FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 21, 2009

NATIVE PUBLIC MEDIA LAUNCHES MEDIA BLUEPRINT PROJECT

Native Public Media (NPM) today announced the launch of its Media Blueprint Project naming Sascha Meinrath to work with Peggy Berryhill (Muscogee), Director of Media Architecture and Services as the lead research consultant, according to Loris Ann Taylor (Hopi), Executive Director.  The Media Blueprint Project will determine how the Native media network can utilize new media technologies and platforms to enhance and expand the media capacity of Native America.

Key to the development of next-generation media is access to broadband media technologies, the nerve center of global communications. Native American communities have received both poor broadband services and little attention in national Internet use surveys. The first phase of the Media Blueprint Project will document the on-the-ground realities among Native people to provide a much-needed intervention to address current inequities.  

Meinrath will develop and carry out research and data collection to assess the current condition of the communities of users participating in Native media.  He will also develop qualitative follow up tools and assist NPM in disseminating the research results.

“Native communities have been overlooked in telecom data,” Taylor said.  “Developing the Media Blueprint Project gives us the opportunity to compile Internet and broadband data to build media infrastructure that uses broadband technology to strengthen our Native communities. We will use this data to stress to the Obama Administration and key federal agencies that Native America must have a seat at the table during media and broadband discussions so that our communities get the attention they desperately need and deserve.”

A well-known expert on community wireless networks, municipal broadband and telecommunications policy, Meinrath is currently Research Director for the Wireless Future Program and heads the Open Technology Initiative for the New America Foundation.  He is also a regular contributor to Government Technology’s Digital Communities, the online portal and comprehensive information resource for the public sector. Commenting on the Blueprint Project, Meinrath stated, "This is incredibly important work that NPM is doing; this is an area that has been consistently ignored. I'm looking forward to working with NPM." 

NPM's Blueprint Project has received funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Benton Foundation.  The research and documentation phase is undertaken in cooperation with Acorn Active Media Foundation, The Ethos Group, and the New America Foundation.

Working closely with Meinrath will be Peggy Berryhill, NPM’s Director of Media Architecture and Services.  Berryhill is responsible for implementing national service plans that will develop the resources and assets needed to operate existing media outlets, utilize new platforms, and create media systems that inspire and facilitate active engagement by Native people.  Berryhill stated, "I'm very enthused to work with Sascha.  His understanding of the issue is key to NPM's work and he brings with him a coalition of like minded organizations who are involved in spectrum and broadband issues."

Native Public Media is a resource and advocacy organization that promotes healthy, engaged independent Native communities by strengthening and expanding Native American media capacity. It works with 33 Native-owned public radio stations in 12 states, a media network that will expand to include 30 additional public stations over the next three years.

More information on the organization and the project can be found at www.nativepublicmedia.org.

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