Foundation for American Communications

Foundation for American Communications (FACS) was a U.S. journalism training group that attempted to shape the news reaching the public. According to their description, they were "dedicated to improving the quality of information reaching the public through the news."

Their funding was mainly from large corporations such as ExxonMobil and AT&T.

Now out of business, their website, still active, states, "With great regret, we are compelled to announce that the Foundation for American Communications has ceased operations, due to a lack of funding. All activities, including seminars and webinars, have halted. The FACSNET.org website will be maintained as a reference and research tool for journalists."

Training
FACS would hold one-day seminars for journalists, usually in or near newpaper or broadcast stations. In-house sessions would sometimes be for news organizations such as Cox, Gannett, and Scripps Howard News Service. "FACS retains top scholars from leading academic institutions to collaborate in program development. Together with the FACS Journalism Advisory Committee, we choose program topics, design the curriculum, and select other faculty and policy makers deliver the seminars."

"News training groups such as the Poynter Institute and the American Press Institute work primarily on the "nuts and bolts" skill sets of journalism and management training. API works only with newspapers in business management and training. The Poynter Institute teaches writing, editing and other skills... FACS programs are not geared to job skills training, but to build knowledge and understanding in complex issues in the news such as economics, science, law, ethics and public affairs."

Where the money went
Some of the many conservative groups that got money from the Foundation for American Communications:
 * American Enterprise Institute
 * Capital Research Center
 * Cato Institute
 * Competitive Enterprise Institute
 * Federalist Society
 * Frontiers of Freedom Institute
 * George Mason University
 * Heritage Foundation
 * Hudson Institute

Media Transparency lists the following funders:
 * Armstrong Foundation
 * William H. Donner Foundation
 * Sarah Scaife Foundation
 * Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
 * John M. Olin Foundation
 * Carthage Foundation

Personnel

 * Robert E. Wood, President
 * Paul M. Davis, Senior Vice President - Programs
 * Jamie S. Bray, Program Manager

Former contact
85 South Grand Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105 Phone: 626-584-0010 Fax: 626-584-0627 Web: http://www.facsnet.org (site still active)

Related SourceWatch articles

 * American Press Institute
 * Exxon-Funded Skeptics