Principles of Public Media
– 1st draft 11/28/10
Preface
These principles define the essential value of Public Media to U.S. society, the
unique role they play within the global media environment, and the ways they
ensure the editorial integrity of their work1.
They are intended to provide the case for public and private support of Public
Media, challenge Public Media organizations to earn that support, and
safeguard the ability of Public Media to serve the public independently2.
To these ends, the following four principles address the objectives of Public
Media, the range of means by which it seeks to further these objectives, its
working methods and practices, and the needed working relationships among
it’s varied constituencies.3
Objective
1. The objective4 of Public Media is to support a strong public culture5.
Public Media is dedicated to developing and supporting a strong public culture
within the United States characterized by:
 An informed and engaged public that enables a strong and effective
democracy
 Civil discourse and interaction among varying interests and perspectives
leading to greater shared knowledge and understanding of differences,
constructive problem-solving and sustained community building
 Public access to the offerings of the arts, humanities and sciences,
resources and opportunities for life-long education, and media for the
expression of a diversity of voices, experiences and views.
 Strong local communities that offer individual opportunity and a high quality
of life.
In support of this objective, Public Media exist as a public service to ensure
sustained media capabilities and capacity are available in local communities
across the United State and their services are available to all residents of all
ages at free or very affordable cost.
As a public service Public Media provides the necessary complement to
available individual and commercial media focused on more private and profitmaking objectives.
Means
2. Public Media works to build a public culture through a variety of
means, media and platforms suited to local communities.
Public Media pursue its objective through a range of means based on
community interests, needs and opportunities. These include:

Producing original content

Acquiring, aggregating and curating content from diverse sources

Collaborating with others in the community on co-creating content

Convening community groups and forums for exchange, dialogue and
interaction

Using a variety of forums, technologies and platforms to distribute
content, convene groups and develop community

Developing organized and coordinated capacity and capability within
the community to create and contribute to multiple forms of media,
including providing facilities, technology and skills development.
Through these means Public Media works to provide the information, places,
processes and tools that enable citizens to create and participate in a strong
public culture.
Practices
3. Public Media ensure the integrity of their work through established
professional practices, transparency and accountability.
To be effective in achieving their prime objective, Public Media rely on a public
reputation as widely trusted, reliable and community-grounded content
sources and service providers. They build this reputation through practices
that ensure the integrity of their work processes and products, including:

Operating within a system of defined professional values and ethics,
stated standards of fairness, honesty, accuracy and quality control, and
independent decision making processes6.

Broadly engaging the community, seeking out informed and
experienced parties, and incorporating multiple perspectives

Providing full transparency as to sources used, funding received,
individual and organizational perspective held, and other factors of
potential concern to users is assessing trustworthiness

Providing additional context, background and sources for those seeking
more in-depth views

Being publicly accountable for the integrity of their content, processes
and relationships or clearly stating the limits of such accountability when
the content and action of other parties are involved.

Operating within the letter and spirit of applicable statutory and
regulatory requirements and restrictions

Assuring that public and private funds are properly and effectively spent
through sound fiscal and management policies and procedures.
Constituency
relationships
4. Public Media rely on relationships of mutual respect, transparency
and accountability with their various constituents.
Public Media works within a network of important constituents and relies on
mutually productive relationships with these groups to be effective. While the
nature of the working relationships vary by constituent, common themes of
respect, transparency and accountability run throughout.

Users:
- Share own perspectives and knowledge
- Contribute informed content
- Provide feedback, questions and criticism
- Hold Public Media accountable to these principles

Content partners and providers:
- Share-in Public Media’s objective of building a strong public culture
- Respect and share Public Media’s work practices and standards
- Be equally transparent and accountable

Other media organizations:
- Respect Public Media’s operating principles
- Be equally clear and transparent in defining own principles

Funders:
- Share-in Public Media’s objective of building a strong public culture
- Be transparent in interests and intents in providing funding
- Respect Public Media’s methods and practices of integrity

Governing boards
- Support Public Media’s objective of building a strong public culture
- Be transparent in interests and intentions in setting directions and
establishing boundaries

Legislators and regulators:
- Safeguard Public Media’s methods and practices of integrity
- Be clear and transparent about interests and intentions in establishing
requirements and restrictions affecting Public Media
The 1984 Principles were created for more specific stated purposes, namely “to
clarify the First Amendment rights and editorial independence of government funded
public broadcasting” and to “establish a foundation for trustee action”. Their “ultimate
goal” was also addressed to a particular audience: “to assist public broadcasting
trustees in fulfilling their vital role in this important public service”. These draft
principles address the broader needs expressed by the working group to define a
clear public value and unique identity for Public Media in the existing and emerging
media environment – as well as the need to have these principles speak to a wide
audience.
1
2
This last phrase is intended as a more open and externally focused rephrasing of
the 1984 statement “ “Editorial integrity in public broadcasting programming means
the responsible application by professional practitioners of a free and independent
decision-making process which is ultimately accountable to the needs and interests of
all citizens.”
3
Additional text could be added here to address the issue that some existing Public
Media organizations may not be committed to the full, admittedly encompassing and
aspirational view of Public Media discussed by the working group and expressed in
these principles. Such text could read:
“These principles are also comprehensive by design. Some Public Media
organizations may choose to focus on particular services objectives and
means of reaching those objectives. Others may also carry particular service
mandates based on their ownership. In either case the essence of these
principles, even if applied to a narrower scope of activity, remain valid.”
This could also be stated as the “purpose” or “mission” of Public Media. “Objective”
is used here for the sake of articulating a principle that is clearly focused on external
outcomes of clear public value rather than internally oriented activities or aspirations.
4
5
6
“Public culture” is used here in the sense that Pat has defined it.
This point provides a direct lead-in to the work of the other two groups on
“Funders, agendas, and firewalls” “Editorial partnerships” as well as other
related topics identified for future study. It does not however specify exact
policies or standards, following the 1984 principle’s approach of expecting
Public Media organization to take the responsibility for establishing their
particular policies.