Consultant: Digital Distribution Development Project

Grant Range:
$5,000-$15,000

Reporting:
Executive Director

The audience for digital audio content distributed on a wide variety of platforms and available on an increasing number of devices is growing rapidly, both in the US and worldwide. The proliferation of ways of reaching listeners provides unprecedented opportunities to expand the production and distribution of programming that serves the Pacifica Mission.

The Pacifica Foundation intends to play a leading role in increasing the production and distribution of mission-driven audio programming by empowering participants, lowering barriers to access, and building infrastructure that is attractive to both producers and listeners, and can support the financial sustainability and growth of the Foundation. Among the key challenges to broadly expanded digital distribution, the Foundation recognizes the centrality of copyright and licensing in determining its potential strategies, and is specifically interested in developing approaches using derivatives of the Creative Commons family of licenses that would be appropriate to the goals and interests of the Pacifica Foundation, and civic broadcasting more broadly.

To spur the expansion of Pacifica's activities in the area of digital distribution, the Foundation is inviting applications for contracts to provide services for three to six months to advance the Foundation's goals in the areas described below. The purposes of this/these project(s) are to:

• initiate efforts that demonstrate Pacifica's commitment and capacity in these areas,
• develop prototypes/prototypic approaches,
• provide a basis for attracting funding for further development effort in these areas,
• create clearly delineated strategic plans for such further development.

The work will be performed under the auspices of the Executive Director of the Foundation in collaboration with Pacifica management, staff (paid and unpaid), committees, and outside experts as appropriate to the specific project. Submissions, which should not exceed five pages, may address any or all of the following goals, and should be explicit as to how the goals will be achieved:

• Resolve outstanding operational and implementation issues required to develop best practices for securing and identifying rights to all content distributed by Pacifica - including that produced by paid programmers, unpaid programmers, and third-party programmers - and for insuring appropriate use for each class of content based on such rights.
• Facilitate successful resolution of accumulated and newly arising questions, concerns, and/or issues so as to allow maximum participation in the licensing of new, existing, and/or archived Pacifica programming content using derivatives of the existing Creative Commons family of licenses that include distinct provisions for uses that generate revenue and for uses that are purely non-commercial.
• Design strategies/approaches for Pacifica's distribution efforts that take into account and clarify the differing terms for distribution of differently licensed content, e.g. the distribution of Creative Commons hybrid-licensed content and content containing copyrighted material unavailable for licensing with Creative Commons hybrid licenses. Prototype such approaches, and provide written summaries describing how these approaches are or can be made operationally and financially sustainable.
• Identify funding sources, funding strategies, and proposals for funding, bringing new resources to Pacifica that will support its efforts to rapidly expand its Internet presence.
• Develop strategies/approaches to create accessible libraries of music content licensed using Creative Commons hybrid licensing approach, and initiate such approaches.
• Expand Pacifica's technological infrastructure and platforms for making its content available more broadly.
• Identify/develop additional platforms, partners, and strategies that would aid in expanding distribution of Pacifica programming.
• Develop publicity strategies and implementation plans to promote public awareness of Pacifica's efforts in these areas, and initiate such strategies/plans.

It is recognized that the term of the initial contract is limited. Applications should therefore identify which goals can be achieved within the initial contract period, and how successful achievement of these goals will position the Foundation for further growth and development.

The work plan should demonstrate an understanding of the technological, legal and institutional challenges to be met to achieve the project goals, and offer clear deadlines for major activities.

Expansion of initial efforts beyond the contract period will depend upon the ability of the initial project(s) to attract funding or their promise to do so in the immediate future, and will be subject to competitive applications to perform the work.

Proposals must include the following elements: a project summary, detailed description including how the goals will be addressed, clearly measurable objectives, a well-organized work plan and specific deliverables, an itemized proposed budget, and the relevant qualifications of the applicant.

Proposals need not address every project goal, but must clearly demonstrate an understanding of what additional work beyond the scope of the specific application would need to be done. More than one application may be accepted, and Pacifica reserves the right to negotiate the final terms of any contract.

The Pacifica Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against people on the basis of race, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, color, ancestry, national origin, marital status, medical condition, age or disability.

Submit applications to:

Executive Director
Pacifica Foundation
1925 Martin Luther King Junior Way
Berkeley, CA 94704

Or send to: PhilO [at] pacifica.org