hafezi, Chiranuch Premchaiporn, Kate Adie. Photo by Vince Bucci/PictureGroup A luncheon today in New York City is honoring women journalists who have faced danger reporting the news. For showing dedication to covering violence, corruption and social unrest in their countries, Adela Navarro Bello of Mexico, Parisa Hafezi of Iran and Chiranuch Premchaiporn each recently received a 2011 Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation.
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    Set your DVR: Miami City Ballet on PBS Fall Arts Festival

    Published October 27, 2011 by

    Arts television kicks up a notch this October as PBS launches its nine-part PBS Arts Fall Festival. Sponsored by Knight Foundation, the Fall Festival explores the art scenes in the Blue Ridge Mountain, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. We’re particularly excited about “Miami...
  • Article

    “Red” is the color of Rothko

    Published October 27, 2011 by

    When I was a student at the George Washington University, I would skip class to hang out at the Hirshhorn Museum, where I would stare at Mark Rothko's "Blue, Orange, Red." I didn't "get" Rothko at the time, but I enjoyed this painting so much that I tried to copy...
  • Article

    Random Acts of Culture™ hits the Mall of America

    Published October 26, 2011 by

    By Brian Woods, The Schubert Club—a member of The Arts Partnership On a quiet Sunday morning at the Macy’s store at Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, soon after the store had opened, customers and employees were surprised by Random Acts of Culture® as they went about their morning shopping!...