Media Working Group was founded in 1986, by four community media activists, artists and documentary makers, Fred Johnson, Tim Kraus, Jean Donohue and Stephen Bagnall (now deceased). After years of consensus building around divergent intentions and understanding of what kind of media organization they wanted to create it was eventually designed to support the work and education efforts of the four as well as support the work of ‘associated’ independent producers and public intellectuals unrestrained by notions of state, region or nationality. The present structure as a cooperatively managed, non-profit media education, production, and development organization provides an organizational framework and capacity for artists to carry-out their work on their own terms; and furnishes a rich environment of mutual support and freedom of expression for their artistic labor.

The organization’s goals are to stimulate, encourage and support the creation of video, film, networked (web based) media, audio and photography in the public interest and for cultural intervention. MWG works with member producers to actualize works from conception, fundraising, production, post-production, distribution, teaching curricula, web production to publc engagment campaigns. The organization also provides the infrastructure required to produce excellent works including production insurance, post-production equipment, studio and offices.

The work of Media Working Group producers have carried them to Cuba, Wales, France, Ethiopia, England and Ireland. The Group’s award-winning documentaries, feature films and web sites have enjoyed national and international attention and distribution on BBC 2, BBC World Services, WNET-NY, the Learning Channel, Ohio PBS Consortium, Kentucky Educational Television. More than 50 works have been produced and distributed since 1988. Fred Johnson’s, Death on Delivery (for BBC 2), Future On the Line (BBC 2), Hybrid City (BBC 2), Another Year, Another Number (Learning/Discovery Channel); Jean Donohue’s, From the Shadows of Power (WNET-NY, Kentucky Educational Television, Ohio Public Broadcasting Consortium), and Coal Black Voices (KET); George Stoney’s Paulo Freire in Action; Barbara Miller’s Waiting to be Sun; Carol Tizzano’s Picture Perfect; Helen DeMichiel’s Turn Here Sweet Corn (was seen nationally on the PBS series POV), and Consider Anything, Only Don’t Cry received the “Best New Vision” Golden Gate Award at the 1989 San Francisco International Film Festival. Louis Guida’s, You Ain’t Seen Nothin’: (The Kentucky Derby in American Popular Culture on POV and KET) and feature films include Helen DeMichiel’s Tarantella, starring Mira Sorvino and Aralee Strange’s This Train.

Web site projects include production and organizational sites, online teaching curricula and a filmmakers distribution portal. Web sites have also been produced for Media Working Group projects including Coal Black Voices and Coal Black Voices Web-Based Teaching Curriculum, Digital Literacy, a week long graduate seminar at Portland State University, Jack Tales, Kentucky Craft Marketing Program and Kentucky Arts Council Statewide Conference (both state agencies), Association for the Advancement of Arts Education, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, and Reach to Teach.

Coming soon;

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