FAQs

What do you hope to accomplish?

Public Media for All seeks a diverse, equitable and inclusive public media.

What is the process for an organization signing on to Public Media for All’s 11 action items?

Organizations contact Public Media for All to express interest in participating the 11-point plan. Then, Public Media for All representatives follow up by email to ensure a.) the organization understands the commitment; b.) the primary contact is in a position to help the organization get the work done; and c.) there is organizational buy-in for such a commitment.

In many cases, Public Media for All representatives meet with the interested station to discuss the work ahead, answer questions and establish a line of communication.

Why did Public Media for All choose its action items?

We recognize public media will not succeed at DEI without having quantifiable objectives and deadlines, as well as assurances that accountability will be demanded for the betterment of the industry.

What if an organization has worked on some of these items or some do not apply to us?

Public Media for All maintains that our 11-point action items are a road map, not a to-do list. We are happy to talk with you about how to best adapt the action items to your organization. Public Media for All is available at contact@publicmediaforall.com.

Public Media for All says it "reserves the right to publish the names of organizations and stations that sign up in order to hold them accountable." Why?

Our policy has several benefits for organizations, their audiences and Public Media for All. For organizations, they openly associate themselves with making specific and measurable commitments to DEI. Audiences see the organizations they donate to are staying up with the times and are making commitments around DEI. And Public Media for All strives to demonstrate DEI isn’t isolated to a handful of organizations. We appreciate the challenges inside every organization and believe such transparency helps organizations be accountable to donors and the public. If you need clarifications, please email us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.

How are organizations held accountable for this work?

In the first 30-day window, Public Media for All representatives stay in touch with participating stations about their chosen goal, progress, challenges and needs. Public Media for All documents these efforts to help other organizations; discussions are confidential, but we may ask to share stories, communications, etc., or request a testimonial, in order to benefit peers in their own processes. In years one to three, Public Media for All representatives will keep the dialogue open similarly. To support participating stations, Public Media for All may organize peer exchanges, provide further research into related subjects, or connect participating stations for one-on-one support.

What advice do you have for talking with my boss about Public Media for All?

Start by sharing our website and press about Public Media for All. Talk about the advantages of participating for your organization. Be patient but persistent; getting sign-on may require time and lots of discussions. If you need more insight, feel free to reach out to us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.

Why do you post anonymous testimonies?

As we have seen from #MeToo and other movements, personal narratives are an important part of addressing issues. Public Media for All respects that those experiencing abuse in the workplace may not be in a position to be public. We share these stories to spark awareness and change. If you have a story, email us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.

Why are no staff listed on the website?

Public Media for All is a volunteer committee that seeks to see its ideas, rather than individuals, as the focus of attention. This also helps when/if participants have to cycle off to attend to their regular jobs.

Can you refer me to a case study / consultant / trainer?

No guarantees, but you can email us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.

How can we get a Public Media for All speaker or interview?

Email us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.

Who is organizing this?

Public Media for All is organized by a main organizing committee of BIPOC public media workers from a diverse array of stations from around the country. Combined we have many decades of experience and service in public media. In the spirit of inclusivity, we’ve decided that we will not widely publicize the names of the committee members until everyone involved can comfortably be open about their involvement.

Unfortunately, some of our committee members have experienced discrimination and other negative repercussions for raising DEI issues at their stations, so they can not safely publicly participate in this critical work for now. We are working to change that, and look forward to a day when our committee members will be universally celebrated for their courageous volunteer work in this space. At that time, we will publicize the names of all committee members. Until then, a few committee members are available to meet with individuals and organizations as needed.

How is Public Media for All funded?

Public Media for All is wholly supported by its volunteer core. If you are a funder and would like to help ensure Public Media for All’s sustainability, please get in touch.

Why #PublicAF?

The pronunciation of this hashtag is "public-A-F". So, there is no actual expletive in the written or spoken version of this promotional tool. This kind of shorthand language is common and authentic for the audiences we are encouraging public media to do a better job of reaching and serving: younger people of color. These audiences have traditionally been under-served by public media, are critical to the future of our industry. Additionally, tone policing that's common in public media and prevents us from using language that is authentic for more diverse audiences is precisely what's helping perpetuate the overwhelming whiteness of public media. So far younger people of color have expressed nothing but appreciation for this hashtag. There is no anger in this hashtag for them. They find it celebratory and funny. 💯 YAY!

Are you trying to get people/stations in trouble?

No, we are not. Public Media for All is trying to provide DEI resources, tools, structures, support, accountability and goals for those that want it in a effort to help public media serve everyone, particularly the under-served. We believe strongly in this well-researched framework, and hope that all public media employees and organizations eventually sign up to join us. However, we are happy that these free publicly available resources are available for all to pick and choose, and ultimately use as they see fit. Organizations that do officially sign up to participate are committing to follow our roadmap of DEI action items wholeheartedly to the best of their ability, and we will do out utmost to support them in this journey.

Anything else?

If you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by emailing contact@publicmediaforall.com.