As we’ve prepped for the book during the past year, we’ve gathered stories and data to help us understand how the progressive media is making an impact on the political and social landscape. We have spent a lot of time talking to specific progressive media-makers about how their projects are structured, when they think they have made an impact and how they need to continue to develop.

Needless to say, we’ve sifted through a lot of information. Articles. Interviews. Books. Academic research. And there’s still a long way to go.

One of our most important goals is to report on how specific media outlets have fostered change. The book will focus on the time period between the 2004 and 2008 election, noting the rise of collaboration, new technologies and a rising interest new business models for progressive media. Below are some of the common “impact threads” that we have noted so far within the last four years, with examples of outlets and stories that exemplify particular approaches. The ideas below are just a starting point:

• Mainstreaming an issue— Sicko, An Inconvenient Truth, Naomi Klein on disaster capitalism, Grist
• Building and informing progressive audiences—The Nation, AlterNet, Netroots Nation, Amy Goodman
• Taking it to Capitol Hill—Democracy Journal, Jeremy Scahill
• Combining pop and politics—Feministing, Third World Majority, The Wire, Davey D
• Reaching niche audiences—New America Media, Ms., ColorLines, Pandagon
• Fighting the right—Brave New Films, Air America, Stephen Colbert
• Uncovering the news—Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones
• Pioneering new journalism models—Off The Bus/Huffington Post, Firedoglake
• Chasing the tech—examples: Crooks and Liars, Bloggingheads.tv, TechPresident

While we have many other examples, we need your feedback to help us flesh these ideas out. Are we crazy, or on the right track? Are there rising projects we should be tracking? Do you have any additional categories that we’re missing? Do you have an example of a high impact story or media outlet? (Or one that should have been, and wasn’t?) Let us know about it. We want to engage as many brains as possible during this process.

Please comment on this post, or send your ideas about the most influential progressive stories/outlets from 2004-08 to info[AT]buildtheecho.net. Over the next six months, we’ll be posting responses from different individuals and continuing to share our own research and writing for your feedback.

Onward!

~Tracy and Jessica