Comments on: Media Coverage of Philanthropy http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/09/media-coverage-of-philanthropy Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:14:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sean Stannard-Stockton http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/09/media-coverage-of-philanthropy#comment-589 Sean Stannard-Stockton Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:53:51 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/09/24/media-coverage-of-philanthropy/#comment-589 Yes, more press coverage would have the additional positive affects that you mention. You're also right that there's lots of coverage of foundations that is transactional. Kind of as if the business press was full of stories like, "Exxon builds another gas station" or "AT&T: Another billion phone calls completed". Ie, the transactions being completed by the biggest companies, instead of the business press we have that is full of stories about startups, giant flops and grand successes. Yes, more press coverage would have the additional positive affects that you mention. You’re also right that there’s lots of coverage of foundations that is transactional. Kind of as if the business press was full of stories like, “Exxon builds another gas station” or “AT&T: Another billion phone calls completed”. Ie, the transactions being completed by the biggest companies, instead of the business press we have that is full of stories about startups, giant flops and grand successes.

]]> By: Bruce Trachtenberg http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/09/media-coverage-of-philanthropy#comment-588 Bruce Trachtenberg Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:38:50 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/09/24/media-coverage-of-philanthropy/#comment-588 To me, there's an even more basic reason for trying to increase press coverage of foundations. It's to increase public awareness and understanding of the work foundations do, their efforts to improve people's lives, and the value, overall of their contributions to society. Similarly, increased coverage might also bring more attention to the issues and causes that drive their work, the changes they are trying to foster, and reasons why. Seemingly more attention to those things will lead to greater public discussion, debate, and perhaps encourage more people to get involved and do their part. Also, the more clarity about the kind of work foundations do, the greater opportunities for partnerships with other sectors of our society -- government, business, civic organizations, etc., that share interest in achieving the same outcomes. Ironically, and as a point of clarification, there already is a lot of coverage of foundations. And almost all of it positive. For more see the Philanthropy Awareness Initiative report <a href="http://www.foundationworks.org/pdfs/media_book.pdf" rel="nofollow">"Foundations in the News."</a> As that reports shows, most coverage is "transactional"--amount of grants awarded, personnel shifts, etc. Much of the coverage lacks, depth, explanation or attempt to draw a bigger picture. A bigger picture, with more explanation, interpretation would be helpful. Finally, having the press routinely looking in, reporting and commenting on what foundations do could provide a kind of healthy external force that you rightly note, Sean, doesn't exist today. To me, there’s an even more basic reason for trying to increase press coverage of foundations. It’s to increase public awareness and understanding of the work foundations do, their efforts to improve people’s lives, and the value, overall of their contributions to society. Similarly, increased coverage might also bring more attention to the issues and causes that drive their work, the changes they are trying to foster, and reasons why. Seemingly more attention to those things will lead to greater public discussion, debate, and perhaps encourage more people to get involved and do their part. Also, the more clarity about the kind of work foundations do, the greater opportunities for partnerships with other sectors of our society — government, business, civic organizations, etc., that share interest in achieving the same outcomes.

Ironically, and as a point of clarification, there already is a lot of coverage of foundations. And almost all of it positive. For more see the Philanthropy Awareness Initiative report “Foundations in the News.” As that reports shows, most coverage is “transactional”–amount of grants awarded, personnel shifts, etc. Much of the coverage lacks, depth, explanation or attempt to draw a bigger picture. A bigger picture, with more explanation, interpretation would be helpful.

Finally, having the press routinely looking in, reporting and commenting on what foundations do could provide a kind of healthy external force that you rightly note, Sean, doesn’t exist today.

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