Free Press is a United States

advocacy group Advocacy groups, also known as interest groups, special interest groups, lobbying groups or pressure groups use various forms of advocacy in order to influence public opinion and ultimately policy. They play an important role in the develop ...

that is part of the media reform or

media democracy Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...

movement. Their

mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...

includes, "saving

Net Neutrality Network neutrality, often referred to as net neutrality, is the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all Internet communications equally, offering users and online content providers consistent rates irrespective of co ...

, achieving affordable internet access for all, uplifting the voices of people of color in the media, challenging old and new media gatekeepers to serve the public interest, ending unwarranted surveillance, defending press freedom and reimagining local journalism." The group is a major supporter of

net neutrality Network neutrality, often referred to as net neutrality, is the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all Internet communications equally, offering users and online content providers consistent rates irrespective of co ...

History, organization, and activities

Free Press is a

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of ...

organization.Free Press

Guidestar Candid is an information service specializing in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies. In 2016, its database provided information on 2.5 million organizations.Wyland, Michael. "GuideStar Introduces Program Metrics Section for Nonprofit Profile ...

(accessed June 9, 2016). Free Press Action Fund is a

501(c)(4) A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)) and is one of over 29 types of nonprofit organizations exempt from some federal income taxes. ...

organizationFree Press Action Fund

(accessed June 9, 2016). and is the group's advocacy arm.Tim Wu Elected Board Chair at Free Press

Columbia Law School Columbia Law School (Columbia Law or CLS) is the law school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League university in New York City. Columbia Law is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious law schools in the world and has always ranked i ...

(April 2008). Free Press was co-founded in 2003 by media scholar Robert W. McChesney, progressive journalist John Nichols, and activist

Josh Silver Josh Silver (born November 14, 1962) is an American musician who is the former keyboardist, producer and backing vocalist of gothic metal band Type O Negative. He joined the band at frontman Peter Steele's request. He played for Type O Negat ...

.Dan Berger
Defining Democracy: Coalition Politics and the Struggle for Media Reform
''International Journal of Communication 3'' (2009). It is part of the broader " media reform movement" (or "

movement"), and has described its work in these terms. This movement promotes ideas of "media localism" and opposes media consolidation. Like other organizations that are part of the same movement (such as the

Consumer Federation of America The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 to advance consumer interests through research, education and advocacy. According to CFA's website, its members are nearly 300 consumer-oriented non-profits, w ...

Consumers Union A consumer is a person or a group who intends to order, or uses purchased goods, products, or services primarily for personal, social, family, household and similar needs, who is not directly related to entrepreneurial or business activities. ...

and the Center for Digital Democracy), Free Press is concerned with issues such as

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdicti ...

regulations, "as well as Congressional funding for public broadcasting and the malfeasance of corporate media." Free Press leads the Save the Internet coalition, which advocates for net neutrality. The coalition consists of individuals, nonprofits, and companies, ranging from advocacy groups to consumer groups to

Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo Cou ...

companies,Anne Broache
New group aims to 'save the Internet'
''CNET'' (April 24, 2006). including

Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...

and

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washi ...

. Free Press organized six National Conferences for Media Reform (NCMRs) from 2003 to 2013. It currently hosts workshops, community forums, protests and other events around the country. Free Press is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It has a staff of 31 people in 2020.

Net neutrality

Free Press is a strong supporter of

. In 2008, Free Press was the key mover in a pro-net neutrality campaign that "drew together strange bedfellows, including the Christian Coalition, the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...

and the

Gun Owners of America Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a gun rights organization in the United States. It makes efforts to differentiate itself from the larger National Rifle Association (NRA) and has publicly criticized the NRA on multiple occasions for what it consi ...

, and helped set in motion a broader debate on the issue" that resulted in an FCC hearing on the subject. In its campaign for net neutrality, Free Press has been allied with Democratic members of Congress.Senators Champion Net Neutrality and Call on FCC to Act
(press release), Free Press (July 15, 2014). The group supports the 2015 Open Internet Order, in which the FCC classified broadband internet as a

common carrier A common carrier in common law countries (corresponding to a public carrier in some civil law systems,Encyclopædia Britannica CD 2000 "Civil-law public carrier" from "carriage of goods" usually called simply a ''carrier'') is a person or compan ...

service under Title II of the

Communications Act of 1934 The Communications Act of 1934 is a United States federal law signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 19, 1934 and codified as Chapter 5 of Title 47 of the United States Code, et seq. The Act replaced the Federal Radio Commission wit ...

,Cecilia Kanga
F.C.C. Chairman Pushes Sweeping Changes to Net Neutrality Rules
''New York Times'' (April 26, 2017). which meant that "no content could be blocked by broadband providers and that the internet would not be divided into pay-to-play fast lanes for internet and media companies that can afford it and slow lanes for everyone else." Free Press has long been strongly critical of FCC Chairman

Ajit Pai Ajit Varadaraj Pai (; born January 10, 1973) is an American lawyer who served as chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2017 to 2021. He has been a partner at the private-equity firm Searchlight Capital since April 20 ...

because of Pai's opposition to net neutrality regulations. In 2017, Free Press's president Craig Aaron has said that the reversal of the 2015 Open Internet Order "would put consumers at the mercy of phone and cable companies." Pai, in turn, has been critical of Free Press, asserting that Free Press has a "socialist" agenda.REMARKS OF FCC CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI AT THE NEWSEUM, “THE FUTURE OF INTERNET FREEDOM” WASHINGTON, DC, APRIL 26, 2017

(April 26, 2017).

Leadership

The board of directors includes Craig Aaron,

Michael Copps Michael Joseph Copps (born April 23, 1940) is a former Commissioner of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), an independent agency of the United States government. He was sworn in on May 31, 2001 and served until December 31, 2011. ...

, Ashley Allison,

Alvaro Bedoya Alvaro Martin Bedoya (born February 21, 1982) is an American attorney and government official who serves on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Bedoya was the founding director of the Center on Privacy and Technology at the Georgetown University ...

, Olga Davidson, Joan Donovan, Martha Fuentes-Bautista, Bryan Mercer, Victor Pickard and Ben Scott.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Free Press (organization) 2003 establishments in the United States Freedom of the press Internet-related activism Northampton, Massachusetts Organizations based in Massachusetts Organizations established in 2003

History, organization, and activities

Net neutrality

Leadership

See also

References

External links