WGVU Joins PMFA
Jim Rademaker, General Manager of WGVU, offered the following about why they decided to participate.
“WGVU is committed to strengthening our organization and community through open inquiry, valuing diverse identities, perspectives, and backgrounds. Our emphasis is on expanding the voices and experiences that are seen and heard, ensuring a meaningful service for all. We foster a welcoming environment allowing individuals the space to authentically be themselves. We recognize that representation matters, and we consistently work alongside our community to provide accessible and innovative content. This is woven into everything we do, this is who we strive to be.
I wish I could say we were perfect at this, but we aren’t. There is much to be learned and unlearned for us as a station and as a community. In order for WGVU to live up to our stated values and goals, we must join the people and stations that make up Public Media for All to be a powerful voice for change.”
3rd Annual Day of Action & Education
Public Media for All declares Thursday, November 10th the 3rd Annual Day of Action & Education for improving diversity, equity and inclusion in public media.
We continue to honor this time in early November, because it marks the anniversary of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which was signed into law on November 7, 1967 by Lyndon B. Johnson. That act created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and specifically charged public media to take “creative risks” and address “the needs of unserved and underserved audiences”, specially children and people of color. Over 50 years later, public media still has much work to do to live up to our original mandate.
Recordings from our Day of Action & Education in 2020 and 2021 can be found on our Resources page.
Join The PMFA Committee
Public Media for All is accepting applications to join our main organizing committee. This is a group of 12 people of color working in public media, who are leading the way on improving diversity, equity and inclusion in our industry.
Each committee member volunteers an average of 6 to 10 hours a month of their time. Together we work to ensure that public media serves all. The committee is a wonderfully supportive, fun group of change-makers. This is an excellent opportunity for a person of color, who wants to make a difference, and grow their network within public media.
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.
PMFA Featured in Current
The work and progress of Public Media for All has recently been featured in Current. This extensive review also featured honest and courageous interviews with senior leaders from several organizations that have joined PMFA, including Jim Schachter from NHPR, Amy Shaw and Kate Midgett from Nine PBS, and Steve Bass and Jenn Chávez from OPB. PMFA fully supports conversations that showcase the real challenges of this essential work, as well as sharing lessons learned.
“According to the coalition, more than 75% of the organizations have gone on to complete three of the recommended changes, which include incorporating commitments to DEI work in their mission and values statements, goals, budgets and work schedules; affirming that rapidly diversifying programming, audiences, donors, staff and leadership is imperative to their survival and success; and compensating all interns.
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Public Media for All has also launched a peer group pilot project for smaller groups to meet monthly. “This new project was identified by PMFA and the participating organizations as the best way to provide themselves with more accountability and support,” the coalition said. ”
We Are Listening
Public Media for All remains an accessible resource for stations and individuals as our industry navigates this period of trying times. Being present on multiple platforms such as Facebook and Slack allows secure lines of communication amongst BIPOC. Understanding the sensitivity, trust and candor required in achieving a more racially diverse and equitable industry, the coalition positions itself to be an amplifier of anonymous stories and experiences with the goal of providing tangible examples that we all can learn and grow from.
These stories not only help guide our mission to convene spaces for BIPOC and provide resources for all but also influence the direction for our quarterly webinar creation and Organizational cohort conversations.
We are paying close attention to the recent departures of BIPOC across our industry, but anecdotal data is not enough. We look forward to more forthcoming data as presented previously by CPB, PBS and cohort member NPR.
We are listening. Connect with us at contact@publicmediaforall.com.