Project Censored
Project Censored is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 that promotes critical media literacy by identifying underreported news stories through a student- and faculty-driven research process, publishing the annual State of the Free Press yearbook, producing a syndicated weekly radio show, and providing teaching resources to students, educators, and the general public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersFair Oaks, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Project Censored does
Project Censored is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media watchdog organization founded in 1976 by Dr. Carl Jensen at Sonoma State University, operating under the Media Freedom Foundation. Its core function is to identify underreported or censored news stories through a student- and faculty-driven research process and to promote critical media literacy education. The organization publishes the annual State of the Free Press yearbook (distributed through Seven Stories Press and The Censored Press imprint), produces the weekly syndicated Project Censored Show on KPFA, distributes The Censored Notebook and Dispatches on Media and Politics editorial content online, and provides teaching guides and classroom resources to educators. Its Campus Affiliates Program engages hundreds of faculty and students at colleges and universities across North America in vetting candidate stories for the annual Top 25 list.
The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial: revenue derives from tax-deductible individual donations, grant funding, book and publication sales through its publishing partners, and monthly newsletter subscriptions. There is no proprietary technology platform, no API or developer-facing product, and no disclosed pricing for products or services. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, supplemented by volunteer student researchers, paid summer interns ($2,000 stipend), and academic affiliates. Leadership comprises Executive Director Mickey Huff (also Distinguished Director of the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College since Fall 2024) and Associate Director Andy Lee Roth.
The organization serves three primary segments: college and university students participating in the Campus Affiliates Program, educators using its teaching materials for media literacy courses, and the general public seeking independent journalism and misinformation countermeasures. Geographic reach is claimed as global through digital channels, with concrete North American distribution via radio syndication on 50+ stations and academic affiliation networks. There are no disclosed enterprise customers, no investor backing, and no M&A activity; it operates as a program under the Media Freedom Foundation, which maintains editorial independence.
Project Censored firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Censored
- Legal name
- Media Freedom Foundation
- Website
- https://projectcensored.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Project Censored is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 that promotes critical media literacy by identifying underreported news stories through a student- and faculty-driven research process, publishing the annual State of the Free Press yearbook, producing a syndicated weekly radio show, and providing teaching resources to students, educators, and the general public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Censored industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media Literacy Education
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (51312), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Communications, Media Studies & Journalism (EDAGABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAE), Student Media & Publications (Newspaper, Radio, TV) (EDALAHAE)
Keywords
Where Project Censored is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fair Oaks
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Project Censored business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Project Censored relies on tax-deductible donations from readers and grant funding to support operations and educational programs.
- Book and Publication Sales: Revenue from sales of annual State of the Free Press yearbooks and other publications through The Censored Press imprint and Seven Stories Press.
- Newsletter Subscriptions: Monthly subscriber program where supporters join a community dedicated to advancing critical media literacy.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Project Censored product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project Censored identifies and validates underreported news stories through a student-driven research process and publishes the annual State of the Free Press yearbook highlighting the top 25 censored stories. It supports this with educational materials (teaching guides, classroom resources, the Campus Affiliates Program), a weekly syndicated radio show (The Project Censored Show), an online investigative publication (The Censored Notebook), and a publishing imprint (The Censored Press) producing books on media literacy and independent journalism.
Product overview
Project Censored operates as a nonprofit news organization with a multi-platform approach centered on critical media literacy and independent journalism. The core offering is the annual State of the Free Press yearbook series, which identifies the top 25 most censored news stories and provides analysis through Junk Food News, News Abuse, and Deja Vu News categories. Supporting this is The Censored Notebook (online publication), The Project Censored Show (syndicated weekly radio program), and Decoding Democracy (interview series). The organization's educational mission is delivered through Teaching Guides, Educator Resources, and the Campus Affiliates Program, which engages hundreds of students and faculty annually in identifying and vetting underreported stories. The Censored Press serves as the publishing imprint for books including State of the Free Press, The Media and Me, and The Judgment of Gender. A Summer Internship Program provides hands-on training in journalism and media literacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- State of the Free Press (Yearbook Series) Annual yearbook published by The Censored Press/Seven Stories Press that identifies and highlights the top 25 most censored news stories of the year, along with analysis of Junk Food News, News Abuse, and Deja Vu News; serves as the anchor publication for the organization's educational programs.
- The Project Censored Show Weekly syndicated public affairs radio program featuring interviews with media scholars, journalists, and activists discussing media literacy, independent journalism, and civic engagement; syndicated on 50+ radio stations across North America.
- The Censored Notebook Dynamic online publication featuring original investigative research, the Dispatches series on media and politics, Validated Independent News Stories, and monthly newsletters; provides a platform for uncovering underreported issues and fostering media literacy.
- Teaching Guides and Educator Resources Comprehensive educational materials including workshop opportunities, free downloadable teaching guides, classroom exercises, and curriculum resources for teaching media literacy; includes guides on fake news, news frames, and critical media literacy for young people.
- Campus Affiliates Program Program connecting hundreds of faculty and students at colleges and universities across North America to identify and vet important but underreported news stories; provides hands-on training in critical media literacy through participation in the Validated Independent News (VIN) research process.
- The Censored Press Project Censored's publishing imprint in partnership with Seven Stories Press, dedicated to producing books that promote independent investigative journalism, media literacy, and critical thinking.
- Validated Independent News (VINs) Stories that report information the public has a right to know but has limited access to; each story undergoes evaluation by student researchers and faculty evaluators to determine that it is important, timely, fact-based, well-documented, and under-reported in corporate media, serving as candidates for the annual top 25 stories.
- Summer Internship Program 8-week remote summer internship program for undergraduate students with interests in independent journalism and critical media literacy; interns receive a $2,000 stipend and work on identifying/vetting independent news stories, researching press freedom topics, and promoting the Project's work.
- The Judgment of Gender: How Women Are Centered and Silenced in Pop Culture Book by Allison T. Butler exploring how women are centered and silenced in pop culture, published by The Censored Press.
- The Media and Me: A Guide to Critical Media Literacy for Young People First book on media literacy for young people, co-authored by Project Censored and the Media Revolution Collective, published by The Censored Press/Triangle Square.
- Terms of Servitude Book by Omar Zahzah about Palestinian digital autonomy and algorithmic censorship, published by The Censored Press/Seven Stories Press.
- Decoding Democracy Series Interview series showcasing media scholars, journalists, and activists discussing how an informed public can protect democracy from corporate interests, social media manipulation, press distractions, and censorship.
Companies that use Project Censored
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Project Censored technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Project Censored partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Seven Stories PresscoreLong-standing publishing partner that has published the annual Censored/State of the Free Press yearbook series since 1996. Dan Simon and the Seven Stories Press team serve as treasured partners in distributing Project Censored publications.
- Seven Stories Press / The Censored PresscoreLaunched The Censored Press in 2022 as Project Censored's publishing imprint, dedicated to producing books that promote independent investigative journalism, media literacy, and critical thinking.
- KPFAmajorHistoric Pacifica radio station in Berkeley, California where The Project Censored Show originates. The show is syndicated on 50+ stations.
- Ithaca CollegemajorExecutive Director Mickey Huff joined Ithaca College in Fall 2024 as Distinguished Director of the Park Center for Independent Media. Hosted the 50th anniversary celebration in 2026.
- Alliance for DemocracyminorListed as a partner website for cross-promotion and collaborative efforts.
- National Coalition Against CensorshipmajorProject Censored became part of the National Coalition Against Censorship and collaborates on advocacy efforts.
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF)majorInternational nonprofit organization defending freedom of information; listed as partner website.
- Society of Professional JournalistsmajorJoined with SPJ and 22 other press freedom organizations in condemning proposed federal nondisclosure rules.
- The RealNewsminorPartnered on documentary releases including United States of Distraction and The Long Sili-Con series.
- Critical Media Literacy Conference of the AmericasmajorProject Censored co-sponsors this annual international conference convening journalists, media experts, activists, and educators.
- Action Coalition for Media Education (ACME)majorPresented joint educational resources including the Global Critical Media Literacy Educators' Resource Guide.
- Park Center for Independent MediamajorLocated at Ithaca College; Project Censored Director Mickey Huff serves as Distinguished Director of this center.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Project Censored competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- News Literacy Project: A nonpartisan education nonprofit that teaches middle and high school students to discern credible news from misinformation, directly competing for K-12 critical media literacy adoption and curriculum integration where The Media and Me targets the same audience.
- Truthout: An independent nonprofit news organization focused on investigative reporting on politics, climate, and social justice. Comparable as a mission-driven independent journalism nonprofit publishing underreported news, similar audience, and similar donor-supported revenue model.
- Poynter Institute: A nonprofit journalism school and research organization offering media literacy training and fact-checking resources (including the International Fact-Checking Network). Overlaps with Project Censored's media literacy and journalism education focus, with a stronger institutional and training footprint.
Broad incumbents
- ProPublica: A large, well-funded nonprofit investigative newsroom producing original journalism on undercovered issues of public interest. Comparable as a nonprofit news producer with similar values around independent journalism, though operating at significantly greater professional and financial scale.
Direct peers
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): An independent nonprofit that promotes press freedom worldwide and protects journalists from attacks, repression, and detention. Comparable as a press-freedom nonprofit with a focus on underreported and censored stories, and overlaps as one of Project Censored's coalition partners.
- FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting): A nonprofit media criticism organization that monitors and critiques U.S. media for accuracy and bias, producing Extra! magazine and original analysis. Closely comparable in mission (media watchdog), nonprofit funding model, and editorial critique framing.
- Media Matters for America: A nonprofit progressive media watchdog that monitors and corrects misinformation in U.S. conservative media. Most directly comparable to Project Censored's media-criticism function, though with a more overtly partisan positioning.
Others
- KPFA (Pacifica Network): The Berkeley-based listener-supported radio station where The Project Censored Show originates and through which it reaches 50+ stations. Comparable as a mission-aligned public-affairs broadcaster and direct operational partner; included here given its role as the syndication anchor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Project Censored social profiles
Digital presenceProject Censored financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Censored leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Project Censored subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Project Censored funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Project Censored M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Project Censored
What does Project Censored do?
Project Censored identifies and validates underreported news stories through a student-driven research process and publishes the annual State of the Free Press yearbook highlighting the top 25 censored stories. It supports this with educational materials (teaching guides, classroom resources, the Campus Affiliates Program), a weekly syndicated radio show (The Project Censored Show), an online investigative publication (The Censored Notebook), and a publishing imprint (The Censored Press) producing books on media literacy and independent journalism.
Is Project Censored a public or private company?
Project Censored is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Censored founded?
Project Censored was founded in 1976. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Project Censored based?
Project Censored is headquartered in Fair Oaks, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project Censored make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are book and Publication Sales and newsletter Subscriptions.
Who are Project Censored's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are News Literacy Project, Truthout and Poynter Institute. ProPublica is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting) and Media Matters for America. KPFA (Pacifica Network) is listed as an others.
Does Project Censored have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Censored.
What industry is Project Censored in?
Project Censored's product category is Media Literacy Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGABAK, Communications, Media Studies & Journalism, with a secondary code of EDAGAFAE, Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2741.