Mission & Vision
At Public Media Company, our mission is to cultivate vibrant local media that informs, connects, and inspires communities. We believe 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. We want every community across the country to be enriched by local media, and we want to be both a catalyst and facilitator of this vision.
Values
Strong communities: Essential for a healthy society and a functioning democracy, strong communities are comprised of informed and engaged people capable of forging connections, working together so that all voices are heard, solving problems, and participating fully in civic life.
Independent media: We believe that all people should benefit from local mission-driven media dedicated to connecting, informing, and celebrating the communities they serve.
Belonging: We believe that organizations thrive when people feel a sense of belonging, when all voices are heard and represented, and when individuals come together to learn, celebrate, and act on behalf of shared needs.
Relationships: We forge and maintain meaningful relationships with one another and the people we serve; relationships based on respect, empathy, equity, and honest dialogue.
Learning: We are committed to building and sharing the knowledge and experience needed to serve the needs of media organizations and local communities.
Collaboration: We recognize the strength of partnerships and teamwork, as well as the power of a diversity of thought and experience. We seek opportunities to connect with people and organizations that share our vision and values.
Strategic Plan
Our strategic plan details how we are working to strengthen local media. Click on the image below to read PMC's 2024-27 strategic plan in full.
Our Commitment to Fostering an Inclusive and Fair Workplace
At Public Media Company, we are committed to fostering a work environment that allows everyone to achieve their full potential at work and in life. We recognize that diversity of professional and life experiences brings a richness of perspectives and ideas that are essential for developing innovative solutions, building trust, and catalyzing community growth. We are dedicated to creating an environment where all individuals feel respected, valued and empowered to bring their full selves to work in order to contribute fully to our mission. We believe that embracing diversity, providing opportunities for all and providing a welcoming environment for everyone are not just values to aspire to but essential components of who we are and how we operate.
WHY THESE VALUES ARE ESSENTIAL TO PUBLIC MEDIA COMPANY'S SUCCESS
Reflects the communities served: By prioritizing this commitment, we ensure that local media outlets represent and serve the true tapestry of their communities, fostering trust, connection, and sense of belonging.
Elevates public discourse: A more inclusive media landscape provides a platform for all voices, including the underrepresented, and fosters richer and more informed public conversation.
Strengthens our impact: Diverse teams bring a wider range of experiences, perspectives and ideas, leading to more creative and impactful solutions for local, independent media organizations.
Builds organizational resilience: Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion allows us to retain talent thus strengthening our organization, making it more adaptable, resilient, and capable of thriving in a diverse and ever-changing media environment.
IN OUR PURSUIT OF A MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY, WE PLEDGE TO
Educate and empower: Provide ongoing education and training on principles and practices to our staff, ensuring everyone is equipped to uphold these values in their work.
Equitable practices: Implement and uphold equitable practices internally as we build the PMC team and externally in our services.
Collaborative partnerships: Foster partnerships and collaborations that reflect our commitment both within and outside of public media.
Amplify underrepresented voices: Actively seek out projects that have the potential to amplify underrepresented voices within the local media ecosystems.
Accountability and transparency: Regularly evaluate and report on how we have demonstrated our commitment to these values through achieving our mission and supporting the communities we serve.
How Public Media Company Uses Artificial Intelligence
At Public Media Company, we believe artificial intelligence can help us do our work more effectively — but only when used thoughtfully, transparently, and in ways that honor the trust our clients, donors, grantees, and partners.
HERE IS HOW WE APPROACH AI
Human judgment stays at the center: AI tools help our team with research, drafting, and analysis. But our staff reviews, edits, and takes responsibility for everything we produce. AI does not make decisions on our behalf.
We protect your information: Information that clients, donors, grantees, and partners share with us is shared in confidence. We use client information only within secure, approved AI platforms where it remains private — never exposed to other users, third parties, or used to train AI models. The same confidentiality obligations that apply to all our work apply to our use of AI.
We are honest about AI's role: We do not present AI-generated content as entirely our own original work. When AI has played a significant role in something we share, we say so.
We watch for bias: AI tools can reflect the biases present in their training data. Our staff is attentive to this, and we review AI outputs with a critical eye — particularly when it comes to accurately representing the diverse communities and stations we serve.
We keep learning: AI technology is changing rapidly. Our policies will evolve with it. We are committed to staying current and to sharing what we learn with the organizations and people we serve.