The network of “investigative journalism” centres, the journalism organizations and journalists’ scholarships and training that are funded by Bill Gates
By Marica Micallef
A total of just over $38 million from Gates continues to support a sizable network of “investigative journalism” centres, with more than half going to the International Centre for Journalists in Washington, D.C., to advance and develop African media. These centres include:
In addition, the Gates Foundation gives at least $12 million in financial support to press and journalism organizations. For instance, $3.2 million was given to the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a group that represents more than 200 outlets.
The foundation also contributes funds to provide scholarships, courses, and workshops that directly train journalists all over the world. With the help of a Gates Foundation grant, someone can now pursue a career as a reporter and join a press association that receives funding from the foundation. This is especially true for journalists covering the areas of health, education, and international development, which are those in which Bill Gates is most active and where it is most important to scrutinize his actions and motivations.
A variety of targeted media campaigns are also funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation worldwide. For instance, it has given the Population Foundation of India $5.7 million since 2014 to produce dramas that support sexual and reproductive health in an effort to spread family planning practices throughout South Asia. A Senegalese organization was given more than $3.5 million to create radio programs and online content that would include health information. Opponents may view this as a case of a billionaire using his money to smear his ideas and opinions in the media, while supporters may see it as assisting critically underfunded media.
Media projects that are supported by the Gates Foundation are:
European Journalism Centre – $20,060,048; World University Service of Canada – $12,127,622; Well Told Story Limited – $9,870,333; Solutions Journalism Inc.- $7,254,755 ; Entertainment Industry Foundation – $6,688,208 ; Population Foundation of India- $5,749,826 –; Participant Media – $3,914,207; Réseau Africain de l’Education pour la santé- $3,561,683; New America – $3,405,859; AllAfrica Foundation – $2,311,529; Steps International – $2,208,265; Center for Advocacy and Research – $2,200,630; The Sesame Workshop – $2,030,307; Panos Institute West Africa – $1,809,850 ; Open Cities Lab – $1,601,452 ; Harvard university – $1,190,527; Learning Matters – $1,078,048; The Aaron Diamond Aids Research Center- $981,631; Thomson Media Foundation- $860,628; Communications Consortium Media Center – $858,000; StoryThings- $799,536; Center for Rural Strategies – $749,945; The New Venture Fund – $700,000 ; Helianthus Media – $575,064 ; University of Southern California- $550,000; World Health Organization- $530,095; Phi Delta Kappa International – $446,000; Ikana Media – $425,000; Seattle Foundation – $305,000; EducationNC – $300,000; Beijing Guokr Interactive – $300,000 ; Upswell- $246,918; The African Academy of Sciences – $208,708 ; Seeking Modern Applications for Real Transformation (SMART) – $201,781; Bay Area Video Coalition- $190,000; PowHERful Foundation – $185,953; PTA Florida Congress of Parents and Teachers – $150,000 ; ProSocial – $100,000 ; Boston University – $100,000; National Center for Families Learning – $100,000 ; Development Media International – $100,000; Ahmadu Bello University- $100,000; Indonesian eHealth and Telemedicine Society – $100,000; The Filmmakers Collaborative – $50,000; Foundation for Public Broadcasting in Georgia Inc. – $25,000 ; SIFF – $13,000