Politics JP: Politics & the Media 

Center for Digital Democracy
URL: http://www.democraticmedia.org
The Center for Digital Democracy is a nonprofit organization working to ensure that the digital media systems serve the public interest.

Center for Media & Public Affairs
URL: http://www.cmpa.com
The CMPA is a nonprofit nonpartisan research and educational organization that conducts scientific studies of the news and entertainment media.

FactCheck.org
URL: http://www.factcheck.org
A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, Fact Check is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, consumer advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. They monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Their goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
URL: http://www.fair.org
FAIR is one of the most widely recognized national media watch groups. It has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986.

Federal Communications Commission
URL: http://www.fcc.gov
Established by the Communications Act of 1934, the FCC is an independent United States government agency charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable.

National Press Club
URL: http://npc.press.org
The National Press Club is a private association of members of the journalism and public relations community.

Newswatch.org
URL: http://www.newswatch.org
Newswatch provides an extensive list of links related to factors that help shape the news.

OpenSecrets - Lobbyists Database
URL: http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/index.asp
From the Center for Responsive Politics, this site provides a report with year-to-year comparisons of lobbying spending on Capitol Hill. It includes industry breakdowns and searchable database of individual lobbyists and firms.

Poynter Institute
URL: http://www.poyter.org
Founded in 1975 by Nelson Poynter, chairman of the St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly, the Poynter Institute is a school dedicated to teaching and inspiring journalists and media leaders.

Project Censored
URL: http://www.projectcensored.org
Project Censored is a media research group headquartered at Sonoma State University that tracks the news published in independent sources. They compile an annual list of 25 news stories of social significance that have been overlooked, under-reported or self-censored by the country's major national news media.

Project Vote Smart
URL www.vote-smart.org
PVS calls itself "a voter's self-defense system." This site provides extensive information on candidates and elected officials. Allows search of "who represents you" by zip code. Also has voting records of members of Congress. Be sure to check out their news media links.

Readership Institute
URL: http://www.readership.org
A division of the Media Management Center at Northwestern University, the Readership Institute focuses on researching newspaper readership to help the newspaper industry develop ways to improve its readership.