Credits
About this paper
The Colorado Media Project began this exploration with these guiding questions for investigation: Should state and local governments play a role in stabilizing and sustaining the future of local news, information, and independent journalism? What public policy levers and funding pathways are available and viable in Colorado? What would the public support? Working group members met over four months in summer 2019 to review current research on the business of local news, public funding models from other states and nations, and examples of Colorado state and local initiatives across sectors that had applicability. Drafts of this study were vetted before publication by a wide range of interested parties, locally and nationally. In the interest of transparency and advancing the work, ideas that were vetted but not included in this report are publicly available online as part of this package at https://coloradomediaproject.com/public-good. We continue to welcome feedback from Colorado residents and beyond as we seek to improve these ideas.
Colorado Media Project Public Policy Working Group
Gil Asakawa, Student Media Manager, University of Colorado Boulder
Chris Barge,** Vice President, Community Foundation Boulder County
Sue Cross,*** CEO, Institute for Nonprofit News
Melissa Davis,* Vice President, Gates Family Foundation
Jill Farschman, CEO, Colorado Press Association
Simon Galperin, Founder and Director, Community Information Cooperative
Tom Gougeon,* President, Gates Family Foundation
JB Holston,* Dean, College of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Denver
Rich Jones, Bell Policy Center (retired)
David Miller, Executive Director, Barton Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise
Gregory Moore,** Editor-in-Chief, Deke Digital, and Former Editor, Denver Post (2002–2016)
Gloria Neal, Director of Public Affairs, City and County of Denver
Chuck Plunkett, Director, CU News Corps, University of Colorado Boulder
Mike Rispoli,*** News Voices Director, Free Press
Jeff Roberts, Executive Director, Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition
John Temple,** Chairman, Amuse Labs, and Former Editor, Rocky Mountain News (1998–2009)
Nancy Watzman, Director, Colorado Media Project
Steve Zansberg, Senior Counsel, Ballard Spahr
Colorado Media Project Local Advisors
John Baron, GBSM
Curtis Esquibel, Latino Leadership Institute
Mario Carrera, Entravision/Univision (retired)
Nicole Glarios, Techstars
Jerry Glick, Columbia Group LLLP
Joanne Kelley, Philanthropy Colorado
Gail Klapper, Colorado Forum
Judy Muller, ABC News (retired)
Lynn Shofield Clark, University of Denver
Gary Steuer, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation
Scott Stemberger, Boston Consulting Group
Special Thanks
Conversations with many individuals representing a wide range of perspectives and organizations informed this report. Special thanks to:
Penny Abernathy***, School of Media and Journalism, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chris Adams, Balancing Act/Engaged Public
Rebecca Arno, Barton Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise
Brian Bagley, City of Longmont
Madeleine Bair, Free Press
Richard Ballantine, Ballantine Communications Inc.
Lori Bergen, University of Colorado Boulder
Neil Best, KUNCBob Canace, The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation
John Chrastka, EveryLibrary
Scott Converse, Longmont Observer
Jennifer Corrigan, Summit Policy Works
Deserai Crow, School for Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver
Alex Dixon, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Gavin Dahl, KDNK and Rocky Mountain Community Radio Coalition
Nicolle Ingui Davies, Colorado State Library
Teresa Gorman***, Democracy Fund
Ann and Jerry Healey, Colorado Community Media
John Huggins,* Notable Systems
Corey Hutchins, Colorado College
Nancy Kerr, Longmont Public Library
Jeff Kraft, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Amanda Mountain, Rocky Mountain Public Media
Stefanie Murray***, Center for Cooperative Media, Montclair State University
Fraser Nelson, Salt Lake Tribune
Kevin Raines, Corona Insights
Karen Rundlet, Knight Foundation
Justin Sasso, Colorado Broadcasters Association
Nathan Schneider, Media Enterprise Design Lab, University of Colorado Boulder
Josh Stearns, Democracy Fund
Paul Teske, School for Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver
John Thornton, American Journalism Project
Stewart Vanderwilt, Colorado Public Radio
Ethan Van Ness, Office of U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier
Ashley Verville, Office of U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter
Roxane White, Strategy with Rox
*Colorado Media Project Executive Committee
**Colorado Media Project Local Advisory Committee
***Colorado Media Project National Advisors
