Independent Media
Media Criticism Organizations and Outlets
Local
- The Park Center for Independent Media (PCIM, Ithaca College)PCIM, launched in 2008 and funded by a generous endowment from the Park Foundation, is a center for the study of media outlets that create and distribute content outside traditional corporate systems.
- Project LookSharp (Ithaca College)PLS is an outreach program at Ithaca College that provides training and materials for K-16 educators to integrate media literacy and critical thinking into their existing curriculum.
National & International
- American Library Association: Information LiteracyResources for librarians to use to equip students and the general public to identify reliable sources of news and other information.
- Center for an Informed Public (UW)Our mission is to resist strategic misinformation, promote an informed society, and strengthen democratic discourse.
- Center for Media Engagement (UT Austin)The Center for Media Engagement envisions a vibrant American news media that more effectively empowers the public to understand, appreciate, and participate in the democratic exchange of ideas.
- FactCheck.orgAnnenberg Political fact check site. Use to discern the truth behind all kinds of political, scientific and public policy claims.
- Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR)FAIR, the national media watch group, has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. They work to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints. As an anti-censorship organization, they expose neglected news stories and defend working journalists when they are muzzled. As a progressive group, FAIR believes that structural reform is ultimately needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public broadcasting and promote strong non-profit sources of information.
- Information Futures Lab at Brown (formerly First Draft News)"Bad information harms people, economies and democracies. Quick fixes won’t solve the problem. We envision a different future for our information spaces, habits, institutions and culture." [from: What We Do]
- International Fact Checking NetworkFrom Poynter (a journalism organization).
- MediaiteResource for the intersection of politics and the media by reporter Dan Abrams.
- National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)NAMLE’s mission is to be the leading voice, convener and resource to foster critical thinking and effective communication for empowered media participation.
- News Literacy ProjectThe News Literacy Project (PDF) is a national education nonprofit offering nonpartisan, independent programs that teach students how to know what to believe in the digital age.
- On the Media (WNYC)WNYC’s weekly investigation into how the media shapes our worldview.
- The Oxford Martin Programme on misinformation, science, and mediaOur aim is to combine social science and computer science to address the damaging impact of computational propaganda and other forms of digitally‐enabled misinformation campaigns on scientific innovation, policy making, and public life.
- PolitiFactA project of the St. Petersburg Times, PolitiFact is a website that examines truth in politics.
- Truth in Advertising (TINA)Truth in Advertising, Inc. (TINA.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Madison, CT, whose mission is to be the go-to online resource dedicated to empowering consumers to protect themselves and one another against false advertising and deceptive marketing. We aim to achieve our mission through investigative journalism, education, advocacy, and the promotion of truth in advertising
Voices on the Media
These are a few of the voices you can follow on social media. Some report on the media fulltime and others integrate it with their news reporting or teaching. Who do you follow?
NOTE: revised October 2024 -- a lot of changes!
- Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!)Amy Goodman is the host and executive producer of Democracy Now! Winner of the PCIM Izzy Award.
- Brandy Zadrozny (NBC)NBC News. Covers misinformation & disinformation.
- Brian Stelter (CNN)Chief Media Correspondent and Anchor of Reliable Sources
- Brooke Gladstone (WCNY)Co-Host, Editor of WNYC's On the Media.
- Charlie WarzelWriter at @TheAtlantic (formerly writer at large for New York Times Opinion)
- Claire WardleProf. at Cornell. Co-Founder of First Draft News (now the Information Futures Lab).
- Craig Silverman (ProPublica)Reporter at @ProPublica (formerly at @BuzzFeedNews).
- David Folkenflick (NPR)Media Correspondent for NPR.
- Donie O'Sullivan (CNN)Covering disinformation, politics, and technology
- Erik Wemple (WaPo)Washington Post media critic.
- Ezra Klein (NYT Opinion)Columnist, @NYTOpinion. Author of, "Why We're Polarized"
- Faith RogowMedia Literacy educator.
- Glenn GreenwaldJournalist and Host @SystemUpdate
- Jane Lytvynenko (WSJ)Senior reporter with a focus on disinformation & online investigations. (formerly @BuzzFeedNews)
- Janine Jackson (FAIR)Janine Jackson is FAIR’s program director and producer/host of FAIR’s syndicated weekly radio show CounterSpin.
- Jay Rosen (NYU)Professor at NYU. Writes about press criticism.
- Jeff CohenAuthor and media critic. He was the first Director of the Park Center for Independent Media and founder of FAIR.org
- Joan DonovanProfessor at Boston University (formerly Research Director @ShorensteinCtr)
- Johanna Wild (Bellingcat)Open source investigator.
- Marianna Spring (BBC)Specialist reporter covering disinformation and social media for @BBCNews
- NAMLEFeed from the National Association for Media Literacy Education, a global initiative.
- Project Look SharpFeed promoting the latest resources from Ithaca College's media literacy education program.
- Raza RumiFormer director of the PCIM.
- Shayan Sardarizadeh (BBC)Journalist investigating online disinformation and conspiracy theories for @BBCMonitoring & @BBCWorld