Media Impact

“Priya’s Shakti” (translated to “beloved’s power”) is a new augmented reality comic book and art exhibition, fighting abuse against women in India and around the world. The project, which was produced by “Rattapallax” and debuted early December, combats gender based violence by combining art, storytelling and technology. Read more...

"The last thing I want to do is develop media to get in the way of person-to person interchange because... I think all communication should end with either a handshake or a kiss." This quote from George C. Stoney, pioneer of public-access television, highlights the importance of encouraging participation on the production side of media – and also served as the focal point of Brian Winston's recent lecture at American University, "Is Clicktivism Enough?"  Read more...

In light of Facebook’s breastfeeding censoring scandal comes a documentary aiming to normalize the birthing process--"The Mama Sherpas." This documentary, by Brigid Maher, producer/director and professor in American University's School of Communication, investigates America’s rising cesarean birth rate and the midwives helping solve this obstetric crisis.

The film shows the outstanding work nurse-midwives do in providing optimal maternal-child health care. Yet, the challenge for Maher, like many filmmakers, comes in actually convincing audience’s to alter their previous attitudes about the role of midwives in modern society.   Read more...

Now in its 4th year, The BRITDOC Impact Award celebrates social impact documentary film through rewards for extraordinary achievement sponsored by PUMA and Netflix. This year's winners: "American Promise," "Blackfish," "Granito," "The House I Live In" and "No Fire Zone."  Read more...

"It is a treat seeing the product of legislation we wrote in the 80s," said Rep. Henry Waxman at an Independent Television Service award ceremony for him. "The rich and powerful often get their way in D.C., but the poor and marginalized don't get their story told."

Waxman, who is widely beloved for his pragmatic and conscientious struggle to leverage government for the good of many, whether in health care, the environment or the media, was remembering the 1988 legislation he shepherded, which created ITVS. Read more...