TANTV is proud to announce its participation in the inaugural Fundraising for Community Media cohort, a groundbreaking program organized by the Center for Community Media (CCM) at CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. TANTV (digital home of the African Diaspora) is one of 15 Asian, Black, and Latine-led newsrooms chosen for this tuition-free training opportunity starting April 9, 2024.
The cohort is designed to address the unique challenges faced by media leaders of color, who often struggle with barriers to funding opportunities, limited access to advertising revenue, and the precarious nature of the journalism industry. Despite the importance of news philanthropy as a potential lifeline, nonprofit funding has historically been less accessible to leaders of color
“Community media upholds many of the values that philanthropy cares about,” said CCM Director Cheryl Thompson-Morton. “Our aim is to help these newsrooms leverage their strengths to build financially resilient organizations that meet the information needs of underrepresented communities.”
The cohort represents geographic diversity, with members based in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Washington D.C., and the District of Columbia – an effort to combat news deserts, especially crucial in an election year.
Chosen from over 80 applicants, the cohort includes traditional and digital-first news outlets serving Asian American, Latine, multiracial, and Black communities across the United States. Over three months, instructors with decades of experience as leaders of color in journalism will guide the participants through biweekly virtual sessions. Topics covered include developing business strategies, expanding grant writing skills, audience prospecting, fundraising campaign planning, and navigating the news philanthropy landscape.
We are excited to be a part of this inaugural fundraising for community media cohort. As an African diaspora focused niche media, we rely on our community to stay sustainable; the program will allow us to be more strategic with our fundraisng approach and to tap into philanthropy funding as new funding source said Abolaji Omitogun, COO, TANTV.
CCM serves as a central hub supporting the sustainability and growth of news organizations that provide vital local coverage to underrepresented communities like communities of color and immigrants. It provides information, resources, and training to increase the financial viability of community media outlets.
TANTV is a media & technology company; we provide a platforms for media publishers, creators and advertisers reach a diverse multicultural audience. Our smart journalism media publication “tantvstudios” caters to the underserved African diaspora community.
To learn more about the Fundraising for Community Media cohort, contact us @engage@tantvstudios.com or ccm@journalism.cuny.edu
