The Team
Why this Team?
The Poynter Institute and Public Media Company occupy a unique position to lead this work. We bring deep relationships across the public media ecosystem and civic life, and a track record of convening across organizational lines. Together, we transcend many long-standing structural divisions — including major market vs. rural; national producers vs. local; and funders vs. practitioners — and bring a breadth of perspective earned through work with a wide range of commercial and noncommercial media companies. Our work offers a deep understanding of media models, ethics, sustainability and the intersection of media and democracy. And we bring a sense of urgency to this work and a bias for action.
General inquiries: futureofpublicmedia@poynter.org
Media inquiries: press@poynter.org
About the Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit working to strengthen journalism to help address society’s most pressing problems. The world’s top journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and foster trustworthy information.
Founded in 1975, Poynter brings independent perspective grounded in decades of experience across commercial and noncommercial newsrooms of every size and structure. In recent years, Poynter has worked with more than 300 public media stations in nearly every state — supporting news leadership, audience service and sustainability, including 150 CEOs through executive leadership programs. That depth of engagement reflects Poynter’s belief in public media’s vital importance to local communities and its opportunity to serve as a leading source of news, information, education and connection.
The Newmark Ethics Center, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise and PolitiFact are all part of Poynter, which also owns the Tampa Bay Times.
Learn more at poynter.org.
About Public Media Company
Public Media Company’s mission is to cultivate vibrant local media that informs, connects and inspires communities. The organization believes that local media plays a vital role in community life as a trusted source of news, education, music and public discourse for people of all ages.
Founded in 2001, PMC has worked with over 450 local media organizations in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam, facilitating $250+ million in mergers, acquisitions, operating agreements, and content partnerships that have secured and/or expanded service to millions of people. In 2025, PMC launched the Public Media Bridge Fund to help local public media organizations adapt to and thrive in a post-CPB environment.
Public Media Company works toward a future in which every community across the country is enriched by local media, serving as both a catalyst and facilitator of that vision.
Learn more at publicmedia.co.
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