OTI's Newest Staffer: New America Foundation Announces Its First Knight Media Policy Fellow.

Here's the latest from the most recent expansion of Team OTI. I'm really looking forward to working with Tom -- he's going to be a fantastic addition to the Open Technology Initiative.

New America Foundation Announces Its First Knight Media Policy Fellow

November 12, 2009

The New America Foundation today announced that Tom Glaisyer will be its first Knight Media Policy Fellow, focusing on national media policy changes and related developments under a new grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Glaisyer, a Ph.D. candidate from Columbia University's School of Journalism, has long been focused on the interplay between media and political processes and institutions. He will take the lead on New America's media policy work, including the task of identifying and recruiting additional Knight Media Policy Fellows and coordinating their work.

"We're thrilled to have Tom leading the charge for our Media Policy Initiative," New America CEO Steve Coll said. "He is deeply involved in these discussions already, and his mix of academic research, technical expertise and hands-on experience with online community-building provides a perfect complement to the practicing journalists already at New America."

The Knight Media Policy Fellowships are designed to attract creative thinkers in old and new media who will track, critique and suggest media policy change. Among other efforts, the fellows will build on the Knight Commission's recently published report, "Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age."

Starting from the reports' findings, Knight Media Policy Fellows will focus on policies to reform public media, increase independent reporting on issues of public interest, and better help citizens access and engage with high-quality information. By tracking and critiquing policy initiatives at the federal level, and innovative media efforts in communities across the country, the fellows will report on both the successes and failures, along with their implications for the Knight Commission's recommendations to reform journalism nationwide.

"We look forward to hearing how officials in Washington are, or aren't, following up up on the recommendations of the commission -- and what the Knight Fellows think about that," said Eric Newton, vice president for journalism programs, Knight Foundation.

The additional Knight Media Policy Fellowships will be one-year, non-residential positions. Formal applications will not be accepted until December, but interested individuals can contact New America now at http://newamerica.net/contact/.

About the New America Foundation

The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan
public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. For more, visit www.newamerica.net

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation advances
journalism in the digital age and invests in the vitality of communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Since 1950, the foundation has granted more than $400 million to advance quality journalism and freedom of expression. Knight Foundation focuses on projects that promote community engagement and lead to transformational change. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.