Draft:Media and Democracy Project

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{{AFC comment|1=All of the secondary, independent sources appear to be about one lawsuit they filed, which isn't enough to satisfy WP:NORG. Parts of this also still read too much like advocacy. For instance, there is no need to reproduce the findings of their research or their guidelines for media organisations unless these have been covered in depth by secondary sources. MCE89 (talk) 12:47, 29 June 2025 (UTC)}}

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{{Infobox organization

| name = Media and Democracy Project

| formation = {{start date and age|2020}}

| founded_date =

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| logo_size = 220px

| location = New York City

| area_served = United States

| origins =

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| method = Advocacy

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| type = 501(c)4 social welfare organization

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| website = https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/

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}}

The Media and Democracy Project (MAD), a media-focused public interest group, advocates for news reporting that supports democracy. MAD believes that under the second Trump administration, American democracy is under attack,{{cite web| url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/liberal-conservative-or-just-plain-truthful,255599| first=Robin| last=Blinder| title=Liberal, conservative or just plain truthful?| date=9 May 2025| publisher=Editor and Publisher}} and that, the media, through practices such as sanewashing and horse race journalism, downplays threats to democracy.{{cite web |url=https://margaretsullivan.substack.com/p/heres-an-urgently-needed-pre-election?utm_source=publication-search| first=Margaret| last=Sullivan| title=Here's an urgently needed, pre-election reform plan for the media| date=August 14, 2024}}

MAD, a 501(c)(4) organization based in New York City, was founded in 2020. MAD describes itself as nonpartisan. The Capital Research Center describes MAD as left-of-center.{{cite web| url=https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/media-and-democracy-project/| title=Media and Democracy Project| website=Influence Watch}}

FCC petition

In July, 2023, MAD petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deny the broadcast license renewal application of FOX affiliate WTXF-TV in Philadelphia. The petition argued that the owners of WTXF failed to meet the minimum standards of character and the obligation to operate in the public interest required by the Communications Act of 1934, to an extent "so egregious as to shock the conscience." The petition cited as evidence the judicial record of the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit against Fox News, which found that WTXF knowingly and repeatedly aired false narratives about the 2020 presidential election.{{cite news| url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/tv/fox-29-petition-deny-license-fcc-dominion-20230707.html| publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer| title=Petition seeks to deny renewal of Fox 29′s broadcast license| first=Nick| last=Vadala| date=July 7, 2023}}{{cite web| website=Wetmachine| url=https://wetmachine.com/tales-of-the-sausage-factory/my-insanely-long-field-guide-to-the-fox29-philadelphia-wtfx-tv-license-renewal-challenge/| title=My Insanely Long Field Guide to the Fox29 Philadelphia (WTFX-TV) License Renewal Challenge| first=Harold| last=Feld| date=August 29, 2023}} Comments supporting the petition were filed by founding president of Fox Broadcasting Jamie Kellner;{{cite web| url=https://thedesk.net/2023/08/jamie-kellner-wtxf-license-renewal-fox/| title=First Fox president joins fight against local station's license renewal| website=TheDesk| first=Matthew| last=Keys| date=August 22, 2023}} former Fox commentator Bill Kristol; former FCC chair Alfred Sikes, a Republican; and former FCC commissioner Ervin Duggan, a Democrat.{{cite web| url=https://thedesk.net/2023/07/fox-bill-kristol-ervin-duggan-wtxf-license/| website=TheDesk| first=Matthew| last=Keys| title=Former FCC official joins fight against WTXF license renewal| date=July 31, 2023}}{{cite web| url=https://newsdirect.com/news/former-republican-fcc-chair-joins-growing-chorus-calling-for-hearing-into-license-renewal-application-for-fox-philadelphia-327152382| website=NewsDirect| title=License Renewal Application for Fox Philadelphia| date=August 21, 2023| author=Raynor Ave.}} Fox characterized the petition as a frivolous assault on its First Amendment rights.{{cite web| url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/08/petition-to-deny-fox-tv-license-over-false-election-info-gains-steam-at-fcc/| title=Fox TV license renewal may be in jeopardy as FCC invites public response| first=Jon| last=Brodkin| date=August 24, 2023| publisher=ars technica}} The FCC denied the petition in January, 2025.{{cite web| url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-57A1.pdf| title=MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER| author=the Acting Chief, Media Bureau| date=January 16, 2025| website=Federal Communications Commission}}{{cite web| url=https://thedesk.net/2025/01/fcc-approves-wtxf-broadcast-license-renewal/| title=FCC tosses petition that challenged licensed of Fox-owned WTXF| first=Matthew| last=Keys| date=January 16, 2025| website=The Desk}} MAD has appealed the denial.{{cite web| url=https://progressive.org/latest/standing-up-to-fox-news-daigon-20250224/| title=Standing Up to Fox News| first=Glenn| last=Daigon| date=February 24, 2025| publisher=The Progressive Magazine}}

Other activities

During the 2024 U.S. election campaign, MAD warned that American democracy was under attack and issued guidelines for pro-democracy reporting practices.

MAD makes available to the public a list of over 2,000 community-focused news outlets across the U.S.{{cite web| url=https://medium.com/@Democracy_Labs/media-and-democracy-project-mapping-your-local-journalist-superheroes-f5a3f1e1cf45| website=Medium| title=Media And Democracy Project: Mapping Your Local Journalist SuperHeroes| author=DemLabs| date=March 29, 2024}}{{cite web| url=https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/substack-live-with-qasim-rashid |website=Chop Wood, Carry Water| first=Jess| last=Craven| date=June 16, 2023| title=Substack Live with Qasim Rashid}} MAD advocates for the PRESS Act.{{cite web| website=Freedom of the Press Foundation| title=RE: PRESS Act Markup (S.2074)| url=https://media.freedom.press/media/documents/Coalition_Letter_in_support_of_PRESS_Act_-_June_4_2024_.pdf| date=June 4, 2024}} MAD is a member of the Rebuild Local News coalition{{cite web| url=https://www.rebuildlocalnews.org/mission/who-we-represent/| title=COALITION: WHO WE REPRESENT| website=Rebuild Local News}} and is a founding member of the Prison Journalism Project.{{cite web| url=https://prisonjournalismproject.org/supporters| title=Our Supporters| website=Prison Journalism Project}}

References

External Links

[https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/ website of The Media and Democracy Project]
[https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/journalism-directory The Media and Democracy Project's local journalism directory]
[https://thedemlabs.org/2024/03/29/media-and-democracy-project-local-journalist-map/ MAD's local journalism directory shown as a map]