As my Teak Media colleagues and I came to grips with this week’s election results, our attention focused on what the incoming administration might mean to many of the organizations with which we work: nonprofits and socially responsible companies that support immigrants, education and healthcare for the underserved, social justice initiatives, clean energy, women’s rights, the food insecure and the environment. These organizations and the people they serve rely on government funding, which could be negatively impacted in the near future.
As Teak Media sits at the intersection of nonprofits, responsible companies and the media, along with concern for our beloved nonprofits, we thought long and hard about the place of the media in what we all just experienced and the role of media moving forward.
We work with the media daily to bring positive news stories about important organizations and issues to the forefront, and we respect the media for its role in providing critical information to people from all corners of the world. With that said, if it wasn’t clear already, the election brought to the surface the fact that much of the mass media seems to be reaching just half of the population. There is a deep connection between what people read, hear, and see and their political beliefs, and too many votes were cast last week based on the bias of the media each voter consumed. That phrase, “bias of the media,” gives pause to all of us who have been involved with the media for decades as well as over the past eight years during which we have seen a 180-degree shift in public trust in American institutions including the media.
After acknowledging all of the above, we shook ourselves off, took a deep breath, and felt grateful for our work with the organizations and companies that are making positive changes in the world. Nonprofits and responsible companies will be even more critical moving forward as they fight for equality for people of all genders, races, financial means, and ethnicities. Responsible companies that create clean energy solutions and provide technology, services, and products to the underserved or underfunded will find their work to be of even greater value to people and the planet. We are more determined than ever to play our role in their future success.
We choose to be inspired by the opportunities that lie before all of us. At Teak Media, we are energized to bridge the fractured media divide and drive attention for our worthy clients through all forms of media from traditional to social, podcasters and influencers, with audiences of varying political beliefs and interests. Our work will be valuable as nonprofits and responsible companies seek funding, credibility, and public participation.
The majority of the stories of nonprofits and responsible companies are nonpartisan and deserve to be heard by people who lean politically right, left and center. We, at Teak Media, cannot change the bifurcation of the media, but we are accepting the reality and want to do more to reach out to varying (read: conservative) media sources and mediums to ensure our clients’ voices are heard by all, regardless of their political beliefs. News about clean energy, for example, might be viewed as too left by some media, but all can agree that sustainable energy also creates jobs, which is something everyone can vote for. In short, the way we frame the news according to the media source we are pitching is increasingly important.
Finally, we are grateful for the CEOs, directors and staff of the amazing companies and organizations that are doing world-changing, planet-improving work and for our Teak Media colleagues, whom we trust, respect and personally like. Working with people with aligned values, shared work ethics, and positive energy is important, this week especially, and will be every day moving forward.
