WASHINGTON - October 2 - Free Press welcomes the release of Informing Communities, a new report by the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy. The report examines the challenges facing media and journalism, the information needs of local communities, and it presents a vision for the future of journalism and the media.

Informing Communities recommends policy changes in support of nonprofit and other emerging media models, increasing adoption of high-speed open Internet, improving media literacy, and promoting a more robust public broadcasting system. The Knight Commission is nonpartisan and is made up of media, nonprofit, industry and other leaders.

Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, made the following statement:

"We commend the Knight Commission for highlighting the urgent need to transform our media system so that it can better serve all Americans. The report breaks new ground by providing a unified vision for the future of media, journalism, and America's communications infrastructure.

"Making these recommendations a reality will require a coordinated policy strategy that includes public interest organizations, academics, policymakers, civic institutions, public broadcasters and the American public, all working together.

"The Knight Commission has given us an excellent blueprint for repairing our broken media system and connecting Americans to the information they need -- now we must advance a policy agenda that will turn these ideas into reality."

Read Informing Communities here: http://www.knightcomm.org/