About The Collaborative

OUR MISSION

This website was established by  the California Media Collaborative, which until May 2009 was directed by Louis Freedberg, in association with the Commonwealth Club of California.  In May 2009, the Collaborative joined forces with the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley to establish California Watch, a new venture to do in-depth, high impact and investigative reporting on the state.

The goals of the Collaborative — now integrated into the work of California Watch — were to devise new strategies for coverage of critical issues affecting the lives of Californians, and to engage Californians more fully in the democratic process  by combining best journalistic practices with the power of new media tools.

The initiative was based on the premise that the turmoil in the news industry should not be left to the media to resolve, but needed the involvement and support of key California constituencies, including the non-profit sector, academia, philanthropy and civic leadership.   That premise holds true for the work of California Watch as well.

BACKGROUND

In September 2007, the California Media Collaborative convened a landmark invitational conference at UC Berkeley, “Covering California: Media, Community and Democracy in the Golden State,” in conjunction with the Travers Program in Ethics and Accountability in Government. Over 200 leaders from key California constituencies attended the day-long event.
Download Conference Agenda

The Collaborative also produced a report, Covering California: Perspectives on the Media, based on interviews with 70 California leaders, looking at media coverage of California, and new strategies for improving it.

In November 2008, a convening on media coverage of health care reform was held in Marina Del Rey.
Download Conference Agenda

It produced a report Covering California: Perspectives on the Media

In May 2009, the Collaborative joined forces with the Center for Investigative Reporting, which under the direction of Robert Rosenthal, had also devised a plan for doing a reporting on California.

BOARD OF ADVISORS

Advising the Collaborative is a 20-member board made up of distinguished representatives from the media and other key California constituencies.

FOUNDATION SUPPORT

Prior to combining forces with the Center for Investigative Reporting, we received support from the following foundations:

The Wallace A. Gerbode Foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

The James Irvine Foundation

Blue Shield of California Foundation

California Watch is currently underwritten by the following foundations:

The James Irvine Foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

The John S.  and James L. Knight Foundation